Diesel engines lose European market dominance

News

2 mins read

24 May 2017

European car registrations fell by 7.1% year-on-year in April, with an even sharper decline in diesel registrations.

Registrations of new diesel engines in Europe declined by 15% last month compared with April 2016, according to research by market analysts JATO Dynamics. That suggests continuing concerns from buyers over the environmental impact of diesel engines, and the continuing fall-out from Dieselgate.

Insight: is it time to give up on the diesel engine?

The decline in diesel registrations mean that the fuel has lost its dominance of the European market, accounting for 46% of the market compared with 50% in April 2016.

In total, 1.22 million cars were registered in Europe in April 2017. The 7.1% year-on-year drop was the largest monthly decline since March 2013. In contrast, overall registrations rose 10.8% year-on-year in March, totalling 1.98 million units.

The fall in registrations was particularly sharp in ‘traditional’ car segments: registrations of compact cars fell 11.9% year-on-year, with MPV registrations dropping 21.3%. By contrast, the SUV sector continued to grow, with registrations rising 7.2%.

In the UK, total registrations dropped to 152,076 in April, a decline of 19.8%, suggesting the impact of new VED rates introduced at the start of the month.

Volkswagen remains the most popular car brand in Europe, with 136,475 registrations, although this was a year-on-year decline of 13.9%. The Volkswagen Golf was Europe’s best-selling car in April, regaining the spot it had held for seven years before being overtaken by the Ford Fiesta in March. The Renault Clio was the second best-selling car, ahead of the Volkswagen Polo and Volkswagen Tiguan. The Fiesta dropped to eighth.

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James Attwood

Title: Associate editor

James is Autocar’s associate editor, and has more than 20 years of experience of working in automotive and motorsport journalism. He has been in his current role since September 2024, and helps lead Autocar's features and new sections, while regularly interviewing some of the biggest names in the industry. Oh, and he once helped make Volkswagen currywurst. Really.

Before first joining Autocar in 2017, James spent more than a decade in motorsport journalist, working on Autosport, autosport.com, F1 Racing and Motorsport News, covering everything from club rallying to top-level international events. He also spent 18 months running Move Electric, Haymarket's e-mobility title, where he developed knowledge of the e-bike and e-scooter markets.

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xxxx 25 May 2017

As Europe sang..

"It's the final countdown" You've gotta be over 40 to get this.

Bristolbluemanc 25 May 2017

Cheaper diesels

I recently received an email from a reputable broker in which there were fantastic deals on C-Class diesels (also on the plug-in hybrid) so perhaps sales are dropping. Incidentally, those suggesting new petrol engines are as economical as diesels are living in a dream world. The mpg I get from my Audi Q3 1.4 in town is fine but is poor on the motorway. Its drivability is nowhere near as good as the diesel I had.

spqr 24 May 2017

Diesel Diehards had better have deep pockets

Where I live the city council proposals for a T-Charge are £25 per day to enter the city for diesel cars (there is no suggestion that they will apply it only to the mythical "older diesel cars"). So work it out, you drive your filthy machine into the city for a meeting - £25. Your wife drives in on Saturday to shop - £25. You all go to the cinema on Sunday in the city - £25. So even if you do not live in the city or drive to work two or three normal trips could cost you quite a lot each week. The city council are also looking to levy the T-Charge on diesels that use A roads and the motorway that pass through the city. So you are driving to the airport - £25 for passing through the city limits for the 15 minutes needed to get to the airport. Every week unless you keep your filthy machine in the garage could cost you hundreds of pounds on top of fuel, insurance and road tax. Add in depreciation which will be savage as nobody will want a money pit that costs them hundreds every week and you can see the intention is to drive diesels into oblivion within a few years. So it doesn't matter if you are stubborn like AddyT or a diesel fan or have a genuine need for a diesel you are going to get rid of your diesel car very quickly once T-Charges begin.

scotty5 25 May 2017

Dear spqr...

spqr - which city council is proposing this?

I'm sick of all these scaremongering stories, none of which have any basis. So if you could let us know which city council is proposing to charge the very latest Euro6 small diesel for entering the city whilst not charging a V12 Rolls Royce on environmental grounds! Common sense would tell us this is tosh and you've simply got your story wrong, but we'll give you the benefit of the doubt. Will you name the city council in question?

scotty5 wrote:

scotty5 wrote:

spqr - which city council is proposing this?

I'm sick of all these scaremongering stories, none of which have any basis. So if you could let us know which city council is proposing to charge the very latest Euro6 small diesel for entering the city whilst not charging a V12 Rolls Royce on environmental grounds! Common sense would tell us this is tosh and you've simply got your story wrong, but we'll give you the benefit of the doubt. Will you name the city council in question?

You beat me to it. If I were spqr I'd think of either moving or vote in different councillors. He/she is being ripped off.

To a degree

You have a point but there's not that many V12 Rollers driving around Bristol for example. Anyhow this fiasco is because European Manufacturers got greedy and if the market had stopped at say 20%'ish (e.g no diesel superminis doing 10,000 mpa) we might not be having these discussions.

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