Renault posts huge growth to become Europe's No2 car maker

Renault achieved a significant 7.4% yearly sales uptick in Europe last year to unseat Toyota as the region’s second most popular car maker - an achievement that bosses attribute chiefly to the success of their multi-powertrain strategy. Renault sold 750,600 cars and 245,000 vans in Europe, giving it just under a million sales in the region to overtake its Japanese rival, which achieved 1.14 million sales in the same period but includes Israel, Turkey and parts of the Middle East in its European figures, which Renault does not. The European increase contributed to a significant 3.2% yearly uptick in Renault’s global sales volumes, with the French brand delivering 1.6 million vehicles worldwide. Ivan Segal, the Renault Group’s global sales and operations director, said the increases come after “four to five years of a two-leg strategy” whereby Renault has invested in a multi-powertrain mix that includes both hybrids and pure-electric vehicles. Segal added that Renault’s strategy is to “grow where the demand is”, referring to prevailing growth trends in the electrified vehicle market. Indeed, Renault’s full-hybrid sales were up 17.0% in Europe last year to 287,000, representing more than a third of its total car sales – a hike it attributes to the success of the Symbioz crossover, which has sold more than 85,000 units since launch. Meanwhile, Renault’s EV sales soared by 72.2% to account for just over a fifth of its total sales, largely off the back of the success of the Renault 5 supermini, which has sold more than 100,000 units since launching in 2024 - becoming not just the best-selling EV in France but also Europe’s most popular B-segment EV. Segal said Renault anticipates the forthcoming launch of the new Twingo and updated Megane, as well as the continuing roll-out of the Renault 4, to accelerate EV growth in 2026 - while the freshly launched Mk6 Clio will boost hybrid sales. Segal told Autocar that the brand is “quite confident in our capacity” to continue its growth trajectory in a highly competitive market environment, with a renewed focus on increasing its share outside of Europe. “Our offensive now, in terms of product, is coming more from outside Europe than in Europe, but we believe we can grow in both,” he said, pointing to the launch of the new Filante premium SUV in South Korea as a statement of the brand’s intent to strengthen its standing in key international markets. Last year, Renault posted an 11.7% sales increase in markets outside of Europe, delivering 621,000 vehicles to cement its position as the world’s leading French car maker. It was the number one car maker in Turkey, with 144,000 sales, and sold a huge 277,000 vehicles in Latin America - mostly the Dacia Sandero-based Kardian hatchback. Segal acknowledged that the “competition is more severe” in Europe, with Renault facing off against an ever-increasing field of Chinese rivals in its home market, but said the brand is also targeting growth in the light commercial vehicle (LCV) market as part of a drive to mitigate the impact of these newcomers. “We had a kind of transition year in LCVs in 2025, due to the end of production of the [Dacia Dokker-based] Express, not having the full [range] of Master where we have been for many years very strong, so we expect to recover. We are already seeing, since Q4, that we are recovering.” He also noted that Renault’s strong performance in small cars – the Clio being its best-seller and Europe’s second most popular car on the retail market (behind the Sandero) – gives it an edge against newcomer brands that are focused on larger cars. “There are many players – the Chinese are coming with all kinds of powertrain – but we believe globally that we are in a position to grow, especially in small cars – the B-, B-plus- and A-segments – where the Chinese are not coming with so many products, and where we are in a capacity to compete.”

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Renault posts huge growth to become Europe's No2 car maker

Bosses attribute 7.4% uptick in Europe to multi-powertrain strategy; plan for EVs and small cars to continue growth

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Renault posts huge growth to become Europe's No2 car maker

Bosses attribute 7.4% uptick in Europe to multi-powertrain strategy; plan for EVs and small cars to continue growth

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