Renault Clio tops France’s new car sales in 2025 by a wide margin

The Renault Clio was the best-selling new car in France in 2025, by a margin rarely seen in the country.

A total of 101,892 Clios were sold, even though the model, the fifth version of the car, is due to be replaced in 2026 by a sixth iteration. Renault dealerships started taking orders for this newer version last October.

The next best-selling car was its traditional rival, the Peugeot 208, which sold 73,092 models, and third was the Dacia Sandero.

By comparison, in 2024 the Clio 5 was still the top seller with 91,435 cars sold, but the Peugeot 208 was much closer in second place with 88,918 cars sold.

Renault had further success in 2025 with its all-electric Renault R5 model (37,997 sales). Ranked in seventh place on the table, it was the only all-electric car in the top 10.

Experts at Automobile Magazine, who compiled the list, said they were puzzled by the dominance of the Clio over the 208.

Both are of a similar size and price, with the cheapest version costing around €19,000 and the most highly equipped ones around €30,000. “It is difficult to explain,” they wrote.

Anecdotal reports indicate that Peugeot and Citroën, Renault’s main competitors in France, continue to be affected by reputational damage surrounding the PureTech three-cylinder petrol engine and the 1.5-litre BlueHDi diesel engine.

First introduced in 2013, the PureTech petrol engine was linked to premature wear in the timing belt system and excessive oil consumption. 

In 2025, Stellantis, the group which owns Peugeot and Citroën, announced a recall affecting tens of thousands of vehicles produced between 2022 and 2024. 

Prior to this, numerous owners whose vehicles had required major repairs at relatively low mileages voiced concerns publicly, particularly on social media.

Adding to Stellantis’s difficulties was a further recall, this time affecting more than one million vehicles. These were fitted with the 1.5-litre BlueHDi diesel engine, used in Peugeot and Citroën models, as well as several other brands within the group. 

Once again, the issue related to engine timing, requiring corrective work after premature wear of the camshaft timing chain. 

Citroën was also affected by a poorly handled recall to replace defective airbags.

Launched in 2019, with a remodelling in 2023, the Clio 5 has received consistently good reviews for its sporty looks and road-holding. 

It was also praised for its fit and finish, with the minor interior noises traditionally associated with smaller Renault models largely absent.

When asked why they thought its model had been so successful, a Renault spokesperson told The Connexion that the Clio 5 had competitive pricing and offered value for money.

They also highlighted the availability of four engine options: full hybrid, petrol, diesel and LPG. 

Particular attention was drawn to the success of the full-hybrid E-Tech system, which operates on electric power alone for around 80% of the time in urban driving and does not require external charging.

Petrol consumption for this version, at 4.2 litres per 100km, is low and it escapes the malus tax (for heavy and polluting cars).

The spokesperson said that bringing out a new version of the Clio “was part of the usual automobile cycle” to meet client expectations and new regulations.