For many years, the Volkswagen Golf was the best-selling car in Europe: a compact model (C segment) from a general European brand. With the rise in car prices, which particularly affects the Golf, we might have expected the ranking to be shaken up this year by more accessible models. This is indeed the case, since the city car (segment B) Dacia Sandero, sold in France from €11,990, is placed on the second step of the podium in 2023. The leader in the ranking of the best-selling cars in Europe n However, it has nothing to do with the little Romanian girl. This is the Tesla Model Y, a large American electric SUV (D segment) sold for more than €40,000.
The model thus sold 254,822 copies in 2023 in the countries of the European Union, EFTA and the United Kingdom, according to figures from Dataforce, which managed to account for 97% of total registrations. in these markets. In 2023, Tesla’s electric SUV had already taken first place in registrations in Europe for certain months of the year, but this is the first time that it has won over a full year.
In France, a market that favors city cars, the Model Y took eighth place in the general ranking of registrations in 2023. It was also the best-selling electric car in France last year, ahead of the Dacia Spring and Peugeot e -208.
The secret to Model Y success
The Model Y indeed has reduced competition in the electric car market, which represented 15.7% of registrations in 2023. Many manufacturers certainly offer rival models to the Model Y, but Tesla manages to display its model at a lower price, while retaining many of the brand’s own arguments. It even overshadowed more compact models after a big price drop in January 2023.
In 2024, the Model Y will, among other things, have to face competition from the Renault Scenic E-Tech electric and Peugeot e-3008, which are smaller but have strong potential on the European market. Tesla, however, pulled the rug out from under them by further lowering the prices of the Model Y, now sold from €42,990 in France, excluding ecological bonus.
A restyling similar to that carried out on the Model 3 at the end of 2023 should also allow the Model Y to face its new competitors, particularly Chinese. These improvements are expected in mid-2024.