Tell me what you're riding in, we'll tell you who you are. This question is a classic in our society. It acts as a mirror of our time. Given that city cars are the favorite models of the French - the Renault Clio, Peugeot 208, Citroën C3, Dacia Sandero and Renault Captur are leading the way in sales - it will come as no surprise to anyone to learn that the average 2019 car, according to the study of the magazine L'Argus, sees its length reduced to 4.21 m (1 cm less) and its displacement reduced by 13 cm3 (1389 cm3) compared to 2018. At the same time, its power increases by 4 hp, certainly to cushion the impact of the weight gain of 20 kg (1268 kg). The share of diesel continues to decline to 34%. Main consequence: consumption increases by 0.1 liter / 100 km to reach 4.8 l / 100 km.
If the French buy increasingly small vehicles, they have not given up on having fun since after a drop of 682 € in 2018, the average price is rising again, increasing by 725 euros to settle at 26 € 807 last year. The French thus bought better equipped vehicles. Manufacturers thus compensate for the downgrade of motorists with more opulent accessories and finishes. The LOA (lease with option to buy) and LLD (long-term lease) type financing systems have also created the conditions to encourage motorists to buy more expensive vehicles.
More than ever, ecological taxation and the penalty grid are shaping the automotive landscape. In 2019, city cars (+ 9%), versatile city cars (+ 2%), small SUVs (+ 4%), compact SUVs (+ 14%) and electric vehicles (+ 12%) were the big market winners. If sales of minivans continue to plummet, family sedans, thanks to the launches of the Peugeot 508 and BMW 3 Series, have experienced a return to form (+ 4%). But with 68,930 copies, this market has been divided by four in the space of 20 years. As for the road, they continue their inexorable descent (- 12%). These are worrying phenomena - higher category models are the only ones to generate added value - at a time when the public authorities are urging manufacturers to relocate their production of small vehicles on French territory. Without a significant drop in the cost of labor, it will remain a fantasy.
