Falling again last year, registrations have almost returned to their 1975 level. While production problems justified the poor sales in 2020 and 2021, inflation has clearly amplified the extent in 2022.
Just over a million and a half. This is the number of new cars registered last year. To find such a low figure, you have to go back to … 1975. For comparison, between 2013 and 2019, an average of 2 million cars were sold per year. The decline in new car sales in France is all the more worrying as it began three years ago.
Compared to 2019 – which was an excellent vintage – the cumulative deficit in new car registrations is approaching two million units. In other words, the average age of cars circulating in France continues to increase, year after year. On January 1, 2022, it had already increased by 2 months, rising to just 11 years, twice as much as in 1990.
New cars whose price has risen by 8.6%
The difficulties experienced by French car dealers are easily explained. In 2020 and 2021, they were rightly blamed on the lack of availability. Manufacturers were facing shortages that drastically reduced production rates in their factories.
But in 2022, motorists had to face a new deal: a very significant price increase. INSEE estimates it at 8.6% on average over one year. And this inflation has even more significantly affected city cars and, more broadly, the cheapest and most popular models.
The Dacia Spring, the best-selling electric car to individuals
The Dacia Sandero 3, for example, which established itself in 2022 as the second best-selling car in France (64,293 copies compared to 88,812 for the Peugeot 208 II) saw the price of its basic version drop from less than 10,000 euros to almost 11,500 euros, an increase of 15%. Furthermore, car loan rates have increased, mechanically reducing the number of households able to afford a new car.
What is true for thermal cars is obviously also true for 100% electric versions. Last year, the Dacia Spring – the most affordable on the market – established itself as the most purchased in France by individuals (16,257 copies) ahead of the Tesla Model 3 (12,504) sold for 35,000 euros more expensive.
From this point of view, we can say that the French market looks more and more like Spanish and Italian, marking its difference with the German market, where Tesla largely dominates the market and where the Dacia Spring is struggling to seduce. very demanding motorists in terms of quality.
Alpine’s success, small consolation for Renault
Small consolation, there is nevertheless a handful of French motorists who buy high-end cars. Maserati sales are up sharply (+44%). And Renault can only congratulate itself for having given a chance to the factory which produces the Alpines in Dieppe.
The group’s top-of-the-range brand had an excellent year on the French market with 2,138 units registered (+32% compared to 2021). This bodes well for the engineers and designers working on the three new models that Alpine intends to bring to market in the coming years.
