Knowing the car market and sales on your continent is essential to be able to understand the present and the future of this world. For this, today we will see together which are the 10 best-selling cars in Europe in the first half of 2021. The queen is still, unquestionably, the Volkswagen Golf: however, there are many fierce rivals, starting from Peugeot 208, the first arrow in the arc of Stellantis which challenges the supremacy of the VAG Group. Welcome to Auto for Dummies, the column that tells you the details of the car world, in a simple way. Are you ready? Let’s go!
The queen of the best-selling cars in Europe is still her, Volkswagen Golf: 14 years at the top
We obviously start from the gold medal, the first place, where we find a confirmation that has lasted for a long time now 14 years old: Volkswagen Golf. The German compact, contender for the title of best-selling car in history, continues to reap successes and surpass any other car in Europe by obtaining the gold medal. According to data from Nato Dynamics, on which we relied for our in-depth analysis, 124,445 Golfs were sold in the first 6 months of 2021, 5% more than in 2020.
Although the eighth generation continues to make many debates for its aesthetics not yet thoroughly appreciated and for the overly touchy interior, the flagship car of the House of Wolfsburg has convinced more customers than any other car in Europe. Thanks to his versatility, and its many faces. In fact, golf does not excel in any field, but it is excellent in everything. Practical, tasty, sporty, spacious, economical, methane, hybrid, diesel, complete or pragmatic: in the Golf range there is a car for every need.
From the sportsman to the employee, from the family to the single career, for over 40 years Golf has been able to adapt perfectly to every context and every need. From the sporty GTI, GTD and GTE and R, to the methane TGI, from the pragmatic Life versions to the very complete R-Line, with all turbo engines from 110 HP up to 320 of the R, there is always a Golf for all tastes. Then, thanks to MQB platform Golf 8 drives well, is technological (perhaps too much, with all its touch controls), offers the necessary space for a young family (for those who need more space there is the familiar Variant), it is agile in the city and at the at the same time excellent on long journeys. Golf knows how to do everything well: for this reason, it unquestionably deserves first place.
In second place, a small, tasty and complete: Peugeot 208
It follows at a safe distance but not too much a car that with its second generation has really made a bang: Peugeot 208, the Car of the Year 2020. The little Frenchwoman convinced well 113,016 customers, issandosi al second place among the best-selling cars in Europe, with a growth of 33% compared to 2020. Credit for all this success is certainly due toreally successful aesthetics, personal and original, both inside and out, but not only.
208 also convinces at the wheel, with excellent driveability, a remarkable level of comfort and a beautiful build quality. The space it is also good for its category, with the rear seats perhaps a little sacrificed on the altar of aesthetics. Inside then 208 amazes with a unique and original interior, so much so that it seems to be of a clearly superior category. The lines are captivating, the technology is excellent and the driving position is very particular. The small steering wheel and the high instrumentation typical ofi-cockpit divides minds between those who love and those who hate this solution, but it certainly never leaves you indifferent. The merit of all these qualities goes to CMP modular platform, to which is added an offer that satisfies both pragmatists with the Active and Allure versions but also the most demanding, with the complete GT Line and GT.
However, an openly sporty GTI version is missing, and for now there is no hybrid engine on the list. However, the little French makes up for it with petrol and diesel engines from 75 to 130 hp, with the very interesting electric e-208 from 136HP and over 300 km of real autonomy. A complete and successful small car, which is also the first car brought to the top 10 by Stellantis, which gives Volkswagen a big hard time in this 2021.
Toyota Yaris closes the podium of Europe’s best-selling cars: the strength of the hybrid
To close the podium among the best-selling cars in Europe there is a real bestseller in the Old Continent: Toyota Yaris. The now ex Piccolo Genius reaped incredible successes since 1998, the year of birth of the first revolutionary generation, and today, now in its fourth series, reaches full maturity. In the first 6 months of 2021 Yaris scored 112,028 registrations according to Jato Dynamics, deserving the third place. They are 1,000 less than the Peugeot 208 and a good 51% more than last year.
A great result for a car launched with great expectations last year and awarded the prestigious award Car of the Year 2021. Based on the modular platform Toyota TNGA in version B, Yaris abandons with this fourth generation the reassuring and traditional look of the previous three series to embrace abold, original and unmistakably Japanese aesthetic. Small but rather spacious for its size, Yaris is original and pleasant to look at, both outside and inside where it welcomes with good quality materials and a large and practical infotainment screen. It also drives really well thanks to a nice frame and a very low weight.
The Italian range is quite simple, with Trend and Active trim levels, very spartan and essential, others more refined such as Lounge and Premiere and three very different engines. Between the town 1.0 da 70 CV and the very sporty one GR Yaris with 261 HP and four-wheel drive, the lion’s share does it Yaris Hybrid. Equipped with a revamped system featuring a 90CV 1.5 three-cylinder engine, two electric motors and the E-CVT gearbox, the DynamicForce powertrain offers 116 HP, excellent driveability and very low fuel consumption. Yaris is the only Japanese car on the list, the only standard bearer of the global Toyota giant.
Off the podium of Europe’s best-selling cars Renault Clio for the first time since launch
From Japan we return to France to find out who occupies the fourth position among the best-selling cars in Europe, that is Renault Clio. The highly acclaimed fifth generation of the French compact has totaled 109,556 units sold, about 3,000 cars detached from Yaris. The numbers of June however they tell how Clio in this month has lost 40% compared to 2020, a decline which however does not affect its excellent commercial success.
The little French, launched two years ago, is in fact among the most popular compacts on the market. Thanks to aaesthetics loved by all which incorporates most of the traits of the best-selling fourth generation, showing off a personal, modern and pleasant style. Compared to the previous one, however, if outside the mantra it was “team that wins you don’t change”, the revolution took place inside. A lot of build quality, excellent space availability and a great technological equipment are the salient points of Clio seen from inside, which are confirmed by an excellent behavior on the road. The CMF-B platform allows for a truly successful rigid and communicative frame, capable of offering excellent driveability with a driving comfort from the top places in the standings.
Good soundproofing and the ability to deal with long journeys, as excellent are the engines, from 65 to 140 hp. In Italy the most popular version is the excellent 1.0 TCe LPG 100 HP, lively and economical, while the version is increasingly popular. full Hybrid E-TECH da 140 CV. An innovative and technological system, which we tried a few months ago and of which find our test drive here on techprincess.
In fifth place, another Stellantis: Opel Corsa, the pragmatic compact
Let’s now pass from a French to a German who, however, can speak the language of Paris. There fifth classified among the best-selling cars in Europe is in fact Opel Corsa, now in its sixth generation, the first under the Stellantis Group. The Franco-German has in fact totaled 107,709 cars sold, 36% more than in 2020. Under the skin, Corsa shares the mechanics and most of the features with the Peugeot 208, from which it also takes the engines.
Compared to the French, however, the Corsa sports a more classic and reassuring look, with sporty and compact lines but less daring than the sister with the Lion, and also and above all inside. Although the technological equipment is almost the same, Opel Corsa has more rational and traditional lines, starting with the almost perfect driving position, much less daring than the controversial i-cockpit. Excellent build quality and space availability, which is paired with one first-rate technological availability, including the excellent Matrix LED headlights, a rarity in the category.
On the road, the Corsa isn’t the sportiest compact around, nor the most exciting. However, it differs a lot from cousin 208 for one more mature, composed and superior car driving, without sacrificing the agility and comfort common with the French. Here, too, a GSi or OPC sports version is missing, with the most powerful version represented by the Corsa-e. Here too the good 1.5 diesel 100 hp for those who do a lot of km, while it is excellent in all contexts 1.2 turbo with 100 or 130 hp, both with manual and automatic transmission.
The first SUV among the best-selling cars in Europe is in sixth place: Peugeot 2008
Al sixth place among the best-selling cars in Europe we find the first SUV in the ranking, Peugeot 2008. The Stellantis Group did not excel in the general classification, but won the scepter in the most popular category of the moment, SUVs and Crossover, with the 2008. In 2021, the second generation of the French high-wheeled 106,243 units sold, beating all rivals. His credit was and is that of aver brought all the great qualities of 208 to the world of SUVs.
Which? First of all it style: beautiful to look at and much more captivating than the previous one, 2008 sports a bold and original look both outside and inside, like the little sister 208. Inside, the space is also very generous behind and in the trunk, definitely more than 208. The dashboard it is then directly taken up by her little sister, from whom she inherits the unique, particular and impressive lines. The on-board technology was also excellent in 2008, with the digital instrument panel also in 3D, the cantilevered infotaimment screen and all the latest generation ADAS. Then there is the i-cockpit, the Peugeot driving setting with the …