French car market passenger vehicle registrations have surged by 11.6% as of late September 2026, pointing toward a strong end-of-month finish according to data from AAA Data.
With 118,803 units registered by September 28 compared to 106,436 during the same period last year, the automotive sector is showing resilience despite mixed performances across major manufacturing groups.
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Subscribe"The final days of the month are expected to remain very active as the industry looks to match or exceed last year's total monthly volume of over 140,000 registrations," industry analysts note.
While overall passenger car momentum remains positive, the commercial vehicle sector continues to face headwinds with light utility vehicles remaining in negative territory.
Stellantis and Renault Experience Divergent Fortunes
Stellantis saw a modest 3.4% overall growth in September 2026, though it experienced a slight loss in market share due to declines in brands like Peugeot, Opel, DS, and Jeep.
Fortunately for Stellantis, strong performances from Citroen and Fiat helped limit losses and cushion the blow from its underperforming sister brands.
Meanwhile, the Renault group demonstrated stronger alignment with the broader market trend, posting a 10.9% increase driven heavily by exceptional growth in its core Renault brand and Alpine models.
On the import front, Tesla recorded an impressive surge with 8,803 registrations, marking a 78% year-on-year increase for the month of September.