France's used‑car market sees diesel decline as SUVs surge

A study of nearly 800,000 listings shows France’s vehicle fleet is aging rapidly, with the average age now over 11 years and the median age at eight years. Average mileage has passed 110,000 km, indicating longer use of existing cars. Diesel’s share of the fleet has fallen to about 40 %, matching gasoline, while hybrid models account for 13 % and electric cars 6 %, the latter posting a 60 % rise in new‑car sales and a 50 % rise in used‑car transactions.

Despite the overall decline, diesel still dominates the second‑hand market, representing roughly 42 % of used‑car sales. The Renault Clio diesel is the clear bestseller, with 160,506 registrations, far ahead of the Peugeot 308, Renault Mégane, Citroën C3 and Volkswagen Golf. At the same time, SUVs have become the most common body style on French roads, and automatic transmissions now exceed manual gearboxes, which have slipped from 70 % to 52 % of vehicles.

The findings highlight a shift toward larger, electrified vehicles and a gradual move away from traditional diesel power in France’s automotive landscape.