Automotive Market: Renault and Stellantis Decline in May Amidst Market Growth
In May 2026, the French light vehicle market grew by 1.0% year-on-year to 154,749 units, according to the PFA. During the same period, Renault Group saw a decline of 9.80% and Stellantis by 8.88%, both underperforming significantly compared to the overall market.
Two Groups Lagging Behind in May, Gap Narrows Year-to-Date
Stellantis remains the leading group in France with 41,741 registrations and a market share of 26.97% for the month, ahead of Renault Group with 39,471 units and 25.51% market share. Both manufacturers significantly underperformed the market in May, with volume declines close to 9%, while the overall market grew by 1.0%.
Year-to-date, the gap is narrowing: Stellantis holds 29.65% of the market (241,519 units, down 2.76%) compared to 26.74% for Renault Group (217,875 units, down 2.87%), with both groups showing very similar annual trajectories in a transitioning market, where electric vehicles now represent 27.80% of cumulative passenger vehicle sales, up from 17.80% a year earlier.
At Renault, Alpine Soars as Renault and Dacia Decline
Renault Group's decline in May hides contrasting dynamics among its brands. The Renault brand itself fell by 13.11% for the month to 27,279 units (17.63% market share), but remains slightly up year-to-date (+0.72%, at 162,087 units). Dacia's monthly decline was limited to -2.72% (11,702 units, 7.56% market share), but it experienced a more significant drop year-to-date at -12.26% (53,528 units).
Alpine stands out with a surge of 47.59% in May, reaching 490 registrations, although this volume remains marginal within the group. Stellantis, on the other hand, declined more than the market in May (-8.88% vs +1.0%), confirming that the two French manufacturers are losing ground to competitors over the month.
