New car registrations in the EU rose 1.7% on the year in April to 1.038 million units, according to a report released Friday by the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA).
In January through April this year, the EU auto market fell 7.1% on the year, from 4.3 million to 4 million new car registrations, the report reads.
Of the large EU car markets, Great Britain saw the highest growth, of 14,8%, in April, to over 163,000 units, and of 8.9% in the first four months of the year, to around 768,500 new car registrations.
Germany, the biggest European car market, returned to growth in April, when it posted a 3.8% increase in new car registrations, to over 284,000 units. However, the German car market has dropped by 8.5% since the beginning of the year, to 958,400 new car registrations.
Romania also witnessed strong growth in April, with new car registrations seeing a 21.7% increase to 5,200 units, from 4,300 in April 2012. In January through April 2013, the Romanian car market dropped by 9.8% to 16,500 units, from nearly 18,300 in the same period a year ago.
As regards carmakers, Dacia saw the highest growth among car brands. Thus, Dacia’s new car registrations in the EU rose 28.2% in April, to around 25,000 units. In the first four months of the year, Dacia saw 18.3% increase in the EU, to nearly 88,250 new car registrations.
Renault Group, which includes the Renault and Dacia brands, is the third biggest carmaker in Europe by sales. Renault saw a 5.3% increase in April, to 92,600 new car registrations in the UE, exclusively backed by the Dacia brand. The Renault brand saw a 1.1% decline.
Volkswagen, Europe’s largest automaker, saw a 9.9% increase in new car registrations in April in the EU, to around 275,000 units. Volkswagen new car registrations have seen a 3.4% decline in the EU, to 997,000 units, since the beginning of the year.
French group PSA Peugeot Citroen, the second largest carmaker in Europe and the largest in France, continues to face problems. Thus, new car registrations for PSA Peugeot Citroen dropped by 10.1% in April, to 116,000 units, and by 14% in January through April, down to 454,000 units.