What cars we were driving ten years ago (2014 vs 2024)

The development of the European car market is remarkable. Europe is traditionally the land of small cars. Lack of space, narrow roads and high petrol prices once forced drivers to buy small, economical cars.

This is why vehicles such as the VW Beetle, the Mini, the first Fiat 500, the Renault 4 and the Citroën 2CV were so popular. However, technological progress, safety and environmental protection regulations and rising incomes brought new trends.

The classic compacts were soon joined by larger saloons, practical estate cars and boxy SUVs. At the end of the 1990s, SUVs slowly began to sprout from the ground. Even today, there are clear preferences in terms of body types and models. But what was the situation ten years ago? What were the top sellers in the first half of 2014*?

2014: SUVs on the rise

Ten years ago, a clear trend was emerging. SUVs became the second most popular body type, behind hatchbacks. Their market share was 19.2 per cent, at the expense of fewer MPVs (11.9 per cent) and, above all, saloons (5.1 per cent). In fact, estate cars had already overtaken vans and saloons with a market share of 12.3 per cent.

At this point, the Volkswagen Group was the undisputed champion in Europe - the Real Madrid of the car industry, so to speak. The Wolfsburg-based company's market share reached 25 per cent in 2024. Far more than PSA (11.1 per cent), the Renault Group (9.7 per cent), Ford (7.5 per cent), General Motors (Opel/Vauxhall; 7.4 per cent) and Fiat Chrysler (FCA, 6.1 per cent).

Meanwhile, the manufacturers of premium automobiles began to gain ground. The BMW Group took seventh place (today it is sixth), while Mercedes-Benz took ninth place in the group ranking (today it is seventh in Europe).

Ranking of the car groups, 1st half of 2014 vs. 2024

At brand level, Volkswagen came out on top, not followed by Toyota as today, but by Ford! At that time, the European range in the first half of 2014 sold an almost unimaginable 514,000 units. In comparison: in the period from January to June 2024, the figure was not even half that at 243,400 units.

Another falling giant: Opel/Vauxhall, which was in third place in 2014 - the last year of production in Bochum. In 2024, the Rüsselsheim-based company was ten places lower in 13th place, followed by Renault and Peugeot in fourth and fifth place. Citroën and Fiat were still part of the top 10, but they too have since dropped out. Toyota, Dacia and Skoda gratefully take their places.

Fun fact: ten years ago, 5,631 Teslas were registered in Europe, while MG registered 1,206 units. Today, their volume has increased by a factor of 29 and 106 respectively.

The ten most important car brands, 1st half of 2014 vs. 2024

In the first half of 2014, the VW Golf was already almost unassailably in the lead. Behind it: Ford Fiesta, Renault Clio, Volkswagen Polo and Opel/Vauxhall Corsa. Two new entrants at the time are worth mentioning: the premium brands began to grow rapidly. This can be recognised by the Golf's premium brother, the Audi A3 in ninth place.

With the Nissan Qashqai, an SUV also made it into the top 10. The model that opened the door to the SUV boom in Europe. A hype that continues unabated to this day.

More industry analysis from Motor1 Numbers:

GM, Volvo and Ferrari, the big winners of the first half of 2024

Toyota, Nissan, Hyundai and Kia are the world's most global brands

Interestingly, of the ten best-selling models in the first half of 2014, only four were able to maintain their position in this important ranking for more than ten years: Golf, Clio, 208 and Octavia. Corsa, Qashqai, Audi A3, Polo and Focus, on the other hand, have lost a lot of ground. In 2024, the hits of yesteryear were largely replaced.

The most popular cars in Europe currently go by the names Dacia Sandero, VW Golf and Renault Clio. At least two of the hits from back then still make it into the top 3 today. The Model Y is also represented in the top 10 as an exclusively electrically powered vehicle.

Best-selling cars in Europe, 1st half of 2014 vs. 2024

 * Registrations in Europe-28

The author of the article, Felipe Munoz, is an automotive industry specialist at JATO Dynamics.