2021 Best Selling Minivans In Europe (All Models Ranked)
Sales of large MPVs in Europe continue to drop to record lows in 2021. In a market down 2%, MPV sales are down 45% on 2020, with a 69% decline in Q4 alone. With just under 28,750 deliveries, this is by far the slowest year for the class since the 1980’s and over 100,000 fewer deliveries than just 4 years ago. As a result, the share of the large MPV segment falls from 0.4% in 2020 to 0.2% in 2021.
The ranking has been quite volatile this year, with the Volkswagen Sharan topping the ranking in Q2 and Q3, but the Ford S-Max finishing the year on top, as it did from 2016 to 2018. Last year’s winner Seat Alhambra is down into third place this year, as it’s the worst performing nameplate in the class, losing almost two thirds of its sales. In Q4, the Alhambra is down 77% on last year. Its sister model VW Sharan is one of the best performers in the class, losing a third of its sales. The S-Max and sister model Ford Galaxy both outperform the segment and improve their share of the class. Ford now holds 44%, up from 40.8% in 2020 but still below Volkswagen Group’s 45.2%, down from 50.8% in 2020. The fifth and last competitor in this class is the Renault Espace, down 29% which makes it the best performer, even though it’s still in last place.
With no new or updated models planned in the near to medium term future, the class is not expected to rebound to its former glory anytime soon. SUVs and crossovers are taking over the 7-seater segment, even though they may be less convenient and less efficient.
The midsized MPV segment is all but dead. In 2021, fewer than 159,000 midsized MPVs were sold in Europe, a decrease of 40% in an overall market down 2% and the lowest figure ever. The segment is down to just a third of its 2019 sales and to just one tenth of its peak in 2007. Their share of the European car market is down to just 1.3%, from 2.2% in 2020 and from 3.1% in 2019. Only one nameplates manages to sell more than last year, with all others losing more than 20%. And in this segment too the luxury brands continue to outperform the segment, as the three models from two brands are down 28% and as a result grow their share of the class from 37.5% in 2020 to 44.9% in 2021.
Still, the Volkswagen Tourag manages to stay firmly on top of the ranking and even consolidates its leadership as it’s the third-best performing model of the class at -35%. The Touran adds 1.2 percentage points of market share to 19.2%. However, in Q4 the Touran was in third place and the worst performing nameplate of the remaining models at -69%.
The Mercedes-Benz B-Class loses 38% of its sales on last year but holds on to second place, despite pressure from the BMW i3. The i3 is the only nameplate in the black with a gain of 7% and it was the outright best seller in the class in the final quarter of the year. The Renault Scenic is the worst performer of the remaining players at -43% and knocked off the podium. In Q4, the Scenic was in 6th place with a 61% drop in deliveries.
The BMW 2-Series Active Tourer / Gran Tourer is due for a redesign in 2022 and loses 39% of its sales, keeping its share of the class stable. It was outsold in Q4 by the Citroën C4 Spacetourer which manages to improve its share of the segment thanks to sales down “just” 37%. The Dacia Lodgy is about to be replaced by the Jogger station wagon, but it’s still the second best performing nameplate in the class at -20%.
Here Are The Most Popular Minivans in Europe for 2021
This data table looks at full year minivan sales volumes in Europe by model. We compare Europe market minivan model sales for the full year versus the full year last year.
| Model | Month | Month LY | Change | YTD | YTD LY | YTD Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BMW 2-Series Active Tourer | 18,487 | 30,482 | -39.35 | 18,487 | 30,482 | -39.35 |
| Seat Alhambra | 5,341 | 15,179 | -64.81 | 5,341 | 15,179 | -64.81 |
| Citroen C4 Picasso | 16,826 | 26,717 | -37.02 | 16,826 | 26,717 | -37.02 |
| Mercedes-Benz Citan Tourer | 327 | 0 | 0.00 | 327 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Fiat Doblo | 435 | 1,137 | -61.74 | 435 | 1,137 | -61.74 |
| Renault Espace | 3,110 | 4,390 | -29.16 | 3,110 | 4,390 | -29.16 |
| Maxus Euniq 5 | 5,424 | 81 | 6,596.30 | 5,424 | 81 | 6,596.30 |
| Ford Galaxy | 4,914 | 8,018 | -38.71 | 4,914 | 8,018 | -38.71 |
| Hyundai ix20 | 3 | 726 | -99.59 | 3 | 726 | -99.59 |
| Renault Kangoo | 7,856 | 8,838 | -11.11 | 7,856 | 8,838 | -11.11 |
| Dacia Lodgy | 15,803 | 19,639 | -19.53 | 15,803 | 19,639 | -19.53 |
| Chrysler Pacifica | 94 | 0 | 0.00 | 94 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Fiat Qubo | 15 | 263 | -94.30 | 15 | 263 | -94.30 |
| Ford S-Max | 7,740 | 13,375 | -42.13 | 7,740 | 13,375 | -42.13 |
| Renault Scenic | 20,678 | 36,592 | -43.49 | 20,678 | 36,592 | -43.49 |
| Volkswagen Sharan | 7,637 | 11,473 | -33.44 | 7,637 | 11,473 | -33.44 |
| Hyundai Staria | 386 | 0 | 0.00 | 386 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Volkswagen Touran | 30,543 | 47,222 | -35.32 | 30,543 | 47,222 | -35.32 |
| Renault Trafic Passenger | 8,338 | 11,870 | -29.76 | 8,338 | 11,870 | -29.76 |
| ∑ = 153,957 | ∑ = 236,002 | ∑ = 153,957 | ∑ = 236,002 |
Car sales statistics are from the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.
Sources: Manufacturers, ANDC, JATO Dynamics.
