Citroën: 2025 review and Xavier Chardon's ambitions for a decisive 2026

As 2025 draws to a close, a new chapter has begun for Citroën under the leadership of Xavier Chardon. Appointed as CEO last June, Chardon is completing his first six months with a clear mission: to refocus the brand's strategy and prepare for a highly ambitious 2026. Between a deeply renewed product range, major industrial challenges, and a commitment to rebuilding customer trust, it is time for an initial assessment. Citroën enters this transition with high goals, driven by a roadmap centered on affordability, quality, and profitability. In a complex automotive landscape shaped by regulatory shifts and increased competition, the French brand is carving out a path for healthy growth, leveraging international success to balance a changing European market.

A 2025 performance driven by international growth

Citroën's 2025 is defined by a geographical duality. While Europe undergoes structural adjustments, international markets are serving as a genuine growth engine. According to Xavier Chardon, the brand is expected to finish the year with overall volume stability: "We will likely end the year stable compared to last year in terms of volume." This overall stability masks significant regional successes, particularly in Latin America. The brand has seen a nearly 20% increase there, achieving a record market share in Brazil, the highest in a decade. Success also extends to the Middle East, with Turkey becoming a key strategic hub. "Last week, the Turkish market became our second-largest global market after France," the CEO noted, highlighting the brand's appeal beyond its traditional European borders.

In Asia, India remains a long-term strategic project that is beginning to yield results. Thanks to the facelifted C3, the Aircross, and the launch of the Basalt, Citroën has reached a milestone by exceeding 1,500 registrations per month for the first time. In Europe, the situation is more complex. Despite a solid order book, the brand anticipates a slight decline for the full year. In France, the domestic market remains the central pillar. Citroën plans to increase its cumulative market share, aiming for third place in combined passenger and light commercial vehicle sales. Currently holding just under 8% market share in France, management aims to reach 9% quickly before returning to double digits.

2026: the year of full industrial and commercial power

If 2025 was a year of transition and launches, 2026 is set to be the first full year for an almost entirely renewed lineup. A major driver for this expected growth is the industrial infrastructure, specifically the Kragujevac plant in Serbia. Dedicated to producing the new C3, this site is essential to meeting the strong customer demand that currently exceeds delivery capacity. "The industrial tool is not yet fully in sync with customer orders," Xavier Chardon admitted. The planned production ramp-up in the coming months will be crucial for converting customer interest into actual registrations.

The performance of the ë-C3 in the electric vehicle market is also a key indicator. While comparisons to the Renault 5 are frequent in France, where the latter leads in volume, Xavier Chardon provides a different European perspective: the ë-C3 already captures 20% of the electric B-segment across the continent. "We are doing double what you might imagine," he stated, emphasizing Citroën's strength in its multi-energy strategy. The upcoming "Urban Range" version, priced under €15,000 in France after incentives, is expected to further boost this momentum. Offering five seats and a range tailored for daily commutes, it serves as a pragmatic response to the need for affordable mobility.

"More for Less": a strategic third way

Under Xavier Chardon's leadership, Citroën is clarifying its identity with a simple yet ambitious mantra: "More for Less." This approach is built on three pillars: profitable growth, clear positioning, and customer proximity. The goal is to offer more space, more comfort, and better warranties while maintaining a price point lower than mainstream competitors. This marks a shift from the strategy of his predecessor, Thierry Koskas, who positioned Citroën in direct competition with Dacia. Chardon prefers a "third way": a space between the Renault Group's entry-level brand and traditional mainstream manufacturers.

This strategy rejects the "low-cost" label. For Xavier Chardon, affordability should not compromise brand image or utility. "I don't build cars based on the competition, but to meet customer needs," he explained. The Elo concept, a modern monospace designed as a "third place" for living, illustrates this philosophy where design and innovation remain central without adding unnecessary features. The brand is making deliberate choices: not seeking raw performance (0-100 km/h) or a surplus of screens and complex autonomous driving. The focus is on providing the essentials with high-quality execution, exemplified by the "C5 bip" button that allows users to easily deactivate intrusive driving aids—a feature widely praised by both customers and the press.

Network and quality: overcoming profitability and trust hurdles

Citroën's recovery is inextricably linked to the health of its dealership network. While the situation is positive in eleven of the twelve main European markets, with profitability often exceeding 1%, France and the UK are the exceptions. In the UK, a ten-month production gap for the C3 Aircross impacted results, but the new range is expected to fix this. In France, the diagnosis is more complex. Xavier Chardon identifies three factors: insufficient new vehicle sales performance, losses related to used vehicle buy-back commitments, and the impact of massive recall campaigns (Takata, PureTech). These operations have saturated service centers, reducing the network's ability to generate revenue from standard maintenance.

Quality remains a top priority for the CEO. Regarding the launch of the new C3, Xavier Chardon was transparent: "We were not at the level of a serious brand like Citroën." To rectify this, the brand has intensified efforts to bring the model back to the quality standards of the previous generation. A software update campaign will be rolled out by year-end to address the primary cause of reported issues. "We must provide proof," he insisted, aiming to turn negative word-of-mouth into a new era of trust. This rigour is backed by strong commitments, such as the 8-year warranty and the return of a dedicated quality manager, proving that customer proximity is an operational necessity.

Setting the course for healthy growth in 2026

Citroën is set to end 2025 on a stable note, an encouraging result given the deep internal transformations. The groundwork laid by Xavier Chardon in his first six months aims to stabilize the brand's foundations for sustainable expansion in 2026. This coming year will be pivotal, as it will be the first time the nearly entire renewed range (excluding C3 and C5 X) will be fully available on the market. By learning from past mistakes—particularly in launch quality and industrial logistics—Citroën's leadership is betting on a balance between international success and a European market comeback. The ambition is clear: to return to healthy, profitable growth by leaning into Citroën's unique DNA as a popular, human-centric brand focused on the real-world needs of its drivers.