Citroën C3: second best seller in Europe

The start of its career has been more difficult, but six months after the start of deliveries in Europe, we can say that the new Citroën C3 has really got off to a good start, recording a better performance every month than the previous generation last year, until it reached the second place in sales in Europe for the month of February 2025, a position very rarely achieved for a Citroën.

An amazing development

In fact, with 18,540 units sold in Europe in February, the new Citroën C3 increased its sales by 4% compared to February 2024. This performance may seem low, but it should be seen in the light of the incredible growth of the C3 last year in Europe, where it recorded 61% growth in February 2024! This shows the enormous performance of the new generation which, despite a difficult basis for comparison, has managed to do even better and, above all, to reach a level rarely achieved by a Citroën.

This excellent performance of the new C3 in Europe puts it in second place in terms of overall sales, behind the Dacia Sandero which sold 21,604 units, a gap of just over 3,000 units between the two models. The Citroën C3 is a few units ahead of the Renault Clio, whose sales increased by 22% to 18,348 units. This is therefore an excellent performance for the C3, which has entered the top 3 best-selling cars in Europe, with the new generation clearly set to follow in the footsteps of the previous generation and even go further.

Electric version accounts for nearly 30% of C3 sales

Although it was presented in an electric version, the new C3 is also available in a 100 bhp petrol version with manual transmission, which will soon be joined by the new 110 bhp hybrid version, which should further boost sales of the C3 and even put it in first place.

However, the electric version of the C3 represents 28% of total sales with 5,156 units sold in February 2025, but it does not allow the C3 to be among the top 5 best-selling electric cars in Europe, as the small Citroën is in 8th place and is surpassed by the Renault R5, which sold 5,659 units. However, the ë-C3 is within reach of the top 5, with less than 300 units separating it from the 5th-placed Volkswagen ID7, which sold 5,432 units. In particular, the forthcoming launch of the short-wheelbase version of the C3, which costs €19,990, should allow it to gain further positions in this ranking.

In conclusion, the new generation Citroën C3 can already be considered a success, with an excellent performance in February and a very good second place in European sales. This also proves that Citroën's strategy of offering accessible cars at a price of less than €5,000 compared to the previous generation is the right one, and that it meets the needs of consumers who are attracted by the price but also by the other qualities of the C3, namely its design, its spaciousness and its comfort.