Citroën holds record market share in Brazil since 2014

The recent arrival of the Citroën Basalt on the Brazilian market seems to mark a turning point for the chevron brand in this strategic market. Citroën has just closed the first quarter of 2025 with a remarkable performance: a market share of 1.8%, its best result since 2014. This return to form coincides with the launch and ramp-up of its first SUV-coupé, the Basalt, from the C-Cubed programme specifically designed for India and South America. This model seems to respond precisely to the expectations of local consumers and is breathing new commercial dynamism.

Encouraging growth in the first quarter of 2025

Après une année 2024 où la progression des ventes était réelle mais peut-être pas aussi marquée qu'espéré, Citroën semble avoir trouvé une nouvelle vitesse de croisière au Brésil. Les chiffres du premier trimestre 2025 témoignent d'une vitalité retrouvée : la marque a enregistré une croissance globale de 38% par rapport à la même période en 2024. Concrètement, ce sont 9 377 véhicules qui ont été immatriculés entre janvier et mars 2025, contre 6 807 unités sur les trois premiers mois de l'année précédente. Cette hausse significative suggère que l'élargissement de la gamme, notamment avec le Basalt venant épauler la C3 et le C3 Aircross, porte ses fruits. La marque, qui a parfois peiné à trouver la formule gagnante sur ce marché très concurrentiel, semble désormais détenir avec le Basalt un produit en phase avec les désirs d'accessibilité, de style et de modernité des automobilistes brésiliens. Le mois de mars 2025 a confirmé cette tendance positive, contribuant fortement à ce bilan trimestriel encourageant.

Basalt, the spearhead of success in the B-SUV segment

At the heart of this performance is the Citroën Basalt. Positioned as an accessible and stylish offering, Citroën's first SUV-coupé quickly found its place. In the first quarter alone, 4,621 registrations were recorded. March was particularly successful for the model, setting a monthly record with 1,714 units sold. This sales volume is all the more remarkable as it positions the Basalt as a major contributor to the brand's overall growth - it represented almost half of Citroën's total sales for the quarter.

The impact of the Basalt, combined with that of the C3 Aircross, is particularly visible in the highly competitive B-SUV segment. In this specific segment, Citroën has seen its sales explode, with growth of 337% in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. More importantly, this performance translates into a significant gain in market share: +4.4 points in the B-SUV segment in just one year. This demonstrates the relevance of Citroën's product strategy of attracting new customers with well-designed and well-equipped vehicles. In particular, Basalt offers adapted engines (1.0 Firefly petrol and Turbo 200 Flex), manual or automatic CVT gearboxes and modern equipment, centred around the 10.25-inch Citroën Connect touchscreen, which is compatible with Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay to meet today's connectivity expectations.

Strategic positioning that bears fruit

The Basalt's success is based on its distinctive SUV coupé silhouette, which brings a touch of originality and status to an often very rational segment. By calling it "Brazil's most affordable SUV", Citroën underlines a strategy focused on perceived value, combining style, space, equipment and accessibility. A total market share of 1.8%, although modest in absolute terms, is a strong signal for the brand, indicating that it is regaining ground and attention among Brazilian buyers. It is a solid foundation on which to build for the future.

So has Citroën finally found the miracle product that will allow it to realise its ambitions in Brazil with the Basalt? The figures for the first quarter of 2025 tend to confirm this. The record market share since 2014 and the sustained sales growth, largely driven by the success of the new SUV Coupé, are very positive indicators. The spike in Basalt registrations in March shows that this is not just a launch effect, but that the vehicle is truly appealing and has found a lasting audience.

This success bodes well not only for the Basalt, but also for the entire range. It proves that Citroën is capable of designing and marketing vehicles relevant to the Brazilian market. This positive momentum could well continue, especially as new engines, potentially more efficient or powerful, are expected to be added to the range in Brazil soon. Optimism is therefore justified for Citroën, which seems to have laid a solid foundation for sustainable growth in South America.