Summary
The European passenger car market (30 countries) experienced a major recovery in 2015. Sales volume of passenger cars increased by 9.2% year-over-year (y/y) to 14.2 million units. The increase was due to factors such as a recovery of consumer sentiment, low interest rates, and government support measures. Recovery is expected to slow, and growth to stall at an increase of only a few percent in 2016. LMC Automotive predicts that the growth rate of the Western European light vehicle market (including small commercial vehicles) in 2016 will be 3.8%, and approximately 2% per annum from 2017 onward.
Volkswagen (VW), which had a diesel emissions scandal exposed in September 2015, saw its European (30 countries) passenger cars sales volume in 2015 increase by 6.2% y/y to 3.52 million units. While VW's global sales fell, its European sales supported those of its group as a whole. VW's market share in Europe fell significantly from October, causing its market share in 2015 to decline by 0.7 percentage point to 24.8%.
Local Reconstruction Note
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European market: Western Europe sales back to 13 million units for first time in six years; expected to increase in 2016 as well; VW's share falls
The source outline identifies this section as part of “European market: car sales increase by 9.2% in 2015; growth to slow in 2016”. Based on the available local metadata, this section should be read through the lens of Slovenia, Sales Forecast, Automotive, Suppliers, Worldwide OEM Plants, Statistics and the visible introduction, figures, captions, and tables.
German market: sales recover to 3.2 million units for first time in six years; slight growth forecast for 2016; VW's sales decline in October - December 2015
The source outline identifies this section as part of “European market: car sales increase by 9.2% in 2015; growth to slow in 2016”. Based on the available local metadata, this section should be read through the lens of Slovenia, Sales Forecast, Automotive, Suppliers, Worldwide OEM Plants, Statistics and the visible introduction, figures, captions, and tables.
U.K. market: sales mark record high; same level expected in 2016; VW's share falls
The source outline identifies this section as part of “European market: car sales increase by 9.2% in 2015; growth to slow in 2016”. Based on the available local metadata, this section should be read through the lens of Slovenia, Sales Forecast, Automotive, Suppliers, Worldwide OEM Plants, Statistics and the visible introduction, figures, captions, and tables.
French market: sales increase by 6.8% to 1.92 million units; continued growth expected in 2016; PSA's share falls
The source outline identifies this section as part of “European market: car sales increase by 9.2% in 2015; growth to slow in 2016”. Based on the available local metadata, this section should be read through the lens of Slovenia, Sales Forecast, Automotive, Suppliers, Worldwide OEM Plants, Statistics and the visible introduction, figures, captions, and tables.
Italian market: sales exceed 1.5 million units for first time in four years; continued recovery expected in 2016
The source outline identifies this section as part of “European market: car sales increase by 9.2% in 2015; growth to slow in 2016”. Based on the available local metadata, this section should be read through the lens of Slovenia, Sales Forecast, Automotive, Suppliers, Worldwide OEM Plants, Statistics and the visible introduction, figures, captions, and tables.
Related Local Signals
Nearby records in the local archive include GlobalData Global Light Vehicle Sales Update (March 2026); GlobalData European Passenger Car Sales Update (March 2026); GlobalData Global Light Vehicle Sales Update (February 2026); GlobalData European Passenger Car Sales Update (February 2026). These titles can be used as adjacent evidence when comparing suppliers, technologies, markets, and reporting periods.