Economics

European Car Sales Rise as Economy Helps Peugeot, Toyota

New SUVs from French, Asian manufacturers attract buyers
Unemployment in the euro zone has fallen to a nine-year low

A row of Toyota Auris Hybrid Touring Sports automobiles, produced by Toyota Motor Corp., stand outside the Toyota Caetano Portugal S.A. factory before shipping in Ovar, Portugal, on Thursday, Dec. 19, 2013. Toyota Motor Corp., the world's biggest carmaker, is targeting sales and profitability gains in Europe and Russia next year on the strength of its increasingly popular hybrid models.Photographer: Mario Proenca/Bloomberg

Provide news feedback or report an error

Confidential tip?

Send a tip to our reporters

Site feedback:

Take our Survey

By Tom Lavell

December 14, 2017 at 7:00 AM UTC

Updated on

December 14, 2017 at 7:57 AM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

European car sales jumped 5.8 percent last month as new SUVs from French automakers Peugeot and Citroen as well as Asian rivals attracted buyers amid accelerating economic growth.

Registrations increased to 1.26 million vehicles from 1.19 million a year earlier, the Brussels-based European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, or ACEA, said Thursday in a statement. Eleven-month sales gained 4 percent percent to 14.5 million autos.