The European light utility vehicle market declined by 8.9% in 2025
- After growing by 6.9% in 2024, the European market (30 countries: EU + UK + Switzerland + Norway) for light utility vehicles (LUVs) plunged by 8.9% in 2025, falling to 1,823,407 units compared to 2,002,023 in 2024 and 1,872,519 in 2023. The uncertain economic climate, coupled with weak growth, is causing some professionals and businesses to postpone their LUV purchases. Incentives from the European Commission to encourage the conversion of LUV fleets from diesel to electric may also be hindering some purchases.
- This moves us away from the figures reached in 2018 and 2019 (which exceeded two million annual sales) and even further from the figures reached in 2007, the year which holds the record for LUV sales in Europe (2,299,000 units).
- The biggest markets for this category of vehicle remain France (358,299 units; -5.6%), the United Kingdom (315,846 units; -10.8%), Germany (265,801 units; -5.4%), Italy (188,373 units; -5.1%), and Spain (185,559 units; +11.7%), all of which saw declines except for Spain. France and the United Kingdom still lead the way due to strong demand for small, tax-exempt sedans classified as light utility vehicles.
- In terms of powertrains, diesel remains largely dominant, but its influence is declining year after year, as it represented 81% of LUV sales in 2025 (compared to 85% in 2024). Battery electric vehicles represent 12% of LUV sales in 2025 (compared to 10% in 2024), but the European Commission's targets recommended doubling that figure.