Renault gains in high-margin compact segment as overall sales slump

PARIS -- Renault improved sales in higher-margin segments in 2022, a key component of CEO Luca de Meo’s turnaround plan for the brand, even as overall sales slumped by 9.4 percent. 

Sales excluding Russia were 1.47 million units. Including Russia, global sales declined by 15 percent. 

In Europe, sales in the compact segment were up by 21 percent behind strong volumes for the Arkana compact crossover and the Megane E-Tech Electric compact hatchback. 

The Megane E-Tech recorded 33,000 sales in Europe after its debut in spring 2022. The South Korea-built Arkana, a coupe-style crossover originally developed for the Russian market (with a different platform), recorded 80,000 sales in Europe, up from 41,000 in 2021. 

A third model, the new Austral compact SUV, is expected to outsell its predecessor, the Kadjar, at higher margins, Renault has said.

Renault said Tuesday in a statement that it had improved its private channel mix by eight percentage points to 51 percent, which it said was seven points higher than the market average. 

Officials attributed lower overall sales to supply constraints, but another factor was the withdrawal from the Russian market after the invasion of Ukraine. The Renault brand recorded 131,552 sales in 2021; through November 2022, that figure had slumped to about 54,000 units.

Even as compact sales rose, sales in the less-profitable small-car segment fell significantly. Through November, sales of the Clio small car were 173,139, compared with 219,198 in the same period in 2021; Captur small SUV sales were 134,356 compared with 156,928 in 2021.

Its global market share was 4 percent, shrinking 0.5 percentage points from a year earlier.

Global sales accounted for 43 percent of the total, Renault said. Out of the 10 top markets, sales rose in in only two - Turkey and Colombia.

Sales fell 15 percent in its top market France, while in No. 2 market Brazil, they were stable. In its third biggest market, Germany, they dropped 25 percent.

Renault’s withdrawal from Russia had a significant impact. The brand recorded 131,552 sales there in 2021; through November 2022, that figure had slumped to about 54,000 units.

Fabrice Cambolive, chief operating officer of the Renault brand, said he was optimistic things would improve this year as the company has a better portfolio and higher stocks.

However, he acknowledged that global price cuts announced recently by Tesla were an issue that Renault - like rivals - would have to contend with.

"It's a move that is challenging everybody," he told reporters on a conference call.

Key launches in 2023 are expected to include the Espace, a larger version of the Austral SUV, as well as facelifted versions of the Clio and Arkana. 

In November, the Renault group unveiled a major overhaul that will see it separate its activities in five businesses, deepen ties with China's Geely and spin off its electric vehicles unit through a stock market listing this year.

The automaker is also in talks with Japanese partner Nissan to restructure their long-standing alliance.

Reuters contributed to this report