The Volkswagen Golf is on course to be Europe's top-selling car for 2021, fighting off a challenge from the Dacia Sandero.
The Golf dropped out of the top 10 sellers in some months toward the end of the year as VW reduced production at its home plant in Wolfsburg, Germany, due to semiconductor shortages.
Golf output was hit as VW, along with other automakers, prioritized production of models with good profit margins or low emissions.
Golf sales fell 24 percent to 191,924 in Europe in the first 11 months, according to JATO Dynamics market researcher.
The Golf's normally dominant position was challenged by cars mainly from French automakers, with the Sandero small budget hatchback from Renault-owned Dacia in second place through November with sales of 176,650, up 18 percent on the year before.
The Sandero was closely followed by the Renault Clio, with sales of 175,082 through November, down 21 percent. The Clio was the region's best-selling car in November when the Golf finished outside the ten best-sellers.
The big winner in the top 10 was the Peugeot 2008 small SUV at No. 4, with sales of 173,782, up 27 percent. The 2008 was Europe's No. 1 best-seller in October, a month in which the Golf did not reach the top 10 at all.
Peugeot's 208 small hatchback was at No. 5, with registrations, down 1.5 percent to 172,613.