C-segment

The C-segment is the 3rd category of the European segments for passenger cars and is described as "medium cars".^[1][2] It is equivalent to the Euro NCAP "small family car" size class,^[3] and the compact car category in the United States.^[4]

In 2011, the C-segment had a European market share of 23%.^[5]

Definition[]

The European segments are not based on size or weight criteria.^[1][6] In practice, C-segment cars have been described as having a length of approximately 4.5 metres (15 ft).^[7][8]

As of 2021 C-segment category size span from approx. 4.2m to 4.6m (photo comparison of new compact cars of all brands sorted by length):

• New compact cars comparison with dimensions and boot capacity ^[9]

• New family cars comparison with dimensions and boot capacity ^[10]

(some cars from this site include cars in family category which belongs to compact size, like: Mercedes-Benz A, Mazda 3, Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla Sedan etc)

As a best reference to C-segment category cars look to this source. ^[11]

C-segment category cars are good balance between the interior space and compact exterior dimensions.

Characteristics[]

The most common body styles for C-segment cars in Europe are hatchbacks, and much less sedans and wagons/estates.

Current models[]

In 2020 the highest selling C-segment cars in Europe were the Volkswagen Golf, Škoda Octavia, Ford Focus, Mercedes A-Class, Toyota Corolla, SEAT León, BMW 1-Series, Audi A3, Peugeot 308, Renault Mégane, Kia Ceed, Opel Astra, Mercedes-Benz CLA and Volkswagen ID.3. ^[12]

200,000 - 300,000 sales (Best-Selling)

• 

  Volkswagen Golf
  8th generation (2019–present)

100,000 - 200,000 sales

• 

  Škoda Octavia
  4th generation (2020–present)

• 

  Ford Focus
  4th generation (2018–present)

• 

  Mercedes-Benz A-Class
  4th generation (2018–present)

• 

  Toyota Corolla
  12th generation (2019–present)

• 

  SEAT León
  4th generation (2020–present)

• 

  BMW 1 Series
  3rd generation (2019–present)

50,000 - 100,000 sales

• 

  Audi A3
  4th generation (2020–present)

• 

  Peugeot 308
  2nd generation (2013–2021)

• 

  Renault Mégane
  4th generation (2016–present)

• 

  Kia Ceed
  3rd generation (2018–present)

• 

  Opel/Vauxhall Astra
  5th generation (2015–present)

• 

  Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class
  2nd generation (2019–present)

• 

  Volkswagen ID.3
  1st generation (2019–present)

Sales figures in Europe[]

2020 rank	Brand	Model	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	% change (2019–2020)
1	Volkswagen	Golf	462,527	523,729	534,535	491,681	482,177	445,303	410,779	285,013	-31%
2	Škoda	Octavia	165,027	205,071	215,797	226,737	227,313	216,676	218,439	180,902	-17%
3	Ford	Focus	225,102	222,297	232,160	212,083	212,353	199,197	224,401	173,853	-23%
4	Mercedes	A-Class	131,258	121,231	119,475	141,800	143,550	153,882	198,926	158,955	-20%
5	Toyota	Corolla	4,714	12,432	12,713	14,030	14,382	15,041	133,597	137,209	+3%
6	SEAT	León	85,954	136,896	141,777	143,938	144,951	139,470	136,622	111,045	-19%
7	BMW	1 Series	152,808	131,847	130,494	132,287	137,959	127,681	112,068	107,870	-4%
8	Audi	A3	167,804	199,815	198,663	189,956	163,928	142,414	124,422	97,492	-22%
9	Peugeot	308	99,697	161,515	213,764	194,650	157,422	153,651	141,060	90,324	-36%
10	Renault	Mégane	149,435	135,206	123,114	148,213	167,836	138,077	129,222	74,536	-42%
11	Kia	Ceed	86,743	75,692	73,412	76,530	68,443	71,848	100,676	72,017	-28%
12	Opel/Vauxhall	Astra	198,449	179,547	192,973	250,410	216,515	158,674	136,638	70,550	-48%
13	Mercedes-Benz	CLA	27,598	38,374	62,100	65,810	64,086	58,522	61,958	67,319	+9%
14	Volkswagen	ID.3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	54,495	New
Mainstream			2,068,504	2,274,368	2,317,728	2,380,154	2,335,894	2,132,583	-	-
Premium			721,936	746,176	865,724	938,349	873,774	798,398	-	-
Segment total									2,650,578	2,025,817	-24%
Source			[13] [14]	[15] [16]	[17] [18]	[19] [20]	[21] [22]	[23] [24]	[25]	[26]

Notes:

Jump in segment total sales after 2019. year is because premium cars are included.

From 2013-2018 premium cars had separate count, and are not included in mainstream total sales.

Premium brands and models are marked italic.

Electric cars are included in C-segment from 2020. year.

Market share in Europe[]

2019 - The compact car segment in Europe sees 5% fewer deliveries in 2019, as Europe’s #2 segment is down to 2.65 million sales, or 16.9% of the total European car market, down from 18% in 2018. ^[27]

2020 - Sales of compact cars in Europe are down 24% to 2.03 million in 2020, perfectly in line with the overall market. And while Europeans bought more small crossovers than compact cars in the first three quarters of the year, in the full-year score the pecking order is returned to “normal”, with an advantage of 17,000 sales for the compact class. This result is mostly due to a wave of VW ID.3 (self)registrations, especially in December. We expect small crossovers to become Europe’s #2 segment in 2021 by a large margin. ^[28]

Europe[]

According to 2011 sales,^[29] compact cars are currently the second segment in Europe after the subcompact one (which in Europe corresponds to A-segment + B-segment), with approximately 3 million units sold.

Because of the Volkswagen Golf's definition and long standing dominance of this class it is often referred to as the "Golf segment" in much of Europe.^[30][31][32]

Mainstream compact sedans began falling in popularity since 1990s, when Peugeot stopped production of 306 in 4-door saloon form, and also sharply declining since 2010s, as well as the reduced sales of 4-door Ford Focus.^{[citation needed]}

Compact MPVs[]

During the late 1990s, compact MPVs increased in popularity as a competitor to the compact car, with models such as the Renault Scenic and the Citroën C4 Picasso becoming popular in Europe.^[33] By the early 2010s, demand for compact MPVs was declining, due to the rise of the compact SUV.^[34]

History in the United Kingdom[]

1970s[]

At the start of the 1970s, the two most popular sectors of the UK market^{[citation needed]} were small family cars and large family cars. Since its launch in 1962, the BMC 1100/1300 had often been Britain's best selling car,^[35][36] and other locally produced compact cars included the Ford Escort, Vauxhall Viva and Hillman Avenger. Imported small family cars that were popular in the UK included the Citroën GS and Datsun Sunny 120Y.

British Leyland replaced the BMC 1100/1300 with a variety of models; the 1969 Austin Maxi, the 1971 Morris Marina, and the 1973 Austin Allegro.

A second-generation Ford Escort (jointly designed in Britain and Germany) was released in 1974. The same year, the German Volkswagen Golf front-wheel drive hatchback was released, becoming one of the first significantly-imported small family cars in the UK market. The sporty "GTI" version of the Golf sparked a huge demand for "hot hatches" in the UK and many other countries.

The third-generation Vauxhall Viva was produced until late 1979, when it was replaced by the Vauxhall Astra (a rebadged Opel Kadett D which was initially produced in West Germany and Belgium).

The Astra was part of a late-1970s transition in small family cars from being predominantly rear-wheel drive saloons, to becoming front-wheel drive hatchbacks (by then increasingly popular in mainland Europe). The Austin Allegro - introduced five years earlier - was front-wheel drive but was built in only saloon and estate body styles. Only the related Austin Maxi was a hatchback.

The Hillman Avenger (marketed as a Chrysler Avenger 1976-1979 and as a Talbot Avenger 1979-1981) continued to sell well,^{[citation needed]} in spite of the 1978 launch of the Talbot Horizon front-wheel drive hatchback.

1980s[]

The Ford Escort Mk3 went on sale in the autumn of 1980, replacing the rear-wheel-drive saloon format of the Mk2 with a hatchback and front-wheel drive. (A saloon version called the Ford Orion was added in 1983.) Only in 1983 was the Austin Allegro replaced by the Austin Maestro hatchback. In 1984, the Vauxhall Astra Mk2 hatchback/estate/cabriolet was released, alongside a saloon version called the Vauxhall Belmont.

The first significant Japanese-designed compact car in the UK was the 1981 Triumph Acclaim, a licensed version of the four-door Honda Ballade with a Honda-designed engine. The Acclaim was replaced in 1984 by the Rover 200. In late 1985 the Peugeot 309 became the first Peugeot to be built in the UK at the Ryton plant.

1990s[]

Ford began the 1990s by replacing its 10-year-old Escort (and the Orion saloon version) with the Ford Escort MkV. In 1998, the European version of the Escort was replaced by the global Ford Focus MkI model.

General Motors released the Vauxhall Astra Mk3 update in 1991 and the all-new Astra Mk4 in 1998.

Rover Group introduced the Rover 200 Mk2 in 1989. The Rover 200 Mk3 was introduced in 1995, replacing the Honda Concerto-based Mk2 with a UK-designed car.

See also[]

• B-segment
• D-segment
• Euro Car Segment
• Car classification
• Compact car

References[]