Product Code Database
The C-segment is the 3rd category of the European segments for passenger cars and is described as "medium cars". It is equivalent to the Euro NCAP "small family car" size class, and the compact car category in the United States.
In 2024, the C-segment had a European market share of 13.9%. PDF EU headliner
Examples include Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Corolla, Mercedes-Benz A-Class, Ford Focus, SEAT León, BMW 1 Series, Audi A3, Citroën C4 and Honda Civic.
200,000 – 300,000 sales (Best-Selling)
100,000 – 200,000 sales
4th generation (2020–present)
File:Toyota Corolla Hybrid (E210) IMG 4338.jpg|Toyota Corolla
12th generation (2018–present)
File:2018 Mercedes-Benz A200 AMG Line Premium+ 1.3 Front.jpg|Mercedes-Benz A-Class
4th generation (2018–present)
File:Ford Focus 1.0 EcoBoost Hybrid ST-Line (IV, Facelift) – f 24092022.jpg|Ford Focus
4th generation (2018–2025)
File:Seat Leon FR (IV) – f 01012023.jpg|SEAT León
4th generation (2020–present)
File:BMW 120 (F70) IMG 1166.jpg|BMW 1 Series
4th generation (2024–present)
50,000 – 100,000 sales
4th generation (2020–present)
File:2022 - Peugeot 308 III (C) - 068.jpg|Peugeot 308
3rd generation (2021–present)
File:Renault Megane IV FL IMG 5425.jpg|Renault Mégane
4th generation (2016–2024)
File:2018 Kia Ceed First Edition 1.4 Front.jpg|Kia Ceed
3rd generation (2018–present)
File:Opel Astra L PHEV Automesse Ludwigsburg 2022 1X7A5888.jpg|Opel Astra/Vauxhall Astra
6th generation (2021–present)
File:Mercedes-Benz C118 IMG 2673.jpg|Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class
2nd generation (2019–present)
File:Volkswagen_ID.3_(2023)_IMG_7973.jpg|Volkswagen ID.3
1st generation (2019–present)
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! 2021 rank !! Brand !! Model !! 2013 !! 2014 !! 2015 !! 2016 !! 2017 !! 2018 !! 2019 !! 2020 !! 2021 !! % change (2020–2021) |
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.
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.
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.
The world's first hatchback, the 1958 FR layout Austin A40 Farina Countryman model that was a co-development of BMC and the Italian design house Pininfarina at a time when this was unusual. It had a lift up rear window and drop down boot lid. It was also sold as a two-door saloon. It was built in Italy by Innocenti as well as in the UK. For 1965 Innocenti designed a new single-piece rear door for their Combinata version of the Countryman. This top-hinged door used struts to hold it up over a wide cargo opening and was a true hatchback – a model never developed in the home (United Kingdom) market. The Countryman name has 'estate' type associations, and BMC successor company Rover used the name on / Station Wagons so it is largely forgotten. This hatchback layout was further pioneered along with the European switch to front wheel drive FF layout with the smaller 1964 (Fiat) Autobianchi Primula.
The modern C-segment market in Europe can be traced back to the 1968 launch of the Renault 6, the first successful hatchback of this size. The hatchback bodystyle was first introduced by Renault with the 1964 Renault 16, which was elected the 1965 Car of the year in Europe. A review in the English Motoring Illustrated in May 1965 stated: "The Renault Sixteen can thus be described as a large family car but one that is neither a four door saloon and nor is it quite an estate. But, importantly, it is a little different."Motoring Illustrated, May 1965 Even the later similar-sized cars like the Ford Escort, Vauxhall Viva, Austin Allegro and Hillman Avenger were still only available as saloons or estates, although some cars of this size, like the BMC/BL 1100 and 1300 saloons and Italy Fiat 128 featured front-wheel drive from their launch during the 1960s.
The C-segment was revolutionized in 1974 with the launch of the Volkswagen Golf, a front-wheel drive hatchback, which was hugely successful all over Europe. Within a decade, most cars of this size in Europe were front-wheel drive hatchbacks. These included the Fiat Ritmo (Strada in the UK), Ford Escort (from the MK3 model launched in 1980), Opel Kadett (Vauxhall Astra in the UK), Renault 11, and the Talbot Horizon (originally a Chrysler/Simca until Peugeot took over Chrysler Chrysler Europe in 1979). Most manufacturers still offered a traditional saloon of this size though, with Volkswagen using the Golf as the base for its Volkswagen Jetta saloon, and Ford launching the Escort-based Ford Orion in 1983. Also in the 1980s saloons became popular again in certain Western European markets, often with a different model name than the hatchback, for example the Renault 9 (Renault 11-based), Fiat Regata (Ritmo-based) and SEAT Málaga.
Some carmakers later created the liftback bodystyle like the Peugeot 309, which replaced the Talbot Horizon in this sector at the end of 1985.
Since the mid-1990s, premium brands usually associated with larger and more expensive cars have entered the C-segment with more affordable hatchbacks and saloons. The first such example was the Audi A3 in 1996. Subsequent cars of this type include the BMW 1 Series and Mercedes-Benz A-Class.
In the 1st decade of 21st century, coupé convertibles (cabriolets) with components from these vehicles were being also built. Examples of this are the Peugeot 307 CC and later 308 CC in the first generation, third-generation Opel Astra TwinTop, second generation Ford Focus Coupe-Convertible, and Volkswagen Eos.
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 (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 station wagon 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, in spite of the 1978 launch of the Talbot Horizon front-wheel-drive hatchback.
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.
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.
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