PARIS (Reuters) - European car sales rose 5.9 percent in October, according to industry data published on Thursday, with Renault (PA:RENA) and Toyota (T:7203) leading the gains among volume carmakers.
Registrations advanced to 1.208 million cars in the European Union and European Free Trade Area from 1.17 million a year earlier, Brussels-based industry association ACEA said. The gain takes the European market expansion this year to 3.8 percent.
Toyota's monthly sales jumped 20.5 percent, while France's Renault posted a 17.6 percent increase in group registrations powered by strong demand for its no-frills Dacia lineup.
PSA (PA:PEUP) registrations jumped 74 percent after it began reporting sales by the Opel and Vauxhall brands it recently acquired from General Motors (N:GM) alongside its own Peugeot , Citroen and DS marques. The combined sales of all five brands rose about 6.7 percent year-on-year.
Carmakers reported a sharp UK sales decline in October, contrasting with buoyant demand in France and southern Europe, according to data published earlier this month.