FX.co ★ French New Car Registrations Rebound in February After Steep January Slump

French car registrations staged a sharp rebound in February 2026, with the indicator rising 12.7% month-over-month, according to data updated on 24 March 2026. The recovery follows a steep decline in January 2026, when registrations had fallen 38.0% compared with the previous month.

The figures underscore a marked month-on-month turnaround in France’s auto market. While January’s drop highlighted a weak start to the year, February’s double-digit increase suggests a partial normalization in demand or deliveries from that low base. The comparison is strictly month-over-month, meaning February’s performance is measured against January, while January’s result was measured against December 2025.