Citroën Brand Set To Exit Australia After 101-Year Run, Poor Sales Blamed

Citroën is set to exit the Australian market this year due to poor sales pace.

Late last week, news broke online that the Citroën marque is set to ‘retire’ from the Australian market. The Stellantis-owned French marque’s exit Down Under marks the end of a remarkable history – Citroën has been a constant presence in Australia lasting a total of 101 years.

The decision to retire the brand was announced by its local distributor Inchcape, with the firm also responsible for importer and distributing sister brand Peugeot. The firm says it will ceases sales operations for Citroën in Australia effective Nov 1 this year.

The firm has cited poor sales pace driving its decision. In the first half (1H) of 2024, Inchcape’s Citroën sales recorded just 87 units shifted. In contrast, niche, higher-end marques such as Ferrari and Bentley saw 113 units and 102 units shifted Down Under respectively in the same period.

Sales of offerings like the C4 crossover pictured have waned. In fact, the brand last peaked at 3,803 units shifted back in 2007. Sales figures have dropped since then.

In fact, those recent figures are a far cry from when the brand last peaked at 3,803 units shifted back in 2007. Though new car sales will cease in Nov, Inchcape clarified that it will continue to honour the 5-year, unlimited mileage warranty coverages that comes with all Citroën units sold thus far.

According to Citroën Australia’s GM David Owen, the decision to cease new vehicle sales “was not made lightly – it was made after careful consideration of the current and future product available in the context of the local market and the preferences and requirements of Australian new car buyers.”

This is a real shame for the Stellantis-owned marque indeed given its historical foothold in Australia that began in 1923. Perhaps its current line-up featuring aging offerings like the C3, C4 crossover, C5 Aircross SUV and its C5 X fastback twin, also played a crucial factor leading to the brand’s exit.

Reports also indicate that the absence of newer models apart from the aging C3 (top), C5 (left) and C5 Aircross (right) played a huge role into the marque's slowed sales.

Though Citroën recently refreshed in line-up in Europe with offerings like the latest-generation C3 and C3 Aircross, neither have made landfall in Australia yet. Plans to introduce either, as well as subsequent new generation models in Australia, have now been shelved to say the least.

Citroën’s exit from Australia shares similar circumstances as sister brand Peugeot’s exit from neighbouring Indonesia earlier this year. As a refresher, the French silver lion marque was pulled out of the Republic after a 52-year run due to waning sales pace as well.