20082000s

EU CO₂ regulation for new cars adopted — phase-in 2012 onwards.

3,367
Variants this year
161 hp
Average power
7.1 L
Avg consumption
10.1s
Avg 0–100 km/h
Hatchback
Top body · 29%
01 — Body mix

What shape dominated.

Distribution of 3,367 2008 variants by body type.

hatchback29%
sedan20%
wagon19%
mpv13%
Hatchback
29.1%
Sedan
20.1%
Wagon
18.8%
Mpv
12.6%
Suv
7.7%
Cabriolet
5.9%
Coupe
5.2%
Van
0.6%
02 — Fuel mix

What moved them.

Petrol still dominates in absolute volume in 2008, but the share is sliding to electric and hybrid year over year.

petrol56%
diesel42%
Petrol
56.3%
Diesel
42.0%
Ethanol
1.7%
03 — Top picks

The standouts of 2008.

Quickest, most powerful, most efficient — from variants documented with a 2008 model year.

In context · 2000s

SUVs went mainstream. GPS replaced glove-box atlases.

The crossover SUV arrived in volume — Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Nissan X-Trail — and then in luxury, with BMW X5 and Porsche Cayenne legitimising the body in markets that had previously refused it. Common-rail diesel peaked at ~55% of new EU sales by 2009. Hybrid went mass-market with the Prius Mk2.

Toyota Prius Mk2BMW X5Volkswagen Passat B5.5Mini R50
See all 2000s years →