The European segments are not based on size or weight criteria. In practice, C-segment cars have been described as having a length of approximately. The most common body styles for C-segment cars are hatchbacks, sedans and wagons/estates.
According to 2011 sales, compact cars are currently the second segment in Europe after the subcompact one, with approximately 3 million units sold. 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.
Compact MPVs
During the late 1990s, compact MPVs increased in popularity as a competitor to the compact car, with models such as the Renault Scenic and the Citroën C4 Picasso becoming popular in Europe. By the early 2010s, demand for compact MPVs was declining, due to the rise of the compact SUV.
At the start of the 1970s, the two most popular sectors of the UK market were small family cars and large family cars. Since its launch in 1962, the BMC 1100/1300 had often been Britain's best selling car, and other locally produced compact cars included the Ford Escort, Vauxhall Viva and Hillman Avenger. Imported small family cars that were popular in the UK included the Citroën GS and Datsun Sunny 120Y. 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 was released in 1974. The same year, the German Volkswagen Golf front-wheel drivehatchback 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. 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 hatchbacks. The Austin Allegro - introduced five years earlier - was front-wheel drive but was built in only saloon and estate body styles. Only the related Austin Maxi was a hatchback. The Hillman Avenger continued to sell well, in spite of the 1978 launch of the Talbot Horizon front-wheel drive hatchback.
1980s
The Ford Escort Mk3 went on sale in the autumn of 1980, replacing the rear-wheel-drive saloon format of the Mk2 with a hatchback and front-wheel drive. Only in 1983 was the Austin Allegro replaced by the Austin Maestro hatchback. In 1984, the Vauxhall Astra Mk2 hatchback/estate/cabriolet was released, alongside a saloon version called the Vauxhall Belmont. 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.
