European sales of Volkswagen cars dipped in June, a month of rising demand in most large markets which helped rival volume brands Renault, Fiat, Mazda, Kia and Hyundai post double digit percentage sales gains.
Car registrations in Britain, Europe's second-biggest car market behind Germany, fell 0.8% in June, the second drop in over four years.
The figures were weighed by a 20% decline in VW sales and an uncertain economic outlook.
Volkswagen, Europe's largest carmaker, is grappling with the biggest business crisis in its 78-year history after admitting in September it cheated US diesel emissions tests for toxic nitrogen oxide and in November that it also understated carbon dioxide emissions.
Overall, European car sales jumped as most volume and premium brands saw double-digit growth rates, data provided the Brussels-based Association of European Carmakers (ACEA) showed today.
Registrations of June new car sales in the European Union and the European Free Trade Association increased 6.5% on the year, to 1,507,303 vehicles, ACEA said.
Passenger car registrations in the European Union rose for the 34th consecutive month, with June registrations reaching 1,459,508 new cars.
Two of Europe's five biggest markets recorded double-digit sales gains, led by Italy and Spain where registrations rose 11.9% and 11.2% respectively, while French sales increased 0.8% and the region's biggest market Germany posted 8.3% growth.
Last month's expansion was driven by mass market manufacturers Renault and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' (FCA) Fiat brand, jumping and 21.2% and 13.9% respectively, ACEA said.
Germany's luxury carmakers also boosted sales, with the core Mercedes and BMW brand sales jumping 16.1%and 14.6% respectively, while Volkswagen-owned luxury brand Audi saw flat sales.
In early June, the European auto industry association ACEA hiked its 2016 EU sales forecast to 14 million passenger cars or 5% growth year-on-year, compared with an earlier forecast of 2% sales growth, predicted in January.
