French auto registrations rose 3 percent last month, led by Renault, Fiat and Mercedes-Benz, fueling hopes that auto demand may finally stabilize in one of the markets worst hit by Europe’s sustained slump.

Car registrations rose to 142,211 vehicles in September, France’s CCFA industry group said today.

Sales for the first nine months of the year were down 9 percent to 1.43 million, and the CCFA maintained its full-year forecast of an 8 percent decline.

Renault Group led the September rise with an 18 percent increase due to better sales of its new Captur crossover model and the success of its Dacia low-cost brand. Renault brand sales rose by 19 percent while Dacia’s volume was up 11 percent.

Volkswagen Group sales including the Audi, Seat and Skoda brands, rose 2 percent while Fiat Group’s volume including Alfa Romeo and Lancia grew by 17 percent.

Ford and PSA/Peugeot-Citroen were among other mass automakers that fared poorly, with respective declines of 8 percent and 7 percent.

General Motors sales were down 6 percent with an 9 rise in Chevrolet sales failing to offset Opel’s 9 percent decline.

Sales of Mercedes cars, including Smart, rebounded sharply, rising 39 percent.

France had barred A-class, B-class, CLA and SL cars assembled since June because of Mercedes parent Daimler’s refusal to stop using the air-conditioning refrigerant R134a, banned from new vehicles since the start of the year under the terms of an EU directive. But in late August France’s top administrative court lifted the sales freeze on Mercedes vehicles.

BMW sales including Mini rose 8 percent. Volume at its competitor Audi fell by 6 percent.