Market Analysis: New Car Sales Accelerated by Over 11% in October, but Annual Trend Remains Negative
Romania, Two-Speed Car Market: 11% Monthly Growth in New Cars, 4.3% Decline in 10 Months
The Romanian car market recorded a note of optimism in October 2025, marking a significant increase in new car registrations. However, according to preliminary data published by the Romanian Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACAROM), this advance was not enough to recover the pace of decline recorded throughout the year.
October Increase: A Positive Signal
According to the latest ACAROM report, October brought a substantial jump in the new car segment. Romanians purchased a total of 12,839 new cars, a figure that represents an increase of 11.14% compared to the same period in 2024. This increase suggests a return to consumer confidence or an unblocking of inventories.
Despite this encouraging monthly result, the general situation of the new car market in Romania remains on a downward trend. Between January and October 2025, a total of 121,609 units were registered, which means a decline of 4.3% compared to the same period last year.
Market Leaders: Dacia Remains Undisputed
In the top of Romanians' preferences, the domestic brand Dacia maintains its dominant position, being the clear leader in the cumulative ranking of the first 10 months of 2025, with an impressive total of 34,439 units sold.
In second place, at a considerable distance, is Toyota, with 11,677 new cars delivered, and the podium is completed by Skoda, which registered 9,154 vehicles.
The rest of the top 10 ranking for the first ten months of 2025 is dominated by the following manufacturers, in order:
- Volkswagen (7,989 cars),
- Renault (7,823 units),
- Hyundai (7,478 units),
- Ford (5,848 units),
- Mercedes-Benz (4,647 vehicles),
- BMW (4,347 cars),
- Suzuki (3,398 units).
Second-Hand Market: Constant Growth
In contrast to the more cautious evolution of new cars, the used car segment, registered for the first time in Romania, continued to develop robustly.
- In October 2025, Romanians bought 35,729 second-hand cars, registering an increase of 3.71% compared to October 2024.
- Moreover, over the first 10 months as a whole, the used car market grew by 10.36%, confirming consumers' appetite for more affordable alternatives.
In conclusion, while the October momentum offers a glimmer of hope for new car manufacturers, the cumulative data shows that the Romanian market is still struggling to reach the volumes of the previous year, with the second-hand segment remaining the main growth engine of the total volume of registrations.