New car registrations in Romania rose by 2.71% in April of this year compared to the same period in 2025, while electric vehicles reported a 26% increase and a 68% market share, according to preliminary data from the Association of Automobile Manufacturers and Importers (APIA), published on Monday.
According to official statistics, based on figures compiled by the General Directorate for Driver’s Licenses and Vehicle Registration (DGPCI), overall, the SUV segment ranks first, with a share of 62.1%, followed by Class C—with a share of 19.41%—and Class B—with 12.11%.
Based on the fuel type of registered passenger cars, in April of this year, compared to the same period in 2025, gasoline-powered vehicles saw a decrease of 15.31 percentage points, down to a share of 20.1 percentage points, while diesel engines recorded a decrease of 43.3%, to 4.9%. Additionally, passenger cars equipped with mild-hybrid engines reported a 0.11 percentage point decrease and accounted for 27.71% of the total passenger car market, according to Agerpres.
On the other hand, ‘electrified’ passenger cars—namely electric vehicles (which can be charged from an external power source, such as BEVs and PHEVs), as well as mild-hybrid and full-hybrid vehicles (which also feature electric propulsion without requiring charging from an external power source)—hold, in April 2026, a market share of 68%, making it the most significant segment of the Romanian market, surpassing the share held by gasoline and diesel engines.
Within this range, fully electric passenger cars account for a 6.31% market share, while plug-in hybrid passenger cars accounted for a 9.81% market share, up from 5.31% in April 2025.
In 2026, the top three best-selling electric cars are: the Tesla Model Y—with 426 units sold and a year-over-year increase of 284%—the BYD Dolphin Surf (324 units), and the Dacia Spring (239 units).
At the same time, in the plug-in car segment, the top spots are occupied, in order, by BYD Seal U – with 321 units, Chery Tiggo 8 – with 183 units, and Volkswagen Tiguan (171).
According to the data cited, in the category of hybrid cars that do not require recharging from external sources, the Toyota Corolla ranks first in 2026 with 1,444 units and a 451% increase compared to the previous year, followed by the Dacia Bigster with 975 units and the Toyota Yaris Cross (868).
Meanwhile, in the mild hybrid passenger car category, the Dacia Duster leads the way with 920 units and a decline of 601, followed by the Skoda Octavia with 518 units and the Suzuki Vitara Cami (473).
Light commercial vehicles and minibuses recorded a slight increase (+0.11% quarter-on-quarter) in April 2026 compared to April 2025, with light commercial vehicles (excluding minibuses) seeing a jump of 12.51% quarter-on-quarter. On the other hand, electric light commercial vehicles reached a volume of 143 units in the first four months of 2026, compared to 281 units during the same period last year.
Heavy commercial vehicles and buses saw a decline of 0.11% over the past three months, with heavy commercial vehicles weighing over 16 tons and tractor-trailers recording a decline of 0.31% over the same period.