Romania's car market falls 11.5% in September, but BYD climbs to 4th and plug-in hybrids jump 131%
APIA: 10,952 new cars registered in Romania in September 2026. BYD registered 708 cars (+532%) and overtook Volkswagen. EVs hold 8% of the market, and the year-to-date EV ranking is led by the Tesla Model Y, BYD Dolphin Surf and Tesla Model 3.
Romania's new car market keeps shrinking. In September 2026, 10,952 new passenger cars were registered, 11.5% fewer than a year earlier, according to data published today by APIA (the Romanian Automobile Manufacturers and Importers Association), based on DGPCI registration figures. Over the first nine months the market reached 96,261 cars, down 10.5% on 2025.
Inside that shrinking market, though, the ranking is shifting fast.
BYD in 4th place, ahead of Volkswagen
| Rank | Brand | September 2026 | vs Sept 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dacia | 2,705 | −34.4% |
| 2 | Toyota | 1,435 | – |
| 3 | Skoda | 795 | – |
| 4 | BYD | 708 | +532% |
| 5 | Volkswagen | 640 | −3% |
Dacia is still the clear leader but lost more than a third of its volume. BYD has reached 4,173 registrations in the first nine months.
Plug-in hybrids grow the fastest
By powertrain, in September:
- plug-in hybrid: +131%, with 17% of the market;
- battery electric: +16.6%, with 8% of the market;
- full hybrid: +1%, with 20.8%;
- mild hybrid: −10.7%, with 18.2%.
All electrified cars together reached 64% of registrations. Pure petrol is down to 32%, and diesel to just 3.8%.
Who leads in EVs and plug-ins
Over the first nine months of 2026, Romania's most-registered new EVs (APIA data) are:
- Tesla Model Y: 886
- BYD Dolphin Surf: 686
- Tesla Model 3: 676
Count used EVs too (second-hand imports registered in Romania for the first time) and the ranking looks different. EVRadar / Electromobilitate, which combines new and used cars, puts the Tesla Model 3 (1,568), Tesla Model Y (1,265) and BYD Dolphin Surf (696) on top so far this year. The two rankings don't contradict each other, because they measure different things: APIA counts only new cars, while EVRadar also counts second-hand imports, where the Model 3 is far more common.
Among plug-in hybrids, first place is also Chinese: the BYD Seal U DM-i (1,230), followed by the Toyota RAV4 (969) and the Chery Tiggo 9 (655). Those Chinese hybrids are exactly what Brussels is now targeting, as it prepares import quotas after China refused to limit its exports.
APIA president Dan Vardie said Romania's market "continues to fall, while electrification and new competitors are visibly reshaping the rankings", in contrast to the EU market, which grew 5.3% in the first eight months. The association is calling for "predictable policies" and fleet renewal programmes launched on a clear schedule. This year, Rabla money for EVs ran out back in the summer.
If you're choosing between the two technologies right now, we have a guide: EV or plug-in hybrid in Romania in 2026.
