Overall auto sales, including commercial vehicles and buses, stood at 36,505 units in the January-May period, up 30.2% on the year.
Dacia, made locally by French Renault’s unit Dacia Automobile, was the best-traded brand on the local new cars market in the first four months with 9,832 units, followed by Volkswagen with 2,995 units, and Skoda with 2,816 units.
Romania produced 176,124 vehicles in the first five months of 2014, down 6.7% on the year. Exports rose 1.6% to 158,770 vehicles, while imports increased 24.6% to 21,909 vehicles.
On a monthly basis, sales of new passenger cars rose 19.4% to 8,079 units in May, the data showed. It was the 11th consecutive monthly increase, APIA said.
Romania’s auto market declined for the sixth consecutive year in 2013, to 82,011 units, hurt by growing demand for used vehicles and a weakening purchasing power.
For 2014, APIA forecasts an annual growth of 4% to 5%.