Overall auto sales, including commercial vehicles and buses, increased 32.4% year-on-year to 47.037 units.
Dacia, made locally by French Renault’s unit Dacia Automobile, was the best-traded brand on the local new cars market in the first six months with 13,313 units, followed by Volkswagen with 3,927 units, and Skoda with 3,626 units.
Romania produced 210,523 vehicles in the first half of 2014, down 6.3% on the year. Exports rose 2.5% to 193,540 vehicles, while imports increased 24.4% to 34,478 vehicles.
On a monthly basis, sales of new passenger cars rose 12.9% to 9,123 units in June, the data showed. It was the 12th consecutive monthly increase, APIA said in a statement.
“Though the figures are positive, market optimism remains moderate,” the statement noted.
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%.