Car sales in Romania rose 21.5% in 2014, which translates into a 46% market growth compared to 2013 when 82,600 units were sold.
According to APIA, 98,325 cars were sold in Romania last year, accounting for 81.5% of the overall auto market, 18.7% more against 2014. Sales of commercial vehicles rose 27% to 22,266 units.
The best-selling carmakers in Romania were local Dacia, with 33,890 units (34.5% of total car sales), followed by Volkswagen with 9,791 units (10%), Skoda with 8.849 units (9%), Ford with 6,067 units (6.2%), Dacia owner Renault with 6,020 units (6.1%) and Opel with 3,626 units (3.7%).
By types of fuel, diesel cars accounted for 53.5% of total sales, down from 67.4% at the beginning of 2015. Hybrid and electric car sales reached 495 units in 2015, more than double against 2014 when only 236 such units were sold.
Car sales on the Romanian market are still fueled by purchases made by companies which covered 74% last year.
Second-hand car imports increased 13.6% in 2015, to around 250,000 units, from 220,000 units a year ago.
Romania produced 28,263 vehicles in December last year, 2.7% more than in the same period in 2014. Of these, 339,204 were made by Dacia and 47,967 by Ford. In 2015, then overall car production reached 387,177 units, lower by 1.1% compared to 2014.
Romania’s vehicle exports fell 2.4% on the year in 2015, to 355,297 units.