Emergency brake on the auto market: New car sales in Romania collapsed in February 2026
After a year 2025 that seemed to promise a sustainable recovery, the beginning of 2026 brings a cold shower for car dealers in Romania. Data provided by the General Directorate of Driving Licenses and Registrations (DGPCI) confirms a worrying trend: Romanians have put new car purchases "on hold", and the decreases are in the order of tens of percent.
February 2026 marked the second consecutive month of severe decline. If in January the market recorded a 33% drop, the figures for February confirm that it was not a simple anomaly at the beginning of the year. With only 8,965 registered units, the 24.35% decrease compared to February 2025 raises an alarm about purchasing power and economic uncertainty.
Analysis of a slump: Why aren't Romanians buying anymore?
Although the numbers seem disastrous at first glance, auto analysts emphasize that this "rebound" is due to a combination of technical and economic factors:
- The "gap" effect after December 2025: The last month of last year was the best in the last two years, with many customers rushing to register vehicles to avoid new tax and emissions regulations that came into effect on January 1, 2026.
- Uncertainty over the Junk Program: The 2026 budget has been marred by delays and discussions about limiting subsidies for cars made outside of Europe. This legislative “fog” has led many potential buyers to wait for official clarification before signing a contract.
- Waiting for the new Dacia models: The Mioveni manufacturer opened pre-orders for the new facelift versions of the Logan and Sandero models at the end of last year, but actual deliveries are scheduled for spring.
Dacia loses ground, the Chinese force the Top 10
The biggest shock comes from the market leader. Dacia registered just 3,127 cars in the first two months of the year, a massive 58.54% drop from the 7,542 units in the same period last year. Although it remains in first place, its market share is under siege.
While traditional brands such as Toyota (1,664 units) and Skoda (1,555 units) consolidate their positions on the podium, the big news of the beginning of the year is the rise of Asian brands. BYD managed to enter the top 10 brands in Romania with 564 units, while Chery had a surprisingly solid February, taking advantage of competitive prices and immediate stock availability.
Enrollment rankings (January - February 2026):
| Brand | Registered Units |
| Dacia | 3.127 |
| Toyota | 1.664 |
| Skoda | 1.555 |
| Volkswagen | 1.252 |
| Renault | 838 |
| BYD | 564 |
The Second Hand market isn't feeling any better either
The downward trend has also contaminated the used car segment. In February, Romanians registered 31,243 used cars, approximately 2,000 fewer than in 2025. The cumulative decrease over the first two months is 5.94%, a sign that financial prudence has become the new norm, regardless of the age of the desired vehicle.
"The Romanian auto market is going through a moment of recalibration. The aggressive shift towards electrification — which reached a record share of over 70% of total new registrations in January — is changing the rules of the game, but the overall volume is suffering due to the lack of fiscal predictability," explain specialists in the field.
Outlook: All eyes are now on March. With the delivery of the first Dacia facelift orders and, the industry hopes, the full unlocking of the Rabla program, the market could "revive" its engines again. However, recovering the 29% deficit of the first two months will be an extremely difficult mission for the rest of the year.