Domestic car market, the first year of growth since 2007

Romanian car market continues its uptrend, the overall sales of passenger cars and commercial vehicles increasing by 24.1 percent year-on-year in the first eleven months in 2014 which marks the first year of growth after six years of successive decline, according to Romania’s Automobile Manufacturers and Importers Association (APIA).

The domestic production amounted to 363.905 units, 3.5 percent below the level recorded in the similar period last year. Dacia and Ford are the major and only players on the market: Dacia covers 86.5 percent of the cars manufactured in Romania, while Ford accounts for the remaining 13.5 percent. Five units were delivered by Roman Brasov. 

Sales of commercial vehicles exceeded the growth rate in the passenger cars field, the first category advancing by 28 percent yoy, whilst the second saw an increase by 23.4 percent. Almost three quarters of acquisitions were made by companies (72 percent), the share of vehicles bought by individuals declining from 41 percent in May to 28 percent in November 2014.

Dacia stays the best-selling brand, accounting for almost 33 percent of the total passenger car units sold. Next are Volkswagen (10.5 percent) and Skoda (9.5 percent), then Renault and Ford, each with 6.9 percent followed by Opel (4.4 percent). Based on car models, Dacia Logan is leading the top, top which includes Dacia Duster, Dacia Sandero, Ford Fiesta and Skoda Octavia, in this order. 

Used car registrations, on the other hand, are still significantly higher than the new ones (some 200,000 units at 11 months, about three times more), yet in used car sales are lower than in 2013 when the sales volume was four times higher.

Increasing sales have been reported in the export area, as well. With over 33.700 units exported in November, total units sold abroad came to approximately 335,700 at the end of November 2014, a marginal growth yoy, 0.4 percent. Dacia strengthens is leading position in 2014, with Dacia Duster and Dacia Logan models in top two positions of the most exported vehicles (approximately 152,400 and 62.300 units, respectively), followed  by Ford B-Max (around 49,000 units).