The local automotive sector recorded an impressive balance sheet at the end of 2024, with more than 1.2 million transactions completed, with the performance underpinned by significant increases across all segments, according to data published by the DGCPI (Directorate General for Driving Licenses and Registrations).

In the new car segment, the market grew by 5% year-on-year, registering more than 151,000 units registered in 2024, compared with 144,000 in 2023. The upward trend continues for the third consecutive year, marking an increase of around 25% compared to 2021 and setting the best level since 2019. The best acquisition month was June–21,358 units, up 62% compared to the same period in 2023. At the opposite pole, September was the worst month, with just 8,975 units.

The import used car market saw a notable rebound, reaching a total of 344,486 units registered, compared to 309,876 in 2023 and 325,062 in 2022, the DGCPI analysis shows. The best results were recorded in October 2024, with 34,449 cars registered, marking an increase of 15% compared to the same month of the previous year. Over the past three years, around one million used vehicles have been brought into the country in this segment.

Re-registrations ended 2024 with an increase of about 5%, surpassing the 710,000-unit threshold, the highest volume of used car transactions recorded domestically in the past six years. The most active month was October, with 68,065 units, while June saw the lowest number, with just 49,594 re-registrations.

Significant increase in ads and value of cars listed

The Autovit.ro platform has seen a steady increase in both the number of ads and the value of the offers presented.

Over the past year, 253,252 new ads were published, representing an increase of 9.3% compared to 2023, which underlines the growing interest of users. The most active months were March, with 24,119 ads, and October, which saw a peak of 24,823 offers.

Moreover, the total value of cars offered for sale on Autovit.ro in 2024 exceeded €4.7 billion, marking a substantial increase of around 9% on the previous year.

"The year 2024 was an important one for Autovit.ro, with the platform registering growth in numerous segments and continuing to be a barometer of the Romanian car market. With a diversified offer, quality services and a deep understanding of buyers' preferences, Autovit.ro has reaffirmed its commitment to offer the best solutions for all Romanians' automotive needs," said Andrei Dumuța, General Manager Autovit.ro.

User preferences: top brands and models

Romanians' preferences when it comes to car brands remain constant, with Volkswagen and BMW at the top of the leaderboard, standing out with over 33,000 ads each (13% of the total). Mercedes-Benz is still among the most popular brands offered for sale on Autovit.ro in 2024, registering over 25,000 offers (10%), followed by Audi and Ford, with over 21,000 (9%) and 15,000 offers (6%) respectively available on the platform.

In terms of views, BMW dominated the rankings with over 25 million hits (16% of the total), with Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen and Audi following in the next positions, each accumulating between 16 and 18 million views. Skoda managed to catch the attention of users and completes the top 5 with over 8 million views.

The increased buyer interest resulted in a total of around 162 million views being recorded on the Autovit.ro platform throughout 2024.

In terms of specific models, the Volkswagen Golf, Volkswagen Passat and Skoda Octavia top the listings of dealers, with more than 7,000 ads each (3% of the total). The BMW 5 Series and 3 Series also stood out, with over 6,000 ads each, while top places in terms of views (over 10 million combined). The Volkswagen Golf remained in the spotlight, with over 4 million views, alongside the Audi A4 and Skoda Octavia, each with over 3 million views.

Evolution of the diesel and hybrid segments. Growing popularity of SUVs

SUVs continued to gain ground in 2024, accounting for 37% of all ads on the platform, compared to 34% in 2023, underlining once again the increasing consumer orientation towards this car segment.

In terms of engine type, the supply of diesel cars fell by 4%, but they maintained their supremacy with 63% of all ads. A notable increase was registered by plug-in hybrid models, which were up 3% in the number of offers and 4% in views.

Prices and user choices

The profile of the Romanian buyer in 2024 indicates a clear preference for cars manufactured between 2019 and 2020, with this segment generating 22% of all views and accounting for 18% of dealer offers.

In terms of vehicle prices presented on the platform, the greatest interest was in cars between €10,000 and €25,000, with these categories garnering 41% of total views and 39% of total ads.

The platform saw an 8% increase in the number of ads for new cars between January and December 2024 compared to the same period last year. At the end of last year, around 10,000 new car listings were listed on Autovit.ro.

Auto parts segment 

The car parts segment saw a spectacular growth in 2024, with the value of car parts topping €600 million, up 84% on 2023.

In total, the platform hosted over 2.4 million ads for car parts, with the best represented brands being Volvo, Volkswagen, BMW, Audi and Nissan.