Article by GSP – Published on Monday, 08 June 2026, 11:54 / Updated on Monday, 08 June 2026 11:54
According to Autovit.ro data, interest in diesel is dropping sharply, while electric cars and new Chinese models are rapidly gaining ground in Romania
The car market in Romania is going through an accelerated change in preferences, marked by strong growth in demand for electric vehicles and growing interest in Chinese car brands. Autovit.ro analyzed the data available from the beginning of the conflict in Iran until May, and according to them, Chinese brands are becoming an important emerging player, amid a rapid transition to electric mobility.
The data shows a major shift in user preferences: in the analyzed period, interest in diesel engines has registered a steep decline, in parallel with an accelerated growth in demand for electric vehicles. In just a few weeks, the decline in interest in diesel coincided with a 40% increase in demand for electric cars, and their share almost doubled to more than 5% of total demand.
This evolution confirms the trend already observed in the platform, where the interest in electric cars has registered the highest growth rates, significantly surpassing all other types of engines.
Demand for Chinese brands continues to grow
Against this background, Chinese car brands are experiencing some of the fastest growth in the market. Demand for these brands grew almost fivefold in one year (+389%), and the market share tripled, surpassing the threshold of 1% of all relevant interactions.
And data from the platform confirms this dynamic: the number of contacts in the case of Chinese car ads increased by more than 300% annually, indicating an accelerated adoption, even if the starting point was a small one.
The expansion of Chinese brands is mainly supported by the offer of electric and hybrid vehicles. Chinese electric models have grown by more than 500% year-on-year, and their share of total electric vehicle demand has increased from 4% to more than 7%.
Currently, most of the Chinese models in the top of user preferences are electric or hybrid, confirming the positioning of these brands as leaders in the area of alternative mobility.
BYD, MG and Chery, the most interesting brands for Romanians
At the level of models, BYD Seal U ranks at the top of demand, while MG stands out for its most diversified presence, with four models in the top of the most sought-after Chinese cars. At the same time, the Chery Tiggo range manages to place several models in the top, strengthening the brand's position in user preferences.
Autovit.ro data shows that, at the supply level, MG and BYD still dominate the market, but the appearance of players such as Geely indicates a gradual diversification of the Chinese brand ecosystem.
The offer of Chinese cars is expanding rapidly, especially in the new car segment. Their share in the total new vehicle announcements almost doubled, reaching approximately 10% of the daily offer.
In the case of used cars, the segment remains niche, but here too a noticeable growth is observed, which indicates the beginning of the formation of a secondary market for these brands.
Increasingly visible price differences between new and used cars
The data also show an increasingly clear differentiation at the price level. While the new models of Chinese brands registered an increase of more than 13%, reaching a maximum of almost 32,000 euros, the prices for used ones fell by about 9.5%.
Despite these accelerated growths, the local market remains at an early stage of development. Chinese brands represent just over 1% of all active ads on Autovit.ro and are less represented than in other European markets.
However, the pace of growth and changes in preferences indicate significant potential for development in the medium term, as the supply will diversify and interest in electric vehicles will continue to grow.
