The Automotive Update: Contrasting fortunes for Europe’s major new-car markets
16 April 2026
How have Europe’s big-five new-car markets fared in the first quarter of 2026? Which country led the way? How are the different powertrain types performing? Autovista24 special content editor Phil Curry explores the results in the Automotive Update podcast.
In this episode, Autovista24 reviews the performances of Europe’s ‘big-five’ new-car markets. Spanning Germany, the UK, France, Italy and Spain, which countries saw registration improvements, and which ones faced declines?
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Mixed quarter for German new-car market
Germany’s new-car market, the biggest in Europe, had a mixed first quarter. Deliveries improved by 5.2%, according to the KBA.
Battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) recorded significant year-on-year growth from January to March, accounting for 22.8% of overall registrations. This was higher than petrol’s market share. Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) posted a 19.3% rise compared to the first quarter of 2025.
Hybrid volumes, including mild and full versions, took a dominant 29.9% market share. Meanwhile, petrol and diesel volumes dropped year on year between January and March.
UK new-car market growth
In the UK, registrations increased by 5.9% year on year in the first quarter, according to the SMMT.
BEV registrations in the country grew by 14.5% year on year between January and March. The technology made up 22.4% of all volumes. PHEVs enjoyed a surge in sales, while full hybrids recorded modest growth.
Petrol deliveries, including mild hybrid sales, fell by 3.5% but still held a dominant market share in the first quarter. Diesel saw a 9.8% fall in volumes year on year.
BEVs provide hope in France
France’s new-car market was down by 2.1% between January and March, according to AAA Data. BEVs enjoyed a 50.4% delivery increase in the first quarter. BEVs held a 27.9% market share between January and March, the highest out of Europe’s big five new-car markets.
Hybrid registrations, including full and mild versions, achieved a dominant 47.3% market share. Conversely, PHEVs recorded eight fewer registrations in the first quarter of 2026. Petrol suffered a 40.3% year-on-year delivery decline between January and March. In a similar vein, diesel volumes dropped by 44.5%.
Italy’s new-car market shows strength
Italy’s new-car market recorded a 9.2% year-on-year improvement in the first quarter, according to ANFIA. It was the best-performing market, in terms of growth, in the European big five.
Plug-in hybrids were the country’s best-performing powertrain in terms of percentage growth. Volumes rose by 110.1% between January and March compared to the same period in 2025. Meanwhile, BEV achieved a 65.7% increase year on year.
Hybrids continued to dominate the market. They made up over half of deliveries in the first quarter, according to Autovista24 calculations. Petrol volumes fell by 18.6% year on year. Diesel registrations plummeted 23.6% between January and March.
PHEV volumes soar in Spain
In Spain, new-car registrations climbed by 7.6% in the first quarter, according to ANFAC. PHEVs were the standout performer in the country. Deliveries soared 74% compared to the first quarter of 2025, based on Autovista24 analysis. The technology proved more popular than BEVs. Volumes of all-electric models improved by 41.6%.
Hybrids, including full and mild versions, led the market. The technology took a 48% share between January and March, with deliveries increasing by 18.6% year on year. On the other hand, petrol and diesel registrations fell in the first quarter.
