Stellantis sees surging registrations in EU new-car market

25 March 2026

Car manufacturers have experienced contrasting fortunes in the EU’s new-car market so far this year. As Stellantis deliveries soared, other players saw sliding registrations. Tom Hooker, Autovista24 journalist, reviews the data.

Within a stagnant EU new-car market, competition between carmakers continues to intensify. While some brands are gaining ground, others are seeing declines. This inconsistency is also apparent when looking at the biggest manufacturers, such as Stellantis.

According to ACEA, the group enjoyed a 9.5% year-on-year delivery increase to 304,251 units between January and February. This equated to an additional 26,478 registrations. In turn, its share surged by 1.8 percentage points (pp) to 18.3%.

Fiat and Opel registrations soar

Stellantis’ growth in the EU was driven by Fiat and Opel. Compared to the first two months of 2025, the carmakers contributed a further 29,216 units to the group’s total.

Between January and February, Fiat saw registrations surge by 42.1% year on year to 63,004 units. Consequently, its share rose by 1.2pp to 3.8%. Fiat was one of only two marques in the EU’s top 10 best-selling new-car brands to grow in this period.

Opel’s slice of the EU new-car market widened to 3.2% from 2.5%. Volumes improved by 25.1% to 52,531 deliveries. A solid Citroën result also helped Stellantis achieve growth. The marque recorded an 8.3% rise to 60,345 registrations. Its share also notched up by 0.3pp to 3.6%.

Peugeot plummets

However, the manufacturer group’s highest volume brand counteracted these performances. Peugeot suffered a 5.2% delivery drop after two months of the year to 92,704 units. The carmaker still accounted for 30.5% of Stellantis’ overall registrations.

With such a high share within the group, any decline from the French brand has a big impact. Peugeot represented 5.6% of the total EU new-car market, down from 5.8% at the same point in 2025.

Meanwhile, Jeep saw stable registrations in the first two months of 2026, with a 0.8% delivery increase. However, this was to a lower volume of 20,866 units.

Based on smaller volumes, Alfa Romeo and DS suffered double-digit declines across January and February. Alfa Romeo struggled with a 16.3% drop, while DS saw deliveries fall by 21.5%. However, combined registrations of Lancia and Chrysler models rose by 15.9%.

Renault Group’s downbeat result

Renault Group endured a steep decline in the year to date. Deliveries slumped by 16.1% to 161,262 units. Its share also fell from 11.4% to 9.7%. Dacia appeared to drive this trend. A 30.9% drop for the brand translated to 63,579 units, as its market hold dropped by 1.7pp to 3.8%.

This meant Dacia trailed the Renault brand by 32,818 registrations across the first two months of 2026. In comparison, the gap between the two brands stood at just 7,018 units during the same period of 2025.

The Renault brand suffered a 2.7% drop to 96,397 deliveries in the year to date. Its share remained relatively stable at 5.8%, down just 0.1pp year on year. Conversely, Alpine recorded a 10.3% increase in registrations on significantly lower volumes of 1,286 units.

Stagnant VW Group registrations

As Stellantis surged and Renault Group slipped, Volkswagen (VW) Group’s registrations were down only slightly. Volumes dropped 0.7% between January and February to 449,294 units. However, as many carmakers suffered declining deliveries, the manufacturer’s share improved by 0.1pp to 27%.

VW Group’s stagnation was the result of contrasting performances from its two highest volume marques.

The VW brand witnessed a 7% decline after two months of 2026, with 176,570 deliveries. It accounted for 10.6% of overall registrations, down from 11.3% during the same period of last year. Meanwhile, Skoda saw a 14.5% surge to 116,650 units. In turn, its share jumped by 1pp to 7%.

Audi volumes were nearly unchanged year on year. The brand’s 81,804 deliveries across January and February represented a 0.1% dip, as it kept its 4.9% market hold. SEAT had a slightly better performance, with a 1.8% uptick to 30,782 registrations. This gave the carmaker a 1.8% share, stable from 2025.

However, Cupra and Porsche counteracted these results. The former faced an 11.4% fall to 32,151 units after two months of 2026. Cupra accounted for 1.9% of overall volumes, down 0.3pp year on year. Porsche posted an 10.6% slump to 10,159 registrations, with a 0.1pp drop in share to 0.6%.

BYD continues triple-digit growth

While some struggled, BYD maintained its strong upward trajectory in the EU during January and February. It maintained triple-digit delivery growth, with a 179.2% surge to 29,291 units. The brand captured 1.8% of the EU’s new car market, up 1.2pp year on year.

Tesla also enjoyed growth, with deliveries up 16.7% compared to the first two months of 2025. The brand’s 20,941 registrations ensured a 1.3% share, up 0.2pp. Honda achieved a double-digit delivery increase, as well. However, this was based on a lower figure of 7,888 units, as its market share rose by 0.1pp to 0.5%.

SAIC Motor managed a 6.6% growth between January and February, with 32,214 new models taking to EU roads. It made up 1.9% of overall volumes, up 0.1pp year on year. Meanwhile, registrations of new Mazda models improved by 0.5%. With 17,757 deliveries, it took a 1.1% market share, up from 1% during the same period of 2025.

Mitsubishi’s registrations woes

However, these examples of growth were few and far between. On the other end of the spectrum, Mitsubishi suffered a 43.3% slump in the first two months of 2026. The brand’s 3,828-unit total translated to a 0.2% share, down from 0.4%.

Ford endured a tough result as well, with volumes dropping 21.5% between January and February to 41,039 units. The marque captured 2.5% of overall registrations in the EU, down from 3.1% in the first two months of 2025.

JLR posted a 14.3% slump year on year to 8,376 units. Its slice of the new-car market thinned by 0.1pp to 0.5%.

Within the group, Land Rover recorded a less severe decline of 10.2%. However, this was compounded by Jaguar’s absence, down from 446 registrations between January and February 2025.

Another double-digit drop was recorded for Suzuki. Deliveries slid 14% year on year to 22,957 units, while its share fell by 0.2pp to 1.4%. A similar trend occurred at Volvo Cars, with its 33,143-unit total representing a 12.8% decline. It captured 2% of overall volumes, down from 2.3%.

Adding to the list of carmakers with falling registrations, Nissan felt a 12.2% downturn after two months of the year. It represented 1.9% of the EU’s new-car market with 31,884 registrations.

More registrations declines

Hyundai Group, made up of Kia and Hyundai, posted a 9.2% fall year on year to 115,614 registrations. The group captured 6.9% of total volumes in the first two months of 2026, down 0.7pp.

Kia experienced a more marginal drop of 1.8%, with 60,044 registrations giving it a 3.6% share, stable year on year. However, Hyundai fuelled the group’s slump, after a 16% decline to 55,570 deliveries. In turn, its share fell 0.6pp to 3.3%.

Toyota Group posted a similar headline figure and decline. The brand recorded 126,354 units after two months of 2026, down 7.7% year on year. Unsurprisingly, its grip on the new-car market loosened by 0.5pp to 7.6%.

Lexus saw a significant drop of 20.9% compared to the same period of 2025, while Toyota brand registrations slipped by 6.5%. The latter’s 117,510-unit total translated to a 7.1% share, down 0.4pp year on year.

BMW Group also entered six-digit figures after two months of deliveries. Yet the manufacturer still suffered a 3.6% decline to 109,790 units. It made up 6.6% of overall volumes, down from 6.8%.

This came despite Mini’s 5% increase to 17,628 units, which helped boost its share by 0.1pp to 1.1%. However, a 5.1% drop for the BMW brand ensured the group’s negative result. A total of 92,162 new models from the carmaker were delivered, as its share went from 5.8% to 5.5%.

Mercedes-Benz also endured falling volumes after two months of 2026. The marque recorded a 1.2% decline to 74,422 units. This ensured a 4.5% share, stable from the same period one year prior.