Car sales in the EU rose in September as well, but this year's results are still significantly lagging behind the pre-pandemic period, the ACEA car manufacturers' association announced today.

In September, 861,062 new cars were registered in the EU, 9.2 percent more than in the same month last year. In August, their number jumped by 21 percent.

The results over the past year reflected a low comparison base in the previous year, when the automotive industry struggled with a shortage of parts. Toward the end of 2022, supply normalized. 

Among the “big” countries, the number of newly registered cars rose the most strongly in Italy in September, by 22.7 percent. France recorded half as much sales growth, and Germany stagnation.

In Croatia, according to ACEA data, 3,734 new cars were registered in September, 7.1 percent more than last year. The market recorded the same growth rate in August as well.

A long road to 2019

In the period from January to September, the European new vehicle market grew by 16.9 percent with eight million new cars registered, ACEA calculated.

The growth shows the recovery of the European automotive industry from pandemic disruptions, ACEA points out, but they still warn that sales volume is still 20 percent lower than in the pre-pandemic 2019.

All markets in the EU recorded growth in the first nine months of this year, with the exception of Hungary, where a decline of 3.2 percent was recorded.

Among the group of four leading markets, sales grew the most in Italy and Spain, by 20.5 and 18.5 percent respectively. France, meanwhile, was alongside Germany with a growth rate of 15.9 percent compared with Germany's 14.5 percent.

In Croatia, in the period from January to September, 47,101 new cars were registered, 32.3 percent more than in the same period last year, ACEA data show.

Source: index.hr