2026 (September): Volkswagen and Stellantis were the best-selling car manufacturing groups in Europe (EU, EFTA, UK); VW and Toyota were the top brands, and the Tesla Model Y the best-selling model.
Volkswagen, Stellantis, and Renault were again the largest car manufacturing groups in Europe in September 2026. VW, Toyota, and Skoda were the best-selling car brands. Tesla had a strong recovery, with the Tesla Model Y and Model 3 the two top-selling car models. In September 2026, according to the ACEA, the European new car market expanded by 10.2% to 1,363,210 cars. Battery-electric car sales increased by 60% for a market share of 30.5%.
- Latest European Car Market Statistics: 2026 (Q3), September; 2025 (Full Year)
Best-Selling Car Manufacturers in Europe in 2026 (September)
The best-selling car manufacturing groups in Europe during 2026, according to car sales statistics released by the ACEA, were:
| Brand | September 2026 | September 2025 | % Change | Jan–Sep 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volkswagen Group | 308,474 | 317,589 | -2.9 | 2,667,677 |
| – Volkswagen | 120,214 | 126,603 | -5.0 | 1,050,077 |
| – Skoda | 78,040 | 77,644 | 0.5 | 666,798 |
| – Audi | 58,574 | 60,837 | -3.7 | 499,045 |
| – Cupra | 27,563 | 25,493 | 8.1 | 224,895 |
| – Seat | 16,104 | 18,451 | -12.7 | 156,640 |
| – Porsche | 7,180 | 7,758 | -7.5 | 62,960 |
| – Others² | 799 | 803 | -0.5 | 7,261 |
| Stellantis | 172,977 | 165,488 | 4.5 | 1,533,540 |
| – Peugeot | 55,321 | 54,902 | 0.8 | 483,512 |
| – Opel/Vauxhall | 38,335 | 38,917 | -1.5 | 323,452 |
| – Citroen | 34,466 | 28,538 | 20.8 | 298,367 |
| – Fiat³ | 28,350 | 22,975 | 23.4 | 268,760 |
| – Jeep | 10,656 | 11,108 | -4.1 | 94,542 |
| – Alfa Romeo | 3,126 | 5,630 | -44.5 | 34,669 |
| – DS | 1,543 | 2,260 | -31.7 | 18,625 |
| – Lancia/Chrysler | 899 | 832 | 8.1 | 9,050 |
| – Others⁴ | 281 | 326 | -13.8 | 2,563 |
| Renault Group | 114,726 | 115,589 | -0.7 | 971,760 |
| – Renault | 67,884 | 64,752 | 4.8 | 554,212 |
| – Dacia | 45,408 | 49,850 | -8.9 | 405,768 |
| – Alpine | 1,434 | 987 | 45.3 | 11,780 |
| Hyundai Group | 96,258 | 97,907 | -1.7 | 770,795 |
| – Kia | 56,437 | 49,654 | 13.7 | 421,867 |
| – Hyundai | 39,821 | 48,253 | -17.5 | 348,928 |
| BMW Group | 85,531 | 85,829 | -0.3 | 744,572 |
| – BMW | 67,640 | 68,770 | -1.6 | 603,722 |
| – MINI | 17,891 | 17,059 | 4.9 | 140,850 |
| Toyota Group | 88,066 | 86,628 | 1.7 | 705,004 |
| – Toyota | 79,386 | 78,866 | 0.7 | 650,075 |
| – Lexus | 8,680 | 7,762 | 11.8 | 54,929 |
| Mercedes-Benz | 71,871 | 67,942 | 5.8 | 519,630 |
| Geely Group⁵ | 54,778 | 41,101 | 33.3 | 343,875 |
| BYD | 49,953 | 25,135 | 98.7 | 283,997 |
| Ford | 32,331 | 40,826 | -20.8 | 277,269 |
| SAIC Motor | 41,987 | 33,940 | 23.7 | 272,251 |
| Chery Automobile⁶ | 52,801 | 18,495 | 185.5 | 260,650 |
| Tesla | 68,776 | 39,866 | 72.5 | 260,575 |
| Nissan | 25,097 | 29,722 | -15.6 | 205,387 |
| Suzuki | 16,169 | 16,166 | 0.0 | 132,684 |
| Mazda | 20,111 | 16,133 | 24.7 | 132,090 |
| Jaguar Land Rover Group | 15,252 | 10,317 | 47.8 | 99,116 |
| – Land Rover | 15,252 | 10,317 | 47.8 | 99,106 |
| – Jaguar | 0 | 0 | — | 10 |
| Leapmotor⁷ | 14,594 | 3,443 | 323.9 | 87,922 |
| Honda | 9,182 | 9,293 | -1.2 | 58,961 |
| Mitsubishi | 2,961 | 2,591 | 14.3 | 23,701 |
NOTES: This table uses new vehicle registration data released by ACEA. Other statistics in this article are based on JATO Dynamics, which uses a slightly smaller dataset.
1 ACEA estimation based on total by market
2 Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, and MAN
3 Includes Abarth
4 Dodge, Maserati, and RAM
5 Geely, Geely‑Emgrand, LEVC, Lotus, Lynk & Co, Polestar, Smart, Volvo Cars, and Zeekr
6 Chery, Jaecoo, Jetour, and Omoda
7 Distributed by Leapmotor International, a jointly established, Stellantis-controlled company owned 51% by Stellantis and 49% by Leapmotor. Stellantis and Leapmotor’s combined EU + EFTA + UK market share is 15.3% in 1-9/2026.
Top Car Manufacturers in Europe in 2026 (September)
Volkswagen remained Europe’s largest automotive manufacturing group in September 2026 despite weaker sales. VW brand sales fell 5%.
Stellantis was again the second-largest carmaker in Europe but the 5% increase in sales volumes was only about half the market growth of 10.2%. Other large carmakers, including Renault, Kia-Hyundai, and BMW, had weaker sales, while Toyota and Mercedes also underperformed.
Most of the gains in sales in September 2026 accrued to Chinese brands, while Tesla also staged a strong sales recovery in Europe.
Best-Selling Car Brands in Europe in 2026 (September)
Volkswagen remained the best-selling car brand in Europe, although sales were down 5% in September 2026, while the market expanded by over 10%. VW’s market share dropped from 10.2% a year ago to 8.8%.
Skoda sales were flat in September 2026. The Elroq finished as Europe’s third-best-selling BEV overall, while strong performances from the Enyaq, Octavia, Kodiaq, and Kamiq helped reinforce the brand’s position among Europe’s highest-volume manufacturers.
Tesla delivered one of its strongest months of the year. The Model Y remained Europe’s best-selling BEV with more than 41,500 registrations, while the Model 3 added over 27,000 units, giving the brand a clear lead in the electric rankings.
Mercedes-Benz was another standout performer. The new CLA EV, together with the GLC EV and GLB EV, delivered significant volume and highlighted the brand’s growing competitiveness in the premium electric segment.
Among Asian brands, Kia continued to build momentum through the EV2, EV3, EV4, and EV5, while Toyota strengthened its electric credentials with the C‑HR+ and expanded bZ line-up.
Chinese manufacturers also posted another month of remarkable growth. BYD registered nearly 50,000 units in September, while XPENG exceeded 5,200 registrations. Rapid expansion from Jaecoo, Omoda, and Zeekr further demonstrates that Chinese brands are becoming increasingly relevant players in the European market.
Top Ten Car Models in Europe in 2026 (September)
The top 10 best-selling car models in Europe in September 2026, according to JATO, were:
| R | Brand & Model | Sales | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tesla Model Y | 41,588 | 55% |
| 2 | Tesla Model 3 | 27,132 | 114% |
| 3 | Volkswagen Golf | 18,123 | -1% |
| 4 | Dacia Sandero | 17,776 | -9% |
| 5 | Volkswagen Tiguan | 16,701 | -5% |
| 6 | Toyota Yaris Cross | 16,378 | 0% |
| 7 | Peugeot 208 | 16,054 | 4% |
| 8 | Renault Clio | 15,973 | -22% |
| 9 | Jaecoo 7 | 15,492 | 66% |
| 10 | Volkswagen T-Roc | 15,097 | -19% |
Tesla dominated the list of best-selling car models in Europe in September 2026, with the Model Y and Model 3 taking the top two positions. Combined, they accounted for more than 68,000 units, and the Model Y shot up from sixth place in last month’s table.
Volkswagen continued its strong run, with three models in the top ten, while Dacia’s Sandero also posted sustained high sales, splitting the Volkswagen Golf and Tiguan, which sat in third and fifth place, respectively.
Most well-established European models in the top ten had weaker sales. Apart from the Tesla models, only the Jaecoo 7 showed significant sales gains. The Jaecoo 7 sold particularly well in the UK, with two-thirds of the September sales recorded in the British market.