In 2026, the total number of passenger vehicles (PKW) registered for use on public roads in Germany increased by 0.3% to nearly 49.5 million cars. Volkswagen and Mercedes were the most common brands.
On 1 January 2026, almost 49.5 million cars and over 61.3 million motorized vehicles were registered for use on public roads in Germany. The German car parc (Fahrzeugbestand) increased by only 0.3%, with the average car in Germany now 10.9 years old. Volkswagen remained by far the most common car brand, followed by Mercedes-Benz and Opel. The most common model was the Volkswagen Golf. Battery-electric cars exceeded 2 million vehicles in Germany for the first time.
In 2025, the total German new car market expanded by 1.4% to 2,857,591 vehicles. The best-selling car brand in Germany was again Volkswagen, with the VW Golf the top-selling car model. Volkswagen was the top electric car brand, and the VW ID7 was the top electric car model.
Latest German Car Sales Statistics: 2025: Market Overview, Brands, Top 50 Models, Electric; 2024-2007.
Total Number of Vehicles in Germany in 2026
The total number of motorized vehicles registered on 1 January 2026 for use on public roads in Germany (Fahrzeugbestand) at the KBA increased by 0.4% to a new record 61,341,244 (61,097,943 in 2025 and 60,680,636 in 2024) motorized vehicles (+0.7%)(Kraftfahrzeuge / Kfz) excluding a record 8,656,790 trailers (+1.2%)(Kraftfahrzeuganhänger).
By far the largest component of the motorized vehicles was passenger cars (PKW) 49,486,487 (up 0.3% from 49,339,166 in 2025 and 49,098,685 in 2024), followed by motorcycles (Krafträder) at 5,971,468 (+0.2%) and heavy commercial vehicles (trucks / lorries / LKW) at 3,896,402 (+1.8%).
It was the slowest growth in the main vehicle types in years.
Number of Cars on German Roads (2013 – 2026)
The total number of passenger vehicles (PKW) on German roads at the start of 2026 increased by 0.3% to 49,486,487 cars or 147,321 more cars than a year ago. In full-year 2025, the total German new car market expanded by 1.4% to 2,857,591 passenger cars (PKW) — the sixth consecutive year of car sales below three million vehicles.
The total number of passenger cars registered for use on public roads in Germany was as follows in recent years:
| Year | Cars (PKW) | % Change |
| 2026 | 49,486,487 | 0.3 |
| 2025 | 49,339,166 | 0.5 |
| 2024 | 49,098,685 | 0.7 |
| 2023 | 48,763,036 | 0.6 |
| 2022 | 48,540,878 | 0.6 |
| 2021 | 48,248,584 | 1.1 |
| 2020 | 47,715,977 | 1.3 |
| 2019 | 47,095,784 | 1.3 |
| 2018 | 46,474,594 | 1.5 |
| 2017 | 45,803,560 | 1.6 |
| 2016 | 45,071,209 | 1.5 |
| 2015 | 44,403,124 | 1.3 |
| 2014 | 43,851,230 | 1.3 |
| 2013 | 43,431,124 | 1.2 |
| Source: KBA |
Passenger Vehicles Registered in Germany in 2025
A few interesting statistics from the numbers released on the total car parc in Germany at the start of 2026 include:
- Most cars are registered by private owners: 43.7 million (+0.3) or 88.3% of all cars in Germany.
- The number of alternative fuel cars continues to increase. Battery electric cars (BEV) increased by 23.2% to 2,034,260 all-electric cars or a total share of 4.1%.
- The number of diesel cars in Germany in 2026 contracted by 3.2% for a 27%.
- The number of cars with stricter emission rules is increasing: Euro 6 increased to 52% of all cars, Euro 6d to 10.1%, and Euro 6e to 6.7%. Euro 5 contracted by 5.2% to a 19.4% share and Euro 4 by 8.9% for a 15.7% share.
- The largest segments remained compact cars (Kompaktklasse, e.g. VW Golf) with a 21.8% share and small cars (Kleinwagen e.g. VW Polo) with a 17.8% share. The share of SUVs, e.g. VW T-Roc, increased to 14.5%. (SUVs exclude more robust cross-country vehicles / Geländewagen, e.g. VW Tiguan, in German statistics.)
- The average age of cars in Germany increased to 10.9 years (10.6 in 2025 and 10.3 in 2024).
- The number of Oldtimer (vehicles older than 30 years) increased by 4% to 923,538 vehicles (up from 888,355).
Total Cars Registered in Germany by Brand in 2026
The 50 most common marques of cars registered in Germany on 1 January 2026, according to the KBA, were as follows:
| R | Brand (Marke) | 01.01.2026 | % Share | 01.01.2025 | % 26/25 |
| TOTAL | 49,486,487 | 100.0 | 49,339,166 | +0.3 | |
| 1 | VW | 10,315,640 | 20.8 | 10,288,048 | +0.3 |
| 2 | MERCEDES | 4,735,891 | 9.6 | 4,721,019 | +0.3 |
| 3 | OPEL | 3,809,136 | 7.7 | 3,911,384 | -2.6 |
| 4 | BMW | 3,485,375 | 7.0 | 3,453,884 | +0.9 |
| 5 | AUDI | 3,295,351 | 6.7 | 3,308,722 | -0.4 |
| 6 | FORD | 3,245,223 | 6.6 | 3,324,223 | -2.4 |
| 7 | SKODA | 2,874,753 | 5.8 | 2,750,109 | +4.5 |
| 8 | SEAT | 1,711,609 | 3.5 | 1,617,897 | +5.8 |
| 9 | RENAULT | 1,587,622 | 3.2 | 1,633,416 | -2.8 |
| 10 | HYUNDAI | 1,576,506 | 3.2 | 1,544,791 | +2.1 |
| 11 | TOYOTA | 1,314,239 | 2.7 | 1,313,581 | +0.1 |
| 12 | FIAT | 1,297,698 | 2.6 | 1,300,511 | -0.2 |
| 13 | PEUGEOT | 949,985 | 1.9 | 967,905 | -1.9 |
| 14 | KIA | 898,467 | 1.8 | 881,795 | +1.9 |
| 15 | DACIA | 850,846 | 1.7 | 805,412 | +5.6 |
| 16 | MAZDA | 832,166 | 1.7 | 836,714 | -0.5 |
| 17 | NISSAN | 766,536 | 1.5 | 780,173 | -1.7 |
| 18 | CITROEN | 710,138 | 1.4 | 708,049 | +0.3 |
| 19 | MINI | 587,315 | 1.2 | 575,109 | +2.1 |
| 20 | VOLVO | 570,679 | 1.2 | 554,806 | +2.9 |
| 21 | MITSUBISHI | 523,352 | 1.1 | 531,034 | -1.4 |
| 22 | SUZUKI | 519,877 | 1.1 | 522,913 | -0.6 |
| 23 | SMART | 473,334 | 1.0 | 488,042 | -3.0 |
| 24 | PORSCHE | 410,445 | 0.8 | 402,411 | +2.0 |
| 25 | HONDA | 338,520 | 0.7 | 353,605 | -4.3 |
| 26 | TESLA | 200,976 | 0.4 | 191,313 | +5.1 |
| 27 | JEEP | 164,375 | 0.3 | 160,929 | +2.1 |
| 28 | LAND ROVER | 128,210 | 0.3 | 124,916 | +2.6 |
| 29 | SUBARU | 110,018 | 0.2 | 112,364 | -2.1 |
| 30 | ALFA ROMEO | 98,670 | 0.2 | 99,242 | -0.6 |
| 31 | JAGUAR | 75,862 | 0.2 | 78,513 | -3.4 |
| 32 | MG ROEWE | 73,708 | 0.1 | 49,557 | +48.7 |
| 33 | DAIHATSU | 43,388 | 0.1 | 47,734 | -9.1 |
| 34 | SACHSENRING | 41,862 | 0.1 | 41,447 | +1.0 |
| 35 | LEXUS | 35,932 | 0.1 | 34,636 | +3.7 |
| 36 | DS | 32,873 | 0.1 | 34,133 | -3.7 |
| 37 | SAAB | 32,248 | 0.1 | 33,974 | -5.1 |
| 38 | LADA | 29,113 | 0.1 | 30,176 | -3.5 |
| 39 | KGM | 26,075 | 0.1 | 24,389 | +6.9 |
| 40 | CHRYSLER | 25,007 | 0.1 | 28,140 | -11.1 |
| 41 | MG ROVER | 20,670 | 0.0 | 21,476 | -3.8 |
| 42 | IVECO | 19,085 | 0.0 | 18,107 | +5.4 |
| 43 | BYD | 18,536 | 0.0 | 4,553 | +307.1 |
| 44 | LANCIA | 16,430 | 0.0 | 17,773 | -7.6 |
| 45 | FERRARI | 15,605 | 0.0 | 15,078 | +3.5 |
| 46 | POLESTAR | 14,591 | 0.0 | 14,360 | +1.6 |
| 47 | MASERATI | 10,475 | 0.0 | 10,450 | +0.2 |
| 48 | MAN | 10,070 | 0.0 | 8,463 | +19.0 |
| 49 | AUSTIN | 9,472 | 0.0 | 9,589 | -1.2 |
| 50 | GWM | 7,453 | 0.0 | 6,276 | +18.8 |
Most Popular Car Brands on German Roads in 2026
The popularity of different car brands in the total number of cars registered for use on German roads changes only very slowly, especially with the average car now staying on the road for over a decade. VW and Mercedes-Benz thus easily remained the most popular cars in Germany, with both brands increasing in line with the broader market. The share of the brands in Germany’s total car parc is also very close to the performance of VW and Mercedes in new car sales.
Among the top ten brands, Opel, Ford, and Renault recorded noticeable losses, with their current rank the result of strong sales several years ago. All three brands have struggled in Germany in recent years. Audi and Ford swapped positions, despite Audi losing a few cars.
VW-owned Skoda was the top foreign brand in Germany, with the number of Skodas increasing by 4.5%. Only VW-owned Seat (including Cupra) increased more among the top 30 largest brands in Germany. Seat moved ahead of Renault, while Renault-owned Dacia surpassed Mazda.
At the start of 2025, the most popular car models in Germany were the Volkswagen Golf, VW Polo, and Opel Corsa. An update for 2026 has not been released yet, although the Golf definitely remained the most common car in Germany.
A few interesting statistics lower down on the list:
- The most improved brands were Chinese: MG (+49%), BYD (+307%), and GWM (+19%).
- The worst performing brands included marques that exited the German new car market, such as Chrysler (-11%), Daihatsu (-9%), and Saab (-5%).
- Sachsenring again went against the tide with a 1% increase, as Trabants are either returning to the road or reimported from other countries.
More German Car Sales Statistics
- → Latest German Car Sales Statistics
- 2026: Total Number of Cars Registered by Brand
- 2025 (Full Year): Market Overview, Brands, Top Models, Electric Cars
- 2025: Q1: Brands, Models, Electric Cars;
- 2025: Total Number of Registered Cars and Most Common Car Models in Germany;
- 2025 (Outlook) Germany: Car Sales, Production, and Market Forecasts
- 2024: German New Car Market Overview
- 2024: Best-Selling Car Brands in Germany
- 2024: Top 50 Car Models in Germany
- 2024: Best-Selling Electric Car Brands and Models in Germany