Passenger car sales in September exceed pre-pandemic figures for the first time.

Passenger car sales in Spain grew positively in September, posting a 16.4% increase compared to the same period last year, with a total of 85,167 registrations.

The strong pace of electrified vehicle sales is boosting the total market, which, for the first time in a month, is recording higher volumes than before the pandemic, surpassing the 81,746 units sold in September 2019.

For the year as a whole, the market has accumulated 854,658 units sold, representing a 14.8% increase over the same period last year. This maintains the forecast for a year-end closing figure of over 1.1 million passenger car sales by 2025. Despite this positive monthly figure, the growth rate slows when looking at the year-to-date figure, which reached 14.8% with 854,658 units sold.

The private channel is the largest market driver, with 24.4% growth and a total of 45,566 registrations in September. The business channel is also showing strength, with 14.8% growth and 36,441 units. In contrast, the rent-a-car channel is experiencing a sharp 33.8% decline in monthly sales.

Light commercial vehicle registrations increased by 18.2% in September, with 15,161 units. Year-to-date, a total of 138,242 sales were recorded, an increase of 13.2%. Sales by channel were all up in the month. The business market registered the largest increase, with 11,369 vehicles, up 23.2%. The self-employed and business market grew by 5.5% and 4.9%, respectively.

In September, registrations of commercial vehicles, buses, coaches, and minibuses recorded another month of positive figures. The ninth month saw 3,572 units, an increase of 18.2%. For the year as a whole, there were 24,227 new sales, which still represents a 7.7% decrease compared to the previous year. By vehicle type, commercial vehicles grew by 22.8%, with 2,745 new registrations, and the bus and coach market achieved 827 sales, 4.9% more than in September 2024.

Regarding brands, Toyota consolidated its leadership in September and year-to-date. Renault and Volkswagen followed suit, also showing strong positions. Dacia ranked fourth for the month and sixth year-to-date, while SEAT rounded out the top five for September.

The ranking of best-selling models is led by the Dacia Sandero, followed by the Renault Clio and the MG ZS year-to-date. In September, the Sandero also leads sales, closely followed by the Tesla Model 3 and the Renault Clio. The Tesla Model 3 saw a notable increase of 30.2% in the month, standing out in the electric vehicle market.

The analysis by energy source shows a clear trend toward alternative fuels. Gasoline vehicles maintain the largest market share (35.2%), although year-to-date their growth is 1.9%. Diesel vehicles continue their decline, losing 14.5% of monthly sales and 13.2% year-to-date. Hybrids, meanwhile, are growing significantly, with a monthly increase of 23.8%. Pure electric vehicles (BEVs) are also recording solid growth of 24.3%, while plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) are up 4.9%.

Average CO2 emissions from passenger cars sold in September fell to 97.3 grams of CO2 per kilometer traveled, 13.7% lower than the average emissions from new passenger cars sold in the same month in 2024. For the cumulative period in 2025, average emissions stood at 105.1 grams of CO2 per kilometer traveled, 10.3% lower than in the same period in 2024.