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New car registrations in Bulgaria rose 9.8% in the first nine months of 2026

1 min read

Rows of new cars parked at a vehicle distribution yard, with an electric car connected to a charger Business
Rows of new cars parked at a vehicle distribution yard, with an electric car connected to a charger

ACEA data show 39,755 new passenger cars registered, with petrol models still making up about seven in ten sales.

A total of 39,755 new passenger cars were registered in Bulgaria between January and September 2026, an increase of 9.8% on the same period of 2025, according to data from the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) published on 22 October and reported by The Sofia Globe.

Petrol cars remained by far the most common choice, with 28,009 registrations, or about 70% of the total. They were followed by diesel cars with 4,412, battery-electric cars with 3,480, hybrid-electric cars with 2,574 and plug-in hybrids with 1,225. A further 55 cars fell into the other category, which covers fuel-cell, natural gas, LPG, ethanol and other fuels.

Bulgaria's market grew faster than the EU as a whole. ACEA said the EU new car market rose 5.7% year to date, showing resilience despite rising energy prices and geopolitical headwinds.

The mix of cars sold in Bulgaria is very different from the EU average. Across the EU, hybrid-electric vehicles were the most popular powertrain with a 36.3% market share, battery-electric cars reached 22.7%, up from 16.1% a year earlier, and plug-in hybrids accounted for 10.1%. The combined share of petrol and diesel cars in the EU fell to 28.2% from 36.9%. In Bulgaria, by contrast, battery-electric cars made up just under 9% of registrations.

For car importers, dealers and leasing companies, the figures point to steady demand for new vehicles, with buyers still favouring conventional petrol engines. The rise in fuel prices this year and the proposed excise duty on cars with engines above 250 kW from 2027 may influence buyers' choices in the coming months.

For the wider economy, new car sales are often read as a signal of household and business confidence, because they are among the largest purchases most families and small companies make.

Sources