Poland registers 56,400 new passenger cars in September as sales rise 13%

September registration surge

Poland recorded 56.4 thousand new passenger car registrations in September 2026, marking an increase of 13% compared to September 2025. The registration volume expanded by nearly 23% month-on-month compared to August 2026, representing an addition of more than 10.4 thousand vehicles in a single month. Data from the Central Register of Vehicles and Drivers (CEPiK) indicates that the monthly volume represents the highest September result ever recorded in the history of national measurements. Across the first nine months of 2026, a total of 470.5 thousand new passenger cars entered Polish roads, reflecting a 10% rise over the same period in the previous year. Polish dealerships recorded consistent demand across the summer and early autumn periods, contributing to cumulative year-to-date expansion across regional markets.

The national financial press reported on the pace of the monthly increase.

The difference compared to August is even larger: the number of registrations increased month-on-month by over 10.4 thousand cars, or nearly 23 percent. The September result is the highest recorded in this month in measurement history.

Corporate buyers drive volume

Institutional purchases served as the primary growth engine for new passenger vehicle registrations in Poland throughout September. Fleet buyers and commercial entities accounted for 67.3% of all new passenger car registrations recorded during the month. Individual retail buyers accounted for the remaining 32.7% of the monthly registration total. Official registration data compiled by CEPiK incorporates a specific categorization methodology that affects these reported percentages. The official registry classifies individuals conducting sole proprietorship economic activity as well as civil law partnerships under the category of natural persons.

The financial daily noted that official classification rules affect the apparent distribution between retail and commercial buyers.

The data requires an important caveat, because CEPiK includes sole traders and civil partnerships in the category of natural persons. The actual share of business in new car purchases is therefore certainly higher.

Brand rankings across the market

Japanese manufacturer Toyota maintained its position as the top automotive brand in Poland during the first nine months of the year. A total of nearly 65.5 thousand Toyota passenger cars were registered between January and September 2026. This total represented a contraction of 4.6% compared to the identical period in 2025, but the manufacturer retained an overall market share of 13.9%. Czech automaker Skoda secured second place nationwide with 49.3 thousand registrations and a 10.5% share of the passenger car market. German carmaker Volkswagen placed third in the overall national standings, recording 36.1 thousand passenger car registrations and a 7.6% market share over the nine-month period.

Electric vehicle market share declines

Despite the overall expansion of new car registrations across the country, battery electric vehicles experienced a decline in their relative market proportion. Electric passenger cars accounted for 6.1% of all new vehicles registered for the first time in Poland during September. This figure reflects a reduction from September 2025, when electric vehicles comprised 8.9% of all first-time passenger registrations. The shrinking share of electric drivetrains indicates that Poland continues to diverge from wider automotive trends observed across the European Union. Dealership deliveries in Poland continue to be heavily weighted toward conventional internal combustion engines and hybrid vehicle configurations as total market volumes expand.