Auto sales increase 6 percent in March

ISTANBUL

A total of 109,828 passenger cars and light commercial vehicles were sold in Türkiye in March, marking a 5.7 percent increase from a year ago, data from the Automotive Distributors’ and Mobility Association (ODMD) have shown.

The passenger car market expanded by 9.9 percent year-on-year as sales amounted to 87,071 units. The annual rise in sales slowed from 72 percent in January and 40 percent in February. But more passenger cars were sold last month than in January and February.

Light commercial vehicle sales, however, plunged 7.9 percent from March 2023 to 22,757.

Last month, 6,784 electric vehicles (EVs) were sold in Türkiye, pointing to a 209 percent year-on-year. The share of EVs in total vehicle sales was 7.8 percent, according to the numbers of the association.

The EV market grew nearly 255 percent in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the January-March period of last year. In the quarter, a total of 16,556 EVs were sold in the country, capturing a 7.1 percent share in total vehicle sales.

The combined sales of passenger cars and light commercial vehicles increased by 25.2 percent in the first three months of 2024 to 295,519 units, according to ODMD data.

The passenger car market grew more than 33 percent with sales reaching 233,389 units.

The annual increase in light commercial vehicle sales was only 2.6 percent to 62,130, according to the data.