The car market in Thessaloniki recorded a strong start to 2026, with new registrations rising in the first quarter compared with the same period last year, according to reported figures.
A total of 2,274 additional cars entered circulation in the city during the first three months of the year, marking a 13.3% increase from 2,008 vehicles in the first quarter of 2025. This rate of growth was notably higher than the national average, where new car registrations rose by 6.6% year-on-year. Across Greece, 35,384 vehicles were registered in the first quarter of 2026, compared with 33,196 in the corresponding period a year earlier.
In terms of market share in Thessaloniki, Toyota ranked first in the first quarter of 2026 with 17.7%, followed by Audi at 10.6%.
March was identified as the most commercially active month for car dealerships in the city. A total of 873 cars were sold during the month, up from 595 in March 2025, an increase of 46.7%. Nationwide, March also showed strong performance, with sales rising by 15.7% year-on-year. A total of 14,710 vehicles were sold across Greece, compared with 12,719 in March of the previous year.
Inflation data for March showed that new-car prices rose 2.3% from March 2025. In contrast, used-car prices declined by 2.9% over the same period.
by Lina Tsireka - adapted from Greek by Vassia Barba
