Hungarian Car Market in 2025 continues to stagnate. YTD sales up to August dropped 2.3%, with leader Suzuki losing 9.6%. Ford was the standout, up 57.4% into 4th. EV growth stayed flat, reaching a 7% share of the total.
Economic Environment
In 2025, Hungary’s GDP is forecast to grow by 0.9% after only 0.5% in 2024, before strengthening to 2.4% in 2026. Growth will be mainly driven by private consumption, supported by strong real wage growth and a return of household savings to pre-pandemic levels. Investment, however, will recover only gradually, constrained by low business confidence, weak capacity utilisation, and trade policy uncertainty. Exports are expected to improve in line with external demand, particularly from Germany, though Hungary’s deep integration in EU and US-linked value chains remains a key risk.
Inflation, which stood at 5.6% in early 2025 due to food and energy prices, is projected to ease but remain slightly above 3% by end-2026. Despite weak output, the labour market is robust, with unemployment at 4.2% and high job vacancies. Monetary policy will continue easing gradually, with the central bank expected to lower the policy rate from 6.5% to around 5.5% by 2026, while fiscal consolidation slows, leaving deficits above pre-pandemic levels. Structural vulnerabilities include high ageing-related spending pressures, with pension costs projected to rise over the long term. Reforms to the insolvency framework and regulations in energy, transport, and professional services could improve investment and business creation.
Automotive Industry Trend and Outlook
After reporting growth in the early months, the Hungarian car market is contracting. Continuing on a 7 month losing streak, YTD sales up to August totaled 77,962 units, down 2.3%.
Brand-wise, Suzuki was the leader, despite losing 9.6%. Toyota followed in 2nd (-5.7%) while Skoda ranked 3rd (+9.6%).
Ford surged 57.4% and 2 spots into 4th while Volkswagen fell 1.5% and 1 spot into 5th.
Kia dropped 1 spot into 6th despite growing 27.5% while BMW achieved 7th (+24.9%).
Nissan gained 2 spots into 8th (+11.6%), followed by Mercedes up 6.9% into 9th and Hyundai -down 2 spots- into 10th (-10.1%).
Looking at models, the Suzuki SX4 S-Cross rose 1 spot into leadership, up 2.5%. The Skoda Octavia -up 1 spot- ranked 2nd while the Suzuki Vitara fell 2 spots into 3rd (-26.9%).
Ev Market Trend and Outlook
Hungary’s EV Sector is struggling in 2025, with YTD sales up to August growing 0.7% to a 7% share. Demands for EVs stagnates amidst environmental opposition and delays from batteries producers.
Suzuki was still sector’s leader, up 2.5% and followed in 2nd by Tesla, up 38.7% and in 3rd by BYD, up 7.2%.
Medium-Term Market Trend
The Hungarian vehicle market began the 2014–2024 decade with strong momentum, recording five consecutive years of growth. Starting at 67,476 units in 2014, sales expanded by 14.4% in 2015 and 25.1% in 2016, surpassing the 100,000-unit threshold with 116,221 registrations.
The market maintained its upward trajectory and reached a decade high of 157,802 units in 2019. However, the COVID-19 pandemic triggered a sharp contraction: sales dropped 18.7% in 2020 and continued to decline steadily in the following years, bottoming out at 107,802 units in 2023, though still above the 100,000 mark. In 2024, the market rebounded, supported by easing supply-chain disruptions and stronger consumer demand, climbing 11.4% to 120,102 units.
Electric vehicles, by contrast, showed a slower start. Penetration remained marginal until 2019, when sales surged 83.4% to 9,378 units, marking the first major breakthrough. The pandemic interrupted this trajectory in 2020, with registrations falling 39.2%, but growth resumed in subsequent years.
By 2024, EV sales reached a record 11,775 units, up 30.1% year-on-year. This expansion was driven by expanding model availability, government incentives for green mobility, and growing consumer interest in lower running costs amid volatile fuel prices. Although EV volumes remain modest compared to the overall market, their upward trend signals a gradual shift in Hungary’s automotive landscape.
Tables with sales figures
In the tables below we report sales for top 10 Brands and top 10 Models.
