The German automotive market concluded 2025 with moderate growth, but the main feature was not sales volumes, but the structure of demand. Most new cars were registered to corporate clients, which significantly affected both model choice and body color popularity.
By the end of the year, gray became the most common color for new cars, accounting for about a third of all registrations. Black and white followed, while all other shades combined accounted for less than a quarter of the market.
Market Continued to Grow
Throughout 2025, 2,857,591 new cars were registered in Germany, which was 1.4% more than the previous year.
Volkswagen remained the market leader, controlling about 19.7% of all registrations.
The following positions were occupied by:
- Mercedes-Benz — 9.2% of the market;
- BMW — 8.9%.
Crossovers Strengthen Leadership
Crossovers and SUVs continue to be the most in-demand segment.
Their share reached 33.3% of the market.
At the same time, the traditional compact class decreased by 9.5%, reducing its share to 16.7%.
Sales of small cars remained almost unchanged, increasing by only 0.1%.
Most Popular Models
One of the main events of the year was the success of the Volkswagen Tiguan.
In 2025, 114,677 vehicles of this model were registered, allowing the crossover to become one of the most prominent market participants.
Meanwhile, the Volkswagen Golf retained its status as Germany's most popular model.
Despite a 15.1% reduction in registrations, the model has held the lead since 1981, never leaving the top spot in the national ranking.
The cost of a new Golf in Germany starts at approximately 30,430 euros (about 2.7 million rubles).
The most equipped versions are estimated at 54,945 euros, and sports modifications reach 48,075 euros.
Even the basic version includes:
- LED optics;
- digital instrument panel;
- a wide range of electronic assistants.
Opel Corsa Remains One of the Leaders in Its Class
In the compact city car segment, the Opel Corsa traditionally maintains high positions.
Gasoline versions of the model start at approximately 20 thousand euros.
The cost of the Corsa Electric, after price reductions, starts at 29,990 euros, whereas previously the minimum price was 34,650 euros.
New Business Class Leader
The situation has also changed among upper-mid-range cars.
In November 2024, the combined sales of the BMW 5 Series sedan and wagon reached 3,745 registrations, allowing the model to overtake the Mercedes-Benz E-Class.
The Audi A6 remains close in sales volume.
The cost of basic versions of cars in this segment is usually in the range of 55–65 thousand euros.
Recently, the Jaguar XF was among the main competitors, but production of the model ended in mid-2024 as part of the brand's preparation for the transition to an all-electric lineup.
Most Expensive Segments Grew Fastest
The highest growth in 2025 was demonstrated by mid-range and luxury cars.
Their sales increased by 37.3%, and their market share reached 5.4%.
Off-road SUVs followed, showing a growth of 15.3% with a share of 4.7%.
Among the largest manufacturers, BMW showed the most significant sales growth — 8.9%.
Also increased sales:
- Ford — 8.8%;
- Volkswagen — 4.5%;
- Audi — 1.8%;
- Mercedes-Benz — 1%.
Early 2026 Proved Difficult
January 2026 saw the German market experience a decline in activity.
Total registrations decreased by 7%.
The decline was particularly noticeable for Volkswagen, whose sales decreased by 17.5%.
Only Seat showed a worse result, losing 27.9%.
However, some brands demonstrated confident growth.
The best results were shown by:
- Fiat — +87.2%;
- Opel — +27.4%.
Despite declining sales, the Volkswagen Golf maintained its leadership among models.
At the same time, the Volkswagen Tiguan reduced registrations by 36.5%, which was significantly worse than the market average.
Electric Vehicles Continue to Gain Popularity
Sales of all-electric vehicles remain one of the fastest-growing segments of the German market.
In January 2026, electric vehicle registrations increased by 23.7%.
Throughout 2025, 545,142 all-electric vehicles were registered.
This is almost a fifth of the entire market and a growth of 43.2% compared to the previous year.
Volkswagen and Škoda showed the most significant growth rates in this segment.
Why Almost All New Cars Are Gray
The high popularity of gray, black, and white colors is explained not so much by the preferences of private buyers as by the structure of the market itself.
By the end of 2025:
- 66.1% of registrations were for legal entities;
- 33.6% — for private buyers.
It is corporate fleets and leasing companies that traditionally prefer neutral body colors, as such cars are easier to sell on the secondary market after several years of operation.
Therefore, a significant portion of new Volkswagen Golf, Volkswagen Tiguan, BMW 5 Series, and Mercedes-Benz E-Class vehicles are initially purchased as company cars.
Who Else Managed to Surprise the Market
One of the fastest-growing brands was the Spanish Cupra.
Over the year, its sales increased by 56.1%, allowing the brand to rise to 11th place in the overall ranking of the German market.
Despite such high growth, the company has not yet managed to enter the top ten largest brands in Germany.
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