More than 50 car brands are available to citizens in the domestic market, engaged in selling new vehicles. Two new brands have arrived as expected from China, bringing the total to 15 in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with BAIC and Changan already finding their first buyers.
The abundance of brands, offering citizens interesting models, is one of the drivers of sales in March. Looking exclusively at the passenger vehicle segment, 945 new units were sold in March, while the total number of newly registered passenger vehicles—including used ones—amounted to 7,689. Data shows that interest in used cars still far exceeds demand for new ones, a trend that has continued for an extended period.
Adding light commercial vehicles, which account for about 12%, the total number of first-time registered vehicles reached 8,192, of which 1,058 were completely new.
The new car market traditionally favors Škoda above all, which remains the undisputed market leader with 527 registered vehicles in the first three months and a market share exceeding 22%. The Czech brand holds nearly a quarter of the new car market in BiH, with a new increase compared to the first quarter of 2025.
Volkswagen holds second place with 298 vehicles and an 11.6% market share, while Toyota is third with 275 vehicles, though it recorded a slight decline of 8.3% compared to the same period last year. These two brands also competed for second place last year.
Renault recorded the most pronounced decline among leading brands (down 16%) compared to the same period last year, dropping from 181 to 152 vehicles. On the other hand, Opel achieved the most spectacular growth—148.6%, from 37 to 92 vehicles—making it the biggest surprise of the first quarter, although last year's start was one of the toughest in the past two decades due to vehicle shortages and the establishment of a sales network.
It is worth noting that out of 13 total registered Fiat models in March, only one was a passenger car. Without the popular Ducato van, it’s uncertain how far Fiat would have sunk on the list. Similarly, Kia and Hyundai rely not on light commercial vehicle programs but on the trendy SUV segment. Of the 58 registered Hyundai models in March, 46 were Tucsons, and of the 25 registered new Kia models, customers chose the Sportage in 23 cases.
Chinese brands are capturing an increasing market share With last year's share of 3.2%, Chinese brands have already captured 4.5% of the market pie in the passenger car segment in the first quarter. In addition to two new brands (BAIC and Changan), two popular ones are already established in the market.
Chery and Geely continue to grow solidly, with increases of 63% and 117.6%, respectively, confirming the growing presence of Chinese brands in the BiH market. In this context, it is worth noting that Chery has established itself as this year's leader with a stable 15th position, and both brands individually currently sell more than traditional brands such as Ford, Seat, Mazda, Nissan, etc.
However, the specificity of the BiH market remains intriguing even to the largest players. The MG brand, which sees fluctuating fortunes in Europe, has recorded no registrations in BiH for the second consecutive month.
Petrol still dominates, electric vehicles await subsidies for a better tomorrow The sales structure by type of fuel in the first quarter of 2026 speaks for itself: petrol vehicles remain the best-selling with a share of 40.6%, while diesel vehicles are in second place with 32.1% and are declining. Hybrids are not as focused on as in developed parts of Europe, but hybrid vehicles recorded a significant share of 24.5%, with 628 registered vehicles in the first quarter of the year, indicating a gradual shift of customers toward electrified options.
Electric vehicles remain at a symbolic level: only 17 registrations in three months, or 0.7% of total sales. Although more affordable small-format models are available on the market than before, BiH customers still lack state bonus support, and it remains uncertain whether subsidies will be absent again this year. On the other hand, despite the limited supply, it is surprising that LPG vehicles do not record a higher market share than 2.2% at a time when diesel and petrol prices are soaring.
Used cars unconditionally dominate sales The picture of the BiH market reflects the same trend as in previous months. Used vehicles imported from abroad confirm that new cars remain an unattainable category for most BiH buyers. The poor economic outlook and low standard of living simply drive people toward used cars, regardless of how much the new car market has expanded and modernized.
The largest number of registered used passenger vehicles (15% of the market) are still cars produced in 2011. More of them were registered (1,009 units) than all new passenger cars (945 units) combined.