Luxembourg registered 3,610 new cars in September, 6.2 per cent fewer than a year earlier. The slowdown did not stop fully electric cars from recording their best month, with 36.5 per cent of the market, while diesel fell below the 7 per cent mark.
Luxembourg’s new car market recorded 3,610 registrations in September, 6.2 per cent fewer than in September 2025 (3,849 units). The month was clearly better than August (3,126 units), but it breaks the momentum of the first half of the year. Over the first nine months of 2026, the count stands at 37,925 new cars, up 3.1 per cent year on year. The market is therefore still growing.
A record for the battery
The real shift lies elsewhere. With 1,317 units, fully electric cars accounted for 36.5 per cent of the month’s registrations, their highest level since the SNCA began publishing this data, against 32.2 per cent a year earlier. Full hybrids came second with 29.9 per cent of the market (1,079 units), ahead of petrol, which slipped to 19.9 per cent (720 units). Diesel now accounts for just 6.7 per cent (242 units) and plug-in hybrids for 6.6 per cent (239 units). Pure combustion engines therefore represent 27 per cent of the month’s registrations, against 31 per cent in September 2025.
The year-on-year figures tell the same story. Diesel fell by 31.3 per cent, plug-in hybrids by 14.9 per cent and petrol by 13.8 per cent, while electric cars gained 6.4 per cent. Full hybrids, the battery’s only genuine rival, gave up 5.2 per cent but held their position.
The year-to-date totals confirm the trend. Since January, full hybrids have led with 12,039 units and 31.7 per cent of the market, but electric cars are now close behind, with 11,549 registrations and 30.5 per cent of volumes, against 25 per cent last year. Petrol holds 22.3 per cent, diesel 8.9 per cent and plug-in hybrids 6.2 per cent. Over nine months, the battery grew by 25.4 per cent while diesel lost 20.6 per cent and petrol 10.5 per cent.
Another signal comes from range. Newly registered electric vehicles now average 547 kilometres, against 507 a year earlier. Forty kilometres gained in twelve months, the combined effect of denser batteries and a line-up moving upmarket.
Volkswagen keeps the lead
Across all registrations recorded since November 2024, Volkswagen remains the country’s leading brand with 11,406 units, ahead of BMW (10,712) and Mercedes-Benz (8,861). Audi follows with 6,977, then Skoda (5,895), Renault (4,738), Ford (3,535), Peugeot (3,502), Kia (3,291) and Volvo (2,563).
The order changes when only electric cars are counted. BMW leads with 3,134 registrations, ahead of Mercedes-Benz (2,652), Tesla (2,012), Renault (1,876) and Volkswagen (1,765). The German premium manufacturers, long seen as laggards, occupy the top two places.
Among models, the Golf remains Luxembourg’s favourite car (2,007 units), ahead of the Tiguan (1,422), the Ford Puma (1,338) and the Skoda Kodiaq (1,184). Next come the Kia EV3 (1,162), the Renault 5 E-Tech (1,156), the Opel Corsa (1,026), the Tesla Model Y (1,013) and Model 3 (984) and the Mercedes CLA 250+ (969). Five electric models therefore feature in the top ten.
A country that drives grey
One constant has survived electrification. Grey covers a third of the new cars registered over the period (31,051 units), ahead of black (23,421) and white (12,719). Blue follows with 10,836 units, well ahead of red (3,973).
