Automotive Market in Turkey Analysis: Electric Models Take Over

The automotive market in Turkey underwent a seismic shift in March 2026, as skyrocketing fuel prices and a surge in domestic electric vehicle production redefined consumer preferences. According to the latest data from the Automotive Distributors and Mobility Association (ODMD), the total market contracted by 12.75% year-on-year, with 101,997 vehicles sold in March. However, the most significant story is the “death of diesel,” as diesel engine market share plummeted to a historic low of 6.3%.

Automotive Market in Turkey: Fuel Prices Drive the Transition

The automotive market in Turkey is reacting sharply to the geopolitical instability in the Middle East, pushing diesel prices above 80 TL per liter. This has effectively ended the dominance of diesel engines, which once led the market. In their place, hybrid and electric vehicles have surged, now accounting for 51.2% of the total market combined.

• Gasoline: Remains the largest segment at 42.1%.

• Hybrid: Reached a 33% share with nearly 70,000 units sold in the first quarter.

• Electric: Grew by 29.9%, now capturing 18.2% of the market.

Brand Rankings: Renault Leads, Togg Dominates Electric

In the race for market leadership, Renault secured the top spot in March, selling 12,200 units and capturing a 15.28% market share. The Renault Clio HB 2025 was the best-selling model of the month, followed by the Toyota C-HR, which led the SUV segment.

In the electric vehicle (EV) space, the domestic brand Togg has established an undisputed lead. With its T10X and T10F models, Togg captured 24.77% of the EV market in the first quarter, nearly 1.5 times the sales of its closest competitor, BYD.

• Togg T10X: March’s top electric model (2,313 units).

• Togg T10F: Followed closely with 2,127 units.

• BYD: Experienced a sharp decline, with its market share dropping from 34% in January to just over 5% in March.

SUV Trend Hits New Heights

The preference for SUVs in the automotive market in Turkey continues to grow unabated. SUVs now account for a staggering 65.82% of the passenger car market, up from 60% at the start of the year. Sedan and hatchback models have seen their shares dwindle to 20.5% and 16.4%, respectively. The Toyota C-HR remains the “king” of the SUV segment, followed by the Peugeot 2008 and the Renault Duster.

Premium Segment and Light Commercial Vehicles

Despite the overall market contraction, the Premium segment showed resilience, increasing its market share to 14.59% in March. Mercedes remains the quarterly leader in this category, though BMW saw a significant monthly spike in March, taking the top spot for the 31-day period.

In the Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) market, the Fiat Doblo maintained its long-standing leadership, followed by the Ford Courier and Ford Transit.

The first quarter of 2026 suggests that, while the automotive market in Turkey faces headwinds from inflation and regional conflict, the transition to green energy is progressing faster than most analysts predicted.