AUTO CRAFT Analytics | January 2026
The beginning of the year is traditionally not an active period for the automotive market. The first half of January almost always passes with reduced business activity: dealerships operate without peak workloads, and customers return to the market gradually. The year 2026 was no exception, with additional restraining factors caused by power supply disruptions in Kyiv and several other cities following the massive missile attack on January 9.
The December wave of emotional and accelerated purchases has predictably subsided. The market has returned to more balanced consumer behavior. However, despite the disappearance of surge-driven demand, overall dynamics remain positive: based on the first 15 days of January, sales volumes increased by 36% compared to the same period last year.
It is important to note that part of January registrations reflects the delayed effect of December deals, as buyers had additional time to complete vehicle registrations. Even taking this factor into account, the overall picture remains stable.
The electric vehicle segment deserves special attention. After reaching peak levels at the end of the year—when EVs accounted for nearly half of new car sales—January saw a sharp cooling of interest.
Based on the first two weeks, the share of electric vehicles fell to 24.7%. Even this figure still includes vehicles purchased in 2025 but registered after the holidays. The actual share of “pure” January EV sales is likely to be even lower, with final figures becoming clearer closer to the end of the month.
This does not indicate a crisis in the segment, but rather its transition into a more rational phase following a period of artificially accelerated demand.
January also brought noticeable changes in the structure of brand sales. BYD, which had shown impressive results in recent months and held more than a quarter of the market, lost ground. Its share declined to approximately 13%, effectively signaling the end of a period of highly concentrated demand.
In contrast, Toyota started the year in a leading position, showing a 44% increase in sales. Škoda and Renault also continue to demonstrate stable positive dynamics.
Some brands, including Volkswagen and Zeekr, posted solid results in absolute terms; however, these figures still largely reflect the inertial effect of December transactions.
The key signal from the first weeks of 2026 is that the market continues to grow even under extremely challenging conditions. Despite energy constraints, military risks, and overall uncertainty, demand has not stopped—it has merely shifted into a more restrained and rational mode.
For us, this means that the automotive market is entering the year not from an emotional peak, but with fundamental resilience. In the absence of new systemic shocks, there are solid grounds to expect a stable and predictable 2026, in which the key drivers will not be hype or speculation, but balanced supply, service quality, and customer trust.
