Cyprus’s car market continues to grow. According to data from the Statistical Service, 29,902 passenger cars were registered on the island between January and August 2026. This is 10.9% more than during the same period of 2025, when the figure stood at 26,961. The main driver of growth was used cars. Registrations increased from 16,588 to 20,576, a rise of 24.0%.
At the same time, the new car market showed the opposite trend. In the first 8 months of 2026, 9,326 new cars were registered compared with 10,373 a year earlier. This represents a decline of 10.1%. As a result, the structure of the market changed noticeably:
- used cars — 68.8% of all registrations;
- new cars — 31.2%.
Another indicator of changing demand was the decline in the number of vehicles intended for rental. Their registrations fell by 14.2% — from 4,044 to 3,468.
August also ended with growth
The positive trend continued in August. During the month, 3,061 passenger cars were registered in Cyprus, compared with 2,803 in August 2025. The annual increase amounted to 9.2%, confirming the continued expansion of the island’s car market.
If all categories of vehicles are taken into account, the result is even higher. Between January and August 2026, 38,564 motor vehicles were registered in Cyprus compared with 34,668 during the same period of 2025. This represents growth of 11.2%. In August alone, total vehicle registrations increased by 8.9% — to 3,777 compared with 3,468 a year earlier.
Hybrids are becoming motorists’ main choice
One of the most noticeable changes concerns engine type. Against the backdrop of rising overall registrations, buyers continue to shift towards more economical technologies. The share of petrol cars fell from 43.2% to 35.3%, while diesel cars declined from 8.5% to 8%. Electric vehicles also lost a small share of the market — from 4.8% to 4.3%.
The main winner was hybrids. Their share increased from 43.6% to 52.4%, meaning hybrid cars now account for more than half of all passenger car registrations. This market structure shows that Cyprus’s car market is gradually shifting away from traditional petrol and diesel vehicles towards hybrid technologies. At the same time, fully electric cars are not yet showing the same growth in market share.
Goods vehicles, buses and motorcycles are also growing
Positive dynamics are not limited to passenger cars. In the first 8 months of 2026:
- bus registrations increased to 142 from 101;
- goods vehicles rose to 4,463 from 3,935, corresponding to growth of 13.4%;
- motorcycles with engine capacity above 50 cm3 increased to 3,428 from 3,094;
- motorcycles with engine capacity below 50 cm3, by contrast, declined to 103 from 155.
Overall, Cyprus’s car market in 2026 is showing several important trends at once: the total number of registrations is rising, buyers are increasingly choosing used cars, and hybrids have for the first time taken more than half of the passenger car market.
A wide selection of cars is available on the DOMCar portal.
Photos: pixabay
