Turkey’s auto market contracted nearly 13 percent in March

Turkey’s auto market contracted nearly 13 percent in March as sales of passenger cars and light commercial vehicles fell to 101,997 units from a year earlier, according to data from the Automotive Distributors and Mobility Association (ODMD).

The March decline of 12.75 percent marked a further slowdown after the market had already shrunk 2.97 percent in February, when total sales stood at 88,039 units.

In the first quarter of 2026, total vehicle sales fell 3.94 percent year-on-year to 265,398 units, the ODMD data showed. Passenger car sales in January through March dropped 5.86 percent to 210,688 units while light commercial vehicle sales rose 4.23 percent to 54,710 units.

The weaker start to 2026 follows a record year for Turkey’s auto market. Total sales of passenger cars and light commercial vehicles rose 10.5 percent in 2025 to 1.37 million units, the highest annual figure on record, according to ODMD data.

The industry had entered 2026 on a stronger note, with January sales rising 9.77 percent year-on-year, before momentum faded in the following two months.

Turkey’s vehicle market has remained one of the largest in the region in recent years, driven by domestic demand, an aging car fleet and rising interest in electric and hybrid models, even as high borrowing costs and taxes continue to weigh on consumers.