Toyota dominates Cyprus car market as Kia takes new-car crown

Toyota has emerged as the clear favourite among motorists in Cyprus, accounting for almost one in four passenger cars registered during the first nine months of 2026, although Kia has taken the lead in the new-car market. According to figures from the statistical service (Cystat), Toyota recorded 8,232 registrations between January and September, more than double the 3,881 recorded by second-placed Mazda. Nissan followed with 2,535, ahead of BMW with 2,090 and Mercedes with 1,744, completing the five most-registered brands on the island. Honda recorded 1,335 registrations, followed by Kia with 1,160, Volkswagen with 858, Audi with 710 and Chinese manufacturer BYD with 686. However, the figures tell a rather different story when new and second-hand vehicles are considered separately. Toyota’s lead was largely driven by the used-car market, with 7,435 of its registrations involving second-hand vehicles. That represents more than 90 per cent of its total. The pattern was even more pronounced for Mazda, where 3,832 of the 3,881 cars registered were used, leaving just 49 new vehicles. By contrast, Kia led the new-car market with 1,096 registrations, ahead of Toyota with 797 and Nissan with 734. BYD secured fourth place with 678 new registrations, followed by BMW with 605. Volkswagen, Hyundai, Mercedes, Jeep and Renault also featured among the ten leading brands for new cars. The figures underline the considerable difference between the two sides of the market, with established Japanese manufacturers dominating second-hand registrations while the new-car segment presents a more varied picture. Overall, 34,156 passenger cars were registered in Cyprus during the first nine months of 2026, an increase of 9 per cent from 31,325 in the corresponding period of 2025. Of these, 23,635 were used vehicles, representing 69.2 per cent of the total, while new cars accounted for the remaining 10,521, or 30.8 per cent. The figures follow an earlier report showing that second-hand vehicles have been responsible for much of this year’s growth. September, however, brought a modest setback, with passenger car registrations falling 2.5 per cent to 4,254, compared with 4,364 a year earlier. Meanwhile, hybrids continued to gain ground, accounting for 53 per cent of passenger car registrations between January and September, up from 44 per cent a year earlier. Petrol-powered vehicles saw their share fall from 42.8 per cent to 34.8 per cent, while electric cars slipped from 4.7 per cent to 4.2 per cent. The latest official figures therefore show a market that continues to grow despite September’s decline, with second-hand cars retaining a substantial advantage over new vehicles.