In March 2026, Ukrainians purchased approximately 5,900 new passenger cars, which is 16% more than in March 2025 and 35% more than in January of this year, according to Ukravtoprom on its Telegram channel.
Toyota remains the most popular brand with 908 units (1,021 units in March 2025). Skoda ranks second with 521 units (452 units), and Renault came in third with 520 units (955).
Next are Volkswagen – 498 units, Hyundai – 347 units, BMW – 284 units, Nissan – 270 units, Suzuki – 238 units, Mazda – 223 units, and BYD – 201 units.
The Toyota Rav-4 crossover was the best-selling model of the month.
“Ukravtoprom” notes that a total of 15,400 new passenger cars were sold in the country from January to March, which is 8% more than last year.
Meanwhile, the Automotive Market Research Institute states on its website that March 2026 marked a genuine resurgence in activity in the new car market—following the traditional winter lull, the segment demonstrated strong positive momentum.
According to their data, a total of 5,474 first registrations were recorded—9% more than in March of last year—of which 5,335 were imported cars (9.3% more than last year and 26.8% more than in February 2025), and 139 units were Ukrainian-made (almost the same as in March 2025).
Experts note that the brand rankings show the usual dominance of the Japanese auto industry, with Toyota effectively controlling the lion’s share of sales (813 units).
“The battle for second and third place has unfolded among European brands, which are banking on corporate sales and practicality,” the post states.
However, the appearance in the top ten of China’s BYD (one of the sales leaders in the final months of 2025, which was no longer in the top ten by February 2026—IF-U), according to experts, indicates that “consumers are increasingly trusting innovations in the field of alternative energy sources and modern electronics.”
At the same time, they note that the fuel type breakdown in March 2026 reflects a new pragmatism among Ukrainians: although gasoline engines still hold the lead, they are rapidly losing their monopoly—their share rose by 1.9 percentage points to 41.9%, while diesel’s share fell by 3.5 percentage points to 22.1%.
According to their assessment, the main trend has been the surge in hybrid vehicles, whose share rose by 1.3 percentage points to 32% in March.
“Buyers are choosing this option as the ‘happy medium’—a way to save on fuel without the risks associated with finding charging infrastructure. Diesel, on the other hand, is in reverse—fuel prices at gas stations do not inspire buyers to ‘save.’ Although commercial carriers currently have no other choice,” the post states.
The share of electric vehicles stood at 3.9% (+0.7 percentage points).
“This may be a result of the exhaustion of the rush demand from previous periods and the stabilization of the market following tax changes. Diesel engines remain in demand primarily among buyers of large SUVs and commercial vehicles, where torque is important,” the Institute’s experts believe.
The first dealership center of the new premium brand of electric and hybrid cars Avatr, which enters the Ukrainian market, was opened on Stolichnoye highway in Kiev by the official distributor of the new brand – Atlant Motors Ukraine LLC (part of the Atlant Motors group of companies), the press service of the company reported.
The official presentation of the brand took place on November 20. “Atlant Motors Ukraine” will provide a full cycle – from car sales to service, warranty of the manufacturer and sale of original spare parts.
“Atlant Motors Ukraine” informs about plans to expand the network of official dealer centers in different regions of Ukraine. In particular, by the end of this year there will be official dealers in Odessa, Kiev, Kharkov, and in 2026 AVATR brand showrooms will be opened in Lviv and Dnipro.
At the official opening three models of the brand were presented, in particular Avatr 07 – urban mid-size hybrid or electric SUV. The car is offered in two variants: all-electric (BEV) and series hybrid (REEV). The REEV version is equipped with a hybrid setup based on a 1.5-liter turbo engine and electric motors with a total output of up to 492 hp.
Atlant Motors Group of Companies has been operating in the Ukrainian market for more than 20 years and represents, in particular, the Renault brand in Kharkov and Kharkov region. The group also includes Atlant Motors Energy (Kharkiv) – one of the largest suppliers of electric cars from China to Ukraine, which, according to YouControl data, has net income of UAH 619.9 million in 2024 and UAH 1.28 billion in January-September 2025.
According to Serbian Economist, Chinese automaker Chery is discussing with the Serbian government the possibility of opening a production plant in Serbia. In Shanghai, Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Adriana Mesarovic held talks with Chery Chairman Yin Tongyue, the parties discussed the conditions of potential localization and further steps, Serbian publication Telegraf reported, citing Mesarovic’s statement.
According to the minister, Serbia’s status as a “gateway to Europe” and the free trade agreement with China create additional opportunities for investors, including access to a number of trade agreements when localizing more than 51% of the value added of products. Mesarovic also said that she expects Chery’s head to visit Belgrade to continue negotiations.
Specific parameters of the investment project, terms and location were not disclosed.
In 2025, Serbia has already announced a project for the construction of an electric car plant of Chinese JMEV in Sremska Mitrovica with export orientation to the EU market. Against the backdrop of the expanding presence of Chinese carmakers in the region, Chery is developing its European sales network and localization initiatives in parallel.
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In August 2025, Express Insurance paid more than UAH 1.8 million to seven car owners from Kyiv, Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, and Mykolaiv region for cars damaged by falling rocket debris and UAVs, according to the insurer’s website.
In addition, it is noted that August saw the highest number of incidents caused by natural disasters since the beginning of the year. The total amount of payments for these incidents reached almost UAH 1 million. Hail was a frequent cause of damage, and there were also reports of trees and roof debris falling due to strong winds. The events took place both in the capital and in the regions, in particular in Khmelnytskyi, Uzhhorod, Zakarpattia, and Chernihiv regions.
In August, the company settled a total of 608 insurance claims under CASCO and OSAGO contracts. Of these, 448 claims were under CASCO, and another 160 were under compulsory civil liability insurance.
The total amount of insurance payments at the end of the month was UAH 43.6 million, including UAH 35.4 million for CASCO and UAH 8.2 million for CMTPL.
Incidents under CASCO contracts this month traditionally involved traffic accidents (88%). In addition, customers filed claims due to unlawful actions of third parties (7%), natural disasters (3%), and events caused by military actions (2%).
In 58% of cases involving MTPL policies, the victims filed insurance claims with the participation of the police, and another 42% followed the Europrotocol procedure. The largest payments in August to victims under CMTPL policies amounted to UAH 250,000 for property damage due to traffic accidents in Kyiv and Dnipro, and UAH 320,000 for health damage to a victim of a traffic accident in Kyiv.
Express Insurance was founded in 2008.
After the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the NIKO group of companies, which has been successfully operating in Ukraine and the EU for over 30 years, expanded its activities. NIKO SpetsAvto LLC has launched a new business line – certified production of armored specialized military pickup trucks.
The new pickup truck, called NIKO, is designed as a universal vehicle platform based on the Isuzu D-Max and is equipped with armored protection.
Denis Fomenko, CEO of NIKO SpetsAvto, said: “Outwardly, our pickup truck looks no different from an ordinary car, but each copy is the result of a symbiosis of advanced armor technology, perfect design and high quality. Every detail is created with maximum attention to safety and technological progress. Despite the increased weight, the car has retained its maneuverability and safety.”
Denis Fomenko also added that the company plans to produce about 30 such pickups by the end of 2024 to meet the needs of individual structures performing specialized tasks.
According to the company, the carrying capacity of the NIKO pickup truck is 1100 kg, which is 35% higher than the carrying capacity of analogues in the same class and price range, such as Toyota Hilux and SsangYong Musso. This allows the vehicle to be used as efficiently as possible for cargo transportation and other specialized tasks.
The vehicle is also equipped with a 7620 kg (16,800 LBS) winch for off-road lifting and towing, which makes it indispensable for search and rescue operations and expeditions.
The technical characteristics, maneuverability, off-road capabilities, the ability to install additional equipment, as well as the cost make the NIKO pickup truck ideal for tasks of any complexity.
On May 21, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine announced a tender for voluntary insurance of motor vehicles and compulsory insurance of civil liability of owners of land vehicles, according to the electronic state procurement system Prozorro.
The expected cost of purchase of services is UAH 342,898 thousand.
The deadline for submission of tender documents is May 29.
AUTO, INSURANCE, MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, TENDER, UKRAINE
