Hungary sees sharp rise in used‑car imports as strong forint fuels demand

In the first five months of 2026 Hungary registered 61,092 imported used passenger cars, an 18.5% increase over the same period a year earlier (51,542). Monthly imports have stayed above the 12,000‑vehicle mark for four consecutive months, with 12,382 registrations in May alone.

The surge is attributed mainly to the recent strengthening of the forint, which lowers the cost of purchasing vehicles abroad. Industry analysts say the trend could push total imports toward the 150,000‑vehicle threshold by the end of the year.

Volkswagen remains the most popular imported brand with a 12.6% market share, but Ford has overtaken Opel, holding 8.6% versus Opel’s 8.3%. Other notable shares include Audi (6.5%), Toyota (5.7%), Hyundai (5.3%), and Kia (4.4%). While the new‑car market also grew in the period, its increase (9.6%) lagged behind the used‑car import surge.