Romania, 6th in the top of EU car manufacturers in 2025: We surpass Italy and Sweden
Romania under the Hood of Europe: 6th Place in the Top of EU Auto Manufacturers, Despite a "Brake" Year
In the European industrial landscape of 2025, Romania has consolidated its status as a "tiger" of the automotive industry, achieving a performance that, a decade ago, seemed like an optimistic scenario: maintaining sixth position in the top of car manufacturers in the European Union.
Although production figures have seen a slight negative correction, the regional and global context transforms this result into a strategic victory. Romania not only produces massively, but has managed to leave behind countries with centuries-old traditions in the field, such as Italy or Sweden.
The numbers behind the "Motors" from Mioveni and Craiova
The year 2025 was one of resilience for the two largest car production centers in the country: Dacia (Renault Group) in Mioveni and Ford Otosan in Craiova. Together, they rolled off the assembly lines a total of 452,255 cars.
Although this figure marks a decrease compared to the volume recorded in 2024, Romania took advantage of the fact that production declines were a generalized constant among direct competitors. Thus, we managed to surpass states with a vast industrial infrastructure:
- Hungary (which is heavily relying on recent Asian investments);
- Italy (home of luxury brands, but struggling with restructuring);
- Sweden and Portugal.
EU Auto Power Map: Germany Remains Undisputed Leader
If Romania dominates the "second echelon", the top of the ranking remains a business controlled by industrial giants. Across the European Union, 11.4 million cars were produced in 2025, a marginal increase of 0.3% compared to the previous year.
| Rank | Country | 2025 Production | Market Share (EU) |
| 1 | Germany | 4.03 million | 21% |
| 2 | Spain | — | — |
| 3 | Czech Republic | — | — |
| 4 | Slovakia | — | — |
| 6 | Romania | 452,255 | ~4% |
Spain, the Czech Republic and Slovakia complete the square of aces ahead of Romania, confirming the dominance of Central and Eastern Europe in this sector.
Exports and the Chinese "Invasion"
Trade data for 2025 reveals a vulnerability in the European bloc. Although the EU exported 4.4 million units (down 4.3%) to destinations such as the UK, the US and Turkey, import pressure is steadily increasing.
The Union imported 3.5 million units (+3.4%), and the big winner is, unsurprisingly, China. With over a million cars delivered to Europe, Chinese manufacturers are taking advantage of the transition to electric vehicles to gain ground against traditional brands.
Global Context: The world moves at an Asian pace
On a global scale, the automotive industry revved its engines to the max in 2025, reaching 78.7 million passenger cars produced (+4.2%). However, the planet's center of gravity has definitively shifted to the East:
- Asian Dominance: 62.1% of world production is in Asia.
- The Chinese Giant: China alone produced 30 million cars, a whopping 10.4% increase. In fact, almost one in three cars produced in the world in 2025 bore the "Made in China" label.
Conclusion
For Romania, 6th place in the EU is a certificate of stability. In a global market increasingly cannibalized by Chinese efficiency, maintaining industrial relevance through Dacia and Ford Otosan remains the central pillar of our national economy. The challenge for 2026? Rapid transition to new technologies in order not to lose momentum to Hungary and Poland.
How do you think the Romanian automotive industry should react to maintain its advantage in the face of the Chinese car offensive?