Top 10 best selling SUVs in Romania year-to-date

Sport utility vehicles were the most popular cars with Romanian consumers before crisis. However after first six months, the market dropped 40% year-on-year, with only 5,612 SUVs sold.

10. Audi Q5

153 Audi Q5 units were sold in first half, the model grabbing a market share of 2.7% in the first half.

Porsche Romania, importer of Audi cars, launched in November 2008 the new Q5 SUV in Romania.

The car comes in three petrols (2.0 liter 180 HP and 211 HP, 3.2 liter 270 HP) and two diesels (2.0 liter 170 HP and 3.0 liter 240 HP) in the engine lineup.

The starting price for Audi Q5 is 37,419 euros for its petrol version that develops 180HP.

The range’s rocketship is the 3.0-litre diesel that develops 240 HP and its price is at around 46,442 euros.

9. Kia Sportage

155 Kia Sportage units were sold year-to-date, 0.6% less than year-ago half. Kia Sportage’s market share was 2.8% in H1.

The SUV comes in two engine options: 2.0 liter petrol that builds up 142 HP and 2.0 liter diesel 140HP.

Kia Sportage is priced at 17,612 euros for its standard version on petrol and front wheel drive.

The diesel 4WD version is priced at 26,775 euros.

The sales of Kia Sportage SUV increased last year by 35% from 333.

8. Ford Kuga

Ford Kuga SUV 2.0 TDCi 136 HP was shipped in Romania in August 2008 by Romcar, importer of Ford in Romania.

In February 2009, Ford Kuga got the Volvo 2.5 liter petrol engine that puts out 200HP.

Ford Kuga holds 4% of the market with 222 cars sold in Jan-Jun interval.

The starting price for Kuga is 23,250 euros for its standard diesel front-wheel drive model, while the 4WD version is priced at 25,650 euros.

The 2.5-liter, 200HP and automatic gearbox version is the most expensive in its range with a starting price of 27,390 euros.

7. Nissan X-Trail

X-Trail is the only SUV that registered increase in sales this year. The model holds 4.2% of the market in first six months with 237 units sold, up 21.5%.

The model comes in two petrols (2.0-liter 141 HP and 2.5-liter 169 HP) and two diesels (2.0 liter that develops 150 or 173 HP), in the engine lineup.

The price for 2.0-liter 141HP X-Trail starts from 25,246 euros. The most expensive X-Trail is the 173HP version with manual gearbox.

Nissan sold 812 Navarra units last year, 664 Qashqai, 452 Pathfinder and 352 X-Trail.

6. Volkswagen Touareg

With a market share of 4.3%, Volkswagen sold 241 Touareg units in first half, down 55% year-on-year.

Touareg comes in four diesel engine options: 2.5-liter 174 HP, 3.0 liter 240 HP, 5.0 liter 313 HP and 350 HP, and three petrol engine options: 3.6 liter 280 HP, 4.2 liter 350 HP, 6.0 liter 450 HP.

The cheapest Touareg version starts from 38,498 euros for its diesel 174HP version.

The price of a Tuareg can reach up to 81,389 euros for the diesel 350HP model.

5. Mitsubishi Outlander

Mitsubishi sold 356 Outlander SUVs in first half, down 40% from a prior-year period.

Mitsubishi Outlander grabbed a market share of 6.3% this year.

The engine options are: 2.2-liter diesel that builds up 140 HP and 156 HP and 2.4 liter petrol that develops 170 HP.

Outlander has a starting price of 25,549 euros for its diesel 156 HP version with six-speed manual gearbox. The lineup’s most expensive version (156 HP diesel) is priced at 37,074 euros.

4. Hyundai Santa Fe

Ranking fourth in sales this year is Hyundai Santa Fe, with a market share of 6.6% and 372 cars sold. In the first half, sales dropped 41.8%.

Hyundai Santa Fe comes in two engine options: 2.2 liter diesel that develops 150 HP and 2.7-liter petrol that builds up 188HP. The SUV is available both in front and four wheel drive.

The cheapest model comes in diesel version with front-wheel drive and develops 150HP and costs 20,992 euros or 20,087 euros via car fleet renewal scheme.

The lineup’s most expensive model (150HP diesel with automatic gearbox and 4WD) costs 26,704 euros or 25,799 euros under car scrappage scheme.

3. Renault Koleos

Koleos, the first sport utility vehicle to feature 4WD was designed by Renault, developed by Nissan and manufactured in Samsung Motors' Busan plant in Korea.

The car launched in September 2008 in Romania, registered sales of 477 units, taking up third spot in its SUV class. After first six months, the SUV’s market share is 8.5%.

Koleos comes in two diesel engine options (2.0 liter 150 HP and 175 HP front or four wheel drive) and one 2.5 liter petrol that develops 170 HP.

The front-wheel drive, petrol version is the cheapest in its lineup (22,399 euros) while the 2.0 liter diesel 150HP and automatic gearbox version is the most expensive (29,699 euros).

2. Volkswagen Tiguan

With a market share of 8.6% in SUV segment, VW Tiguan is the second best selling sport utility vehicle in Romania. This year, 483 units were sold, 44% less than a year earlier.

Tiguan comes in three petrol engine options (1.4 liter 150 HP and 2.0 liter 170 HP or 200 HP), and two diesel (2.0 liter 140 HP and 170 HP).

The standard version on petrol, 150 HP and front wheel drive is priced at 23,642 euros, while the version that features 4WD is priced at 24,970 euros.

1. Hyundai Tucson

The best selling SUV this year was Hyundai Tucson that took 9.8% of the market. 552 units were sold year-to-date, down 49% from year-ago half.

The model comes in two engine options: 2.0 liter petrol that develops 141HP and 2.0 liter diesel that develops 140 HP, available in front or four wheel drive.

Hyundai Tucson’s starting price is 15,815 euros or 14,911 euros under the car scrappage scheme , for its standard petrol 2WD version. The 4x4 model can be purchased at a price of 18,195 euros or 17,291 euros under car fleet renewal scheme.