Top 10 best-selling SUVs in Romania

10. BMW X5

The tenth best selling SUV in Romania is the BMW X5, with a market share of 2.8%.

258 BMW X5 cars were sold in the Jan-Nov period in Romania, 69% fewer than a year earlier.

The car comes in a choice of five engine sizes: 3.0-liter gasoline that puts out 272 HP, 4.8 liter gasoline – 355HP, 4.4 liter gasoline – 555HP (M model), 3.0liter diesel – 235HP or 286HP.

The starting price for a BMW X5 is €55,750 (VAT included).

9. Hyundai Veracruz

263 Hyundai Veracruz cars were sold last year in Romania which grabbed it a market share of 2.8% in its range.

Hyundai iX55 is also known as Veracruz, and its 3.0-liter diesel engine puts out 240HP. The starting price is €28,500 (VAT included).

The combined fuel consumption is 9.4liters/100 km.

8. Nissan X-Trail

X-Trail holds 2.9% share in the Romanian sport utility vehicle market, with 269 cars sold in the 11-month period through November. X-Trail sales fell 27% from the same period of last year.

X-Trail models are powered by 2.0-liter gasoline producing 141horsepower, 2.5-liter gasoline that puts out 169 horsepower, and two diesel models powered by a 2.0 liter engine that releases 150HP or 173 HP.

The price for an X-Trail is €25,246 (VAT included) for 2.0liter gasoline, 141HP model. The most expensive X-Trail model costs €39,000.

In 2008, Nissan sold 812 Navara, 664 Qashqai, 452 Pathfinder, and 352 X-Trail.

7. Volkswagen Touareg

With a market share of 3.2%, Volkswagen came out seventh in the 11-month 2009 ranking, with sales 75% below a year-ago levels to 294.

Touareg comes in a choice of four diesel engines, 2.5 liters that puts out 174 HP, 3.0 liter – 240HP, 5.0 liter – 313 HP or 335 HP. Gasoline engine sizes are: 3.6 liter – 280HP, 4.2 liter 350HP, and 6.0-liter 450HP.

The lowest priced model in Touareg range costs €39,200 (VAT included) for the diesel variant with 174horsepower. The combined fuel consumption is 10.1 liters/100km.

Touareg’s price can reach €81,700 for the diesel engine that produces 350 HP. The combined fuel consumption is 11.9 liters/100km.

6. Ford Kuga

Ford Kuga owns 4.7% of the local SUV market, with 439 units sold in Jan-Nov 2009.

The sport utility vehicle of Ford was launched in Romania in 2008 by Romcar, Ford authorized dealer in Romania. Ford Kuga is powered by a 2.0 TDCi engine that puts out 136 horsepower.

In February, Kuga lineup was extended with a new model and engine size – 2.5-liter 200HP – supplied by Volvo.

The starting price for Kuga is €24,900 (VAT included) for the diesel model with front-wheel drive. The model with four-wheel drive costs €27,800 (VAT included).

The most expensive in its lineup is the 4x4 200HP and automatic gearbox model- €32,600 (VAT included).

5. Mitsubishi Outlander

The Outlander SUV signed Mitsubishi gained a market share of 5.2% last year, with 482 units sold, 49% fewer than year-ago period.

All diesel models are powered by a 2.2-liter engine that puts out 140HP or 156HP, while the 2.4-liter gasoline engine produces 170 HP.

The 2.2-liter 156 HP, manual transmission, six gears model comes with a price tag of €34,000. The combined fuel consumption is 7.3 liters/100km.

4. Renault Koleos

Koleos, the first sport utility vehicle of Renault has the characteristics of 4x4 Nissan cars and it’s manufactured at the Samsung Motors plant in Busan, North Korea.

The model launched in September 2008 takes the fourth spot with 529 units sold in then first 11 months in 2009, and a market share of 5.7%.

Koleos gasoline model is powered by a 2.5 liter engine that produces 170HP, while diesel 2.0liter models put out 150HP or 175HP with front or four wheel drive.

The lowest priced Koleos is the 2.0-liter 175HP and costs €24,985.

3. Volkswagen Tiguan

With a market share of 7.8% in the SUV segment, VW Tiguan came in third by sales in the Romanian market. The carmaker sold 728 units in 2009, 55% fewer than Jan-Nov 2008.

There are three gasoline engine sizes: 1.4 liter, 150HP, and 2.0 liter, 170HP or 200HP, while the 2.0liter diesel engine produces 140HP or 170 HP.

The standard 1.4-liter 150HP model with front-wheel drive costs €17,800 (VAT included), while the four-wheel drive version costs €19,000. The combined fuel consumption is 8.4liters/100km.

2. Hyundai Santa Fe

In the second position, with a market share of 8.3% is Hyundai Santa Fe with 766 units sold last year, 26% fewer than a year earlier.

Hyundai Santa Fe’s diesel version is powered by a 2.2-liter engine that produces 150HP while the 2.7-liter gasoline engine puts out 188horsepower. The SUV comes in a choice of front or four wheel drive.

The 2.2-liter diesel 150HP is the cheapest model in Santa Fe lineup, costing €21,800. The combined fuel consumption is 7liters/100km.

1. Hyundai Tucson

And the best-selling SUV in Romania award goes to Hyundai Tucson that grabbed a 9.8% market share in Jan-Nov 2009. 910 Tucson cars were sold in Romania last year 41% fewer than the same period of 2008.

The gasoline version in the Tucson lineup is powered by a 2.0-liter engine that puts out 141HP while the 2.0-liter diesel engine produces 140HP.

Hyundai Tucson has a starting price of €15,815 (VAT included). The combined fuel consumption is 8liters/100km.

The 4x4 model can be purchased at €19,100. The most expensive model is the 4x4 diesel version with Premium option pack and costs €23,300. The combined fuel consumption is 7liters/100 km.

In 2008, 18,769 sport utility vehicles were sold, 0.3% more than in 2007. VW Tiguan, Hyundai Tucson and VW Touareg were last year’s winners.