Romanian car production also declines in February 2026: Ford Otosan surpasses Dacia in a month of generalized decline

BUCHAREST – The Romanian automotive industry, one of the central pillars of the national economy, is going through a start of the year marked by a visible decrease in activity. According to the latest official data published by the Romanian Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACAROM), February marked the second consecutive month of decline, confirming a trend of cooling of engines in the Mioveni and Craiova plants.

Current figures: Line drop

In the second month of the year, national production amounted to 43,369 units, a figure 5.3% lower than February 2025. Cumulated with January data, total production in the first two months of 2026 reached 80,244 units, recording a decrease of 5.9% compared to the same period last year.

Surprise from Craiova: Ford overtakes Dacia

In a context of general decline, the Ford Otosan plant in Craiova achieved a rare performance: it surpassed the production volume of the giant from Mioveni. In February, Ford assembled 21,834 vehicles, while Dacia reported 21,535 units.

Although the difference is small, this underlines the success of the diversification strategy in Craiova, where the Transit Courier models and the new Puma Gen-E (electric) have started to gain ground.

Why are the numbers dropping? The factors behind the "brake"

Market specialists and construction representatives point to several factors that contributed to this anemic start to the year:

1. Transition to new models: At Mioveni, the decrease is attributed to the adaptation of production lines for new launches scheduled for 2026, including the anticipated C-Neo project and preparation for large volumes of the Bigster model.
2. European market in decline: New car registrations in the European Union began 2026 with a decrease of approximately 3.5%. As most of the production in Romania is destined for export, any negative vibration in the markets of Germany, France or Italy is immediately felt on the domestic assembly lines.
3. Changing engine mix: Demand for gasoline engines fell dramatically in Europe at the beginning of the year (by over 25%), while the electric and hybrid segments are in full reconfiguration, putting pressure on the traditional production pace.

Outlook: A recovery in the second half of the year?

Despite the difficult start, the industry remains optimistic. Ford Otosan is counting on accelerating deliveries of electric vehicles, Craiova being a strategic hub for Ford in Europe. On the other hand, Dacia is preparing to officially present new models (such as the crossover derived from the C-Neo project), which could revive demand in the second half of the year.

However, external pressure remains high. Economic uncertainty and financing costs at European level are causing the decision to purchase a new machine to be postponed, a phenomenon that inevitably translates into "quieter" production days in Romanian factories.