Portugal's automotive sector has seen a strong recovery, with sales accelerating in August and 17,209 motor vehicles registered, 11.3% more than in the same month in 2025.
According to data released by ACAP – Associação Automóvel de Portugal, between January and August 2026 a total of 197,632 new vehicles were put on the road, representing growth of 10.3% compared with the same period a year earlier.
Up to August, registrations of light passenger vehicles totalled 169,323 units, a rise of 9.5% on the same period in 2025. In monthly terms, 14,086 new light passenger cars were registered, 8.4% more than in August 2025.
In the light commercial vehicle segment, sales in August posted a positive year-on-year increase of 21.8%, with 2,449 units registered. Cumulatively, the market reached 22,299 units, which represented an increase of 9.8% on the same period in 2025.
As for the market for heavy vehicles, which covers both passenger and goods transport, August 2026 saw an increase of 45.9% compared with the same month in 2025, with 674 vehicles in this category sold.
