Tesla is back at the top in Europe. 41,000 Model Y units sold in September!
In short:
- The Tesla Model Y recorded 40,971 registrations in September, more than 55% higher than the previous year
- The Model 3 came in second with 25,057 units, surpassing the Volkswagen Golf
- After nine months, the Model Y leads in Europe with 167,369 registrations
Tesla’s comeback
Just a few months ago, Tesla’s performance in Europe could be quite inconsistent. The Model Y would rise to the top only to drop far outside the top ten shortly after. However, September brought a strong recovery.
According to preliminary Dataforce figures, Tesla took the top two spots in Europe’s most registered vehicles list. Moreover, the Model Y also led in the rankings for the first nine months of 2026.
The data includes the European Union, the United Kingdom, and EFTA countries. At the time of publishing the report, Dataforce had information covering approximately 98% of the market.
Tesla Model Y Far Ahead of Golf and Sandero
In September, 40,971 Tesla Model Y units were registered in Europe. This represents a 55.3% increase compared to the same month in 2025.
The lead over competitors was enormous. Tesla Model 3 came in second with 25,057 units sold, showing a year-on-year increase of 105.7%.
Volkswagen Golf came in third with 18,088 registrations. Dacia Sandero was fourth with 17,547 units, while Volkswagen Tiguan rounded out the top five with 16,457.
According to Dataforce, the top ten models in September were as follows:
Tesla Model Y – 40,971
Tesla Model 3 – 25,057
Volkswagen Golf – 18,088
Dacia Sandero – 17,547
Volkswagen Tiguan – 16,457
Mercedes GLC – 16,317
Toyota Yaris Cross – 16,036
Renault Clio – 15,735
Peugeot 208 – 15,733
Jaecoo 7 – 15,470
Thus, the Tesla Model Y alone had more than twice as many registrations as Golf and Sandero combined. Moreover, its September registrations exceeded the total sales of all models from some major European brands – Opel recorded 38,071 registrations, while Ford had 36,579.
Tesla Also Leads After Nine Months
The situation is even more significant when looking at the period from January to September.
The Model Y has accumulated 167,369 registrations and became the most popular car in the European market after nine months. Compared to the same period in 2025, this represents a 51.8% increase.
The Dacia Sandero dropped to second place. 162,969 units of this model were registered since the start of the year, which is 10.9% less than the previous year.
The gap between them is only 4,400 cars, so the race for the annual title remains open.
In third place is the Volkswagen Golf with 151,334 units. Following it are the Volkswagen T-Roc with 147,763 units and the Renault Clio with 144,677 registrations.
September was particularly strong for Tesla
The organization of Tesla’s production and deliveries, along with the concentration of registrations at the end of quarters, plays a significant role here. Thus, the September result is impressive, but it doesn’t mean that the Model Y will see 40,000 registrations each subsequent month.
In terms of the year-to-date comparison, such short-term fluctuations are much less significant. And in that regard, the Model Y indeed leads.
Electric vehicles had a very strong month
Tesla’s return to the top coincided with a clear growth in Europe’s overall electric vehicle market.
According to Dataforce, Europe’s new car market grew by about 10% in September, reaching over 1.34 million registrations. Meanwhile, electric vehicles grew even more rapidly.
Tesla wasn’t the only company to benefit from this trend. Models from Chinese manufacturers are rising higher in rankings, and the share of electric vehicles is increasing significantly in many major European countries.
The model rankings themselves can now produce results that would have been hard to imagine just a few years ago: two Tesla electric vehicles in the top two spots, with the Chinese Jaecoo 7 making it into the top ten.
Jaecoo 7 debuts in Europe’s top ten
The performance of the Jaecoo 7 is the second interesting element of this September’s list.
The Model 7 achieved 15,470 registrations and finished in tenth place. It surpassed vehicles such as the Opel Corsa, Kia Sportage, Volkswagen T-Roc, and Ford Puma.
A large portion of these registrations came from the United Kingdom, where the Jaecoo 7 was the most frequently registered new car in September.
This is another sign of change in the European market. Not long ago, the top ten was almost entirely dominated by European, Japanese, and Korean brands. Now, a Chinese model can compete alongside the Golf, Clio, or 208.
Three months left before the end of the year
The most interesting competition will however take place between the Tesla Model Y and the Dacia Sandero.
A 4,400-unit advantage after nine months is not much. The Sandero has a much more consistent monthly registration rate, while Tesla’s sales figures can fluctuate sharply.
If the Model Y maintains its lead through the end of December, it will once again finish the year as the most popular new car in Europe after three years. This time, the success would be particularly significant, as the electric SUV would surpass one of the cheapest gasoline models on our continent.
For now, one thing is clear: after nine months of 2026, it is the Tesla Model Y that holds the top spot.
Piotr Sobczyk