Diesel car sales fall to historic lows

Diesel vehicle registrations have bottomed out in 2025, with a market share of just 5.2% in Spain during the first six months of the year. Diesel engines have practically disappeared from the market, due to a drop in supply—the main car manufacturers are opting for conventional hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or mild hybrid engines as an alternative to diesel engines—and almost nonexistent demand.

The paradigm shift regarding diesel engines has been a true revolution in a relatively short period of time. Just fifteen years ago, in the summer of 2010, diesel vehicle sales accounted for 71% of new car registrations, boosted by cheaper fuel and lower fuel consumption than conventional gasoline cars.

The diesel emissions scandal, or Dieselgate, which hit the Volkswagen Group hard ten years ago, has had a lot to do with this cultural shift. But the decline is also explained by a string of bans and controversial statements from various political figures, such as the former minister and current Vice President of the European Commission for Clean Transition, Teresa Ribera, who went so far as to declare that "diesel's days are numbered."

Modern diesel cars, although they emit less nitrogen oxide (NOx) and fewer harmful particles than older diesel vehicles, are no longer popular in the market and are consolidating their position as the last purchase option for drivers in Spain, even behind fully liquefied natural gas (LPG). Specifically, the percentage of pure electric vehicles registered in Spain during the first half of 2025 was 7.95%, that of plug-in hybrids grew to 11.45% (doubling diesel car sales), and the percentage of vehicles using LPG or CNG reached 1.5% for the first time in history.

Although it may seem ironic, the best-selling diesel car in the Spanish market is a Volkswagen model, the manufacturer that started the scandal over diesel vehicle emissions and fraud in pollutant gas approvals set by the European Union. Specifically, the best-selling diesel car during the first months of the year was the Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0 TDI with 150 or 190 hp, with 2,477 units sold, followed by the Audi Q3 2.0 TDI with the same power, with 2,262 units registered. Apart from the Tiguan and the Q3, few other cars still offer diesel engines, outside of the SUV, truck, tractor, and bus segments. Among general vehicle manufacturers, only the Renault Clio with 2,073 units registered, the Seat León with 1,803 units, and the Volkswagen T-Roc with 1,477 units maintain a significant number of vehicle registrations with diesel engines.

Diesel is still the majority on the road.

However, the change in habits and paradigms regarding the purchase of new vehicles has not yet had a real impact on the roads, as 58.9% of cars on the Spanish roadway still use this fuel. The fact that the Spanish vehicle fleet is one of the oldest in Europe, with an average age of 14.5 years, means that diesel cars still represent the majority of active vehicles. However, the paradigm shift in favor of gasoline and hybrid vehicles is beginning to be felt in the form of a drop in fuel consumption, as demand for diesel at gas stations has begun to decline for the first time this century, in favor of gasoline demand.