German new-car sales increased 90 percent in April compared with the same month in 2020 when the market was under pressure from lockdowns to curb the COVID-19 pandemic.
Registrations were 229,650, according to data released by the KBA motor vehicle authority.
Importers association the VDIK said the market's recovery from the pandemic is very slow.
April registrations were 16 percent below the long-term average for the month and four-month sales were also 16 percent below the long-term average, the association said.
Private new registrations have been very weak since the beginning of the year, the VDIK said. In the first four months, they were 1 percent below the very poor level of the previous year. On a long-term average, they are down 25 percent, the association said.
Registrations to business fleets rose 155 percent in April while sales to private customers increased by 56 percent, according to KBA figures.
"The recovery of the passenger car market continues to be a long time coming," VDIK President Reinhard Zirpel said in a statement. "However, given the constraints of the coronavirus crisis and semiconductor issues, the current figures do not reflect the true potential of the market," he said.
The VDA industry association cut its production forecast for the year, blaming supply chain bottlenecks and a disappointing recovery over the first quarter for the move.
The association said it expected output at German auto factories to rise 13 percent to 4 million units, compared to an earlier forecast of a 20 percent increase to 4.2 million units.
April winners and losers
Opel had the biggest gain in March, with an increase of 174 percent, followed by Mercedes-Benz, up 159 percent.
Sales at market leader VW brand rose 108 percent.
Premium brands Audi and BMW gained 87 percent and 65 percent respectively.
Hyundai outpaced the market rise with registrations up 135. Sister brand Kia was up 61 percent and Toyota gained 61 percent.
Gains at Stellantis brands continued as Jeep rose 142 percent, Peugeot was up 123 percent and Citroen increased 115 percent.
Tesla's registrations were down 24 percent despite a huge jump in sales of battery-powered cars.
Sales of full-electric cars rose 414 percent for a 10.4 percent market share. Plug-in hybrid registrations increased 380 percent for an 11.8 percent share.
Sales of gasoline cars were up 49 percent for a 39.2 percent market share, while diesel registrations increased 29.2 percent to a 21.9 percent share.
Total German market registrations for the first four months rose 7.8 percent to 886,102.
Reuters contributed to this report
