China’s Auto Imports Drop 13% Year-on-Year to 43,000 Units in July 2026

In July 2026, China imported 43,000 vehicles, a year-over-year decline of 13%. From January to July 2026, cumulative vehicle imports totaled 240,000 units, down 11% compared to the same period last year. Among these, high-value imported four-wheel-drive SUVs performed particularly poorly. Retail sales of imported vehicles from January to July 2026 amounted to 220,000 units, a 31% year-over-year drop; retail sales in July alone stood at 27,000 units, plunging 40% year-on-year. In July 2026, the top five countries by volume of vehicle imports into China were: Japan (23,587 units), Germany (7,479 units), the United States (4,855 units), the United Kingdom (3,094 units), and Slovakia (1,839 units). For the January–July 2026 period, the top five countries by cumulative import volume were: Japan (127,080 units), Germany (51,790 units), the United States (22,587 units), Slovakia (15,359 units), and the United Kingdom (13,949 units). Against the backdrop of a continued downturn in the imported vehicle market, the luxury car segment showed divergent trends in 2026. Lexus maintained its position as the best-selling imported luxury brand, while some ultra-luxury brands experienced unusual fluctuations.