In the first half of 2026, Toyota Motor led global automakers with sales of approximately 5.39 million vehicles worldwide, down 2.8% year-over-year. Volkswagen Group ranked second with sales of about 4.126 million units, a 6.3% decline compared to the same period last year. Hyundai Motor Group (including Hyundai and Kia) came in third with sales of around 3.579 million vehicles. Stellantis Group secured fourth place with sales of 2.958 million units, up 11% year-over-year. General Motors delivered approximately 2.721 million vehicles in the first half, a decrease of 8.9% year-over-year. Chinese brands stood out prominently, with BYD, Geely, and Chery all entering the global top ten in sales volume. BYD sold 1.809 million vehicles in the first half, down 15.7% year-over-year; however, its overseas sales surged 68% to 789,000 units, accounting for over 43% of its total sales. Geely’s total sales reached approximately 1.423 million units, up 1% year-over-year, with overseas exports totaling 474,228 units—a 158% increase—and new energy vehicle (NEV) exports soaring 585% to 277,189 units. Chery Group reported record-high sales of 1.358 million units in the first half, up 7.7% year-over-year, with exports reaching 943,817 units, a 71.5% increase, representing nearly 70% of its total sales. Japan’s Suzuki Motor saw first-half sales of 1.8 million units, surging 110.3% year-over-year. Nissan Motor sold 1.506 million vehicles, down 6.7% compared to the same period last year. Traditional automakers faced widespread pressure. Toyota’s sales in China declined 17.1% year-over-year, while its June sales in the Middle East dropped 24% year-over-year. Volkswagen Group’s deliveries in the Asia-Pacific region fell 24%, including a 25.9% drop in China; its battery-electric vehicle (BEV) deliveries in China plummeted 47.9% year-over-year. General Motors also faced mounting competitive pressure from domestic Chinese brands in the Chinese market.