Import Car Sales in China Plunge Over 30% in 2025, Market Share Shrinks Further

China's imported vehicle market suffered a severe blow in 2025. According to data from the General Administration of Customs, annual imports totaled only 476,000 units, a year-on-year decline of 32.4%, while import value dropped by 39.7% to USD 23.64 billion. Since peaking at 1.43 million units in 2014, imported car sales have declined for consecutive years, with 2025 volumes falling to less than one-third of their peak level. Amid the wave of electrification, domestic brands—leveraging high cost-performance ratios, advanced intelligence features, and strong product competitiveness—have rapidly captured the premium segment. Models such as the Aito M9, NIO ES8, Zeekr 9X, and Hongqi S800 have delivered a powerful challenge to traditional imported luxury vehicles. Meanwhile, a cooling economic environment has made consumers more rational, unwilling to pay excessive premiums. Mainstream luxury brands—including Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi—saw their imported vehicle sales drop by between 26% and 62%. Even ultra-luxury marques like Bentley and Rolls-Royce have not escaped this downward trend. Industry insiders forecast that imported vehicle sales in China could decline another 10% in 2026, placing immense pressure on dealerships to transform their business models. The golden era of imported cars in China has clearly come to an end.