China's Auto Imports Down 48.7% YoY in September 2026, Exports Reach 1.053 Million Units

According to data from the General Administration of Customs compiled by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, in September 2026, China's imports of complete vehicles totaled 21,000 units, down 6.1% month-on-month and 48.7% year-on-year; the import value was US$1.26 billion, down 11.4% month-on-month and 38.1% year-on-year. Over the same period, China's exports of complete vehicles reached 1.053 million units, up 61.4% year-on-year, with export volume 50 times that of imports. Cumulatively from January to September 2026, imports of complete vehicles totaled 288,000 units, down 20.1% year-on-year; the import value was US$14.25 billion, down 21.9% year-on-year. Over the same period, vehicle exports reached 8.205 million units, up 65.8% year-on-year. Data disclosed by Cui Dongshu, Secretary-General of the China Passenger Car Association, shows that from January to September 2026, sales of imported Audi, Mercedes-Benz and BMW vehicles in China decreased by approximately 24,000, 23,700 and 15,600 units year-on-year respectively, with the three brands combined down 63,260 units. In 2025, BMW's imported vehicles fell from the 170,000-unit level to more than 60,000 units, Mercedes-Benz's imports dropped 37%, and Audi's fell 41%. Historical data shows that China's vehicle import scale was 1.43 million units in 2014, falling to 700,000 units in 2024 and 480,000 units in 2025. At the current import pace of about 20,000 units per month, full-year imports in 2026 are expected to drop to around 350,000 units.