International automobile markets
International automotive markets: Europe, USA and China slightly up
Japan with noticeable decline – Brazil and Mexico grow strongly – Europe and USA still below pre-crisis levels
Sales on the international automotive markets developed differently in the months January through September. In Europe, new registrations developed only slightly positively in a difficult overall economic environment. In the USA, light vehicle sales are also only slightly up. In both markets, the sales volumes are still far from the ones in 2019. In China, passenger car sales so far this year have been slightly higher than last year. Significant declines were recorded in Japan. In India, passenger car sales are growing at a single-digit rate, and in Brazil they are growing significantly at a double-digit rate.
In the European passenger car market, 9.8mn new cars were registered between January and September, almost 1% more than in the same period last year. The pre-crisis level is still a long way off, with the first nine months of this year showing a decline of 19% compared to 2019. The five largest individual markets were characterized by different dynamics in the first three quarters of this year: while sales increased in Spain (+5%), the United Kingdom (+4%) and Italy (+2%), slight declines were recorded in Germany (–1%) and France (–2%). In September, 1.1mn cars were sold on the European market, 4% fewer than in September of the previous year.
In China, the passenger car market developed slightly positively in the first nine months of the current year. A total of 15.6mn cars were sold, 2% more than in the same period last year. In September, sales also rose by 2% to 2.1mn cars. Unlike Europe and the USA, China is thus above the pre-crisis level of 2019 and has exceeded registrations in the first three quarters of 2019 by 14% this year.
The US light vehicle market (passenger cars and light trucks) grew by 1% to 11.7mn vehicles in the first three quarters of the year compared to the first nine months of the previous year. However, the gap to pre-crisis levels still exists: Compared to the first three quarters of 2019, the market is currently 8% below. 1.2mn vehicles were sold in September, 13% fewer than in the same month last year. A calendar effect had a significantly negative impact on sales: The high-sales Labor Day weekend fell partly in August this year, whereas last year it was in September.
Sales in the Indian passenger car market have grown this year. Up to and including September, 3.2mn passenger cars were sold in India, 4% more than in the same period last year. In the past month, 315,700 brand-new passenger cars were sold, meaning the market reached the previous year's level (±0%).
Light vehicle sales in Mexico increased by 11% to 1.1mn vehicles in the first three quarters of the year. In September, the market volume decreased by 1% year-on-year to 116,400 light vehicles.
In the Japanese passenger car market, 2.8mn vehicles were sold between January and September, 8% fewer than in the corresponding period in 2023. In September, the market developed somewhat better: with 366,200 cars sold, the market volume was 1% higher than the previous year.
The Brazilian light vehicle market (passenger cars and light duty) recorded a significant increase in the first three quarters of the year. Sales were 14% higher than the previous year, and a total of 1.8mn light vehicles were newly registered. In September, the growth dynamic was above average: 222,900 newly registered light vehicles represented an increase of 19% compared to the same period last year.
Sep. 2024 | +/- in % | Jan. - Sep. 2024 | +/- in % | |
Europe (EU27 & EFTA & UK)* 1) | 1.118.000 | -4,2 | 9.779.400 | 1,0 |
European Union (EU27)* 1) | 809.000 | -6,1 | 7.989.600 | 0,6 |
Western Europeans (EU14 & EFTA & UK)1) | 1.013.700 | -4,9 | 8.740.600 | 0,2 |
New EU countries (EU13)* 1) | 104.300 | 2,3 | 1.038.800 | 7,7 |
USA* 2) | 1.169.900 | -12,8 | 11.688.300 | 0,7 |
Mexico* 2) | 116.400 | -1,3 | 1.078.000 | 10,6 |
China 2) | 2.063.200 | 2,3 | 15.558.200 | 2,0 |
Japan 4) | 366.200 | 0,8 | 2.776.500 | -7,8 |
India 5) | 442.700 | -2,7 | 2.901.000 | 4,6 |
Brasil** 6) | 222.900 | 18,9 | 1.752.200 | 14,2 |
Quellen: 1) ACEA 2) Wards Intelligence 3) CPCA 4) JAMA 5) SIAM 6) ANFAVEA |