China's June 2026 vehicle imports drop 11% to 38,000 units

In June 2026, China imported 38,000 vehicles, marking an 11% decrease compared to the previous year. This decline, while significant, was somewhat mitigated by a low base figure from January 2025. Despite disruptions to shipping routes caused by the conflict between the United States and Iran, the overall impact on imported vehicle volumes was relatively contained. From January to June 2026, a total of 200,000 vehicles were imported, also representing an 11% year-on-year decline. The first half of 2026 showed a comparatively strong performance for imported vehicles, largely attributed to the low statistical base at the end of 2025. Retail sales of imported vehicles in the first half of 2026 reached 190,000 units, a 29% decrease, which is considered not excessively poor given the circumstances. June alone saw retail sales of 30,000 units, a 39% drop, indicating continued pressure on the market. The import market is shifting back towards traditional internal combustion engine vehicles. The top 10 exporting countries to China in June 2026 were Japan (18,486 units), Germany (9,272 units), Slovakia (4,122 units), the United States (3,359 units), the United Kingdom (1,426 units), Mexico (654 units), Austria (555 units), South Korea (128 units), South Africa (71 units), and Poland (70 units). The countries with the largest year-on-year increases in exports to China during this period were Japan (+5,131 units), Germany (+928 units), Austria (+303 units), Mexico (+290 units), and South Africa (+65 units).