Germany New-Car Imports Rise as Export Volume Falls in 2026

Germany recorded opposing movements in new passenger car trade during the first seven months of 2026. Imports increased in volume and value, while exports declined on both measures.

Imports reached around 1.3 million new passenger cars with a value of EUR 34.9 billion. Exports reached approximately 2.0 million new passenger cars with a value of EUR 73.5 billion. Aggregate vehicle export data from China through August 2026 describe China's aggregate vehicle exports on an all-vehicle basis. Those figures cover all vehicles and are not directly comparable to German new passenger car data.

Data note: German trade figures cover January-July 2026 compared with January-July 2025. China vehicle export figures cover August 2026 and January-August 2026.

A Trade Split Emerges

Import volume rose by 16.0 percent year on year, while export volume fell by 4.0 percent year on year. Import value rose by 12.6 percent, while export value fell by 8.9 percent.

Germany remained a net exporter of new passenger cars in volume and value terms. The figures describe traded volumes and values by flow and do not establish demand, pricing or inventory conditions.

New-Car Imports Climb

Volume growth of 16.0 percent outpaced value growth of 12.6 percent, which indicates a lower average value per imported unit compared with the same period in 2025.

China was the largest source of imported new passenger cars. Imports from China reached 175,000 vehicles, representing 13.8 percent of total new-car imports, and increased by 120.9 percent year on year. A 13.8 percent share means more than one in ten imported new passenger cars originated in China during the period.

Export Volume And Value Both Weaken

German exports of new passenger cars totaled approximately 2.0 million cars in January-July 2026, down 4.0 percent from the same period a year earlier. Export value totaled EUR 73.5 billion, down 8.9 percent year on year.

The larger decline in value than in volume indicates a reduction in average export revenue per vehicle. The material does not specify the causes of the difference between the volume and value movements.

Where German Cars Still Go

The United Kingdom was the largest of the destinations shown for German new passenger car exports in January-July 2026. Shipments to the United Kingdom reached around 258,000 cars, representing 13.0 percent of new-car exports. The United States followed with 245,000 cars, representing 12.3 percent of new-car exports.

Together, the two markets accounted for more than one quarter of German new-car exports by volume. Italy was the next largest destination in the reported dataset, with 147,000 cars and a 7.4 percent share. Exports to the United States were valued at EUR 9.6 billion, down 17.1 percent in value year on year.

Data Table

Destination	Exported cars (thousand cars)
United Kingdom	258
United States	245
Italy	147

Source: Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis).

The chart compares export volumes across the three destinations for the same seven month period. It shows the narrow gap between the United Kingdom and the United States, and the lower level of shipments to Italy.

China Broader Vehicle-Export Surge

Aggregate vehicle exports from China, covering all vehicle types and not passenger cars alone, totaled 1.01 million vehicles in August 2026. The total increased by 65.3 percent year on year and decreased by 3.2 percent from the previous month.

On a year-to-date basis, aggregate vehicle exports from China totaled 7.153 million vehicles in January-August 2026, up 66.7 percent year on year. The material does not provide an exact January-August 2025 total.

These figures are not directly comparable to German new passenger car data because of differences in vehicle coverage, periods and reporting definitions. Strong growth in aggregate exports from China coincided with the rise in German new-car imports from China, although the two datasets measure different scopes.

What The Divergence Means For Vehicle Traders

The data show rising German import volumes alongside falling German export volumes and values. Growth in imports from China contrasted with lower export value to the United States, which fell by 17.1 percent.

The combined weight of the United Kingdom and the United States underlines the importance of those two destinations for German export volumes. The German data cover January through July, while the China aggregate data extend through August, so further releases will be required for a fuller comparison of later 2026 trends.

Sources

• Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) — Exporte von neuen Pkw in den ersten sieben Monaten 2026 um 4,0 % zum Vorjahreszeitraum gesunken
• German Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) — Exports of new passenger cars down 4.0% year on year in the first seven months of 2026
• China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) — 2026年8月汽车工业产销情况简析
• Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area — China’s Auto Exports Top 1 Million for Third Straight Month

Last updated: September 2026. Year-to-date totals cover the stated periods and will move as further months are added.