Insights
U.S. Car Export Statistics: Automotive Exports Fell in August 2026
U.S. car export statistics for August 2026 show a monthly decline in automotive export values. Exports of automotive vehicles, parts, and engines totaled $12,612 million on a seasonally adjusted basis.
The total fell by $916 million, or about 6.8 percent, from revised July 2026. Passenger cars and trucks, buses, and special purpose vehicles accounted for nearly all of the decrease.
The decline contrasted with an increase in overall goods exports. Year-to-date automotive exports also remained below the same period in 2025. The August 2026 FT900 was released on October 6, 2026.
Data note: Monthly figures are seasonally adjusted values for August 2026 compared with revised July 2026. Year-to-date figures cover January to August 2026 compared with January to August 2025.
August Automotive Exports Fell to $12.612 Billion
Exports of automotive vehicles, parts, and engines were $12,612 million in August 2026, seasonally adjusted.
The August level was the second lowest monthly value recorded in 2026 to date. It was above January 2026 but below every other month from February through July. The result ended two months in which seasonally adjusted automotive exports had exceeded $13.5 billion.
All headline figures in this article are export values in dollars. They are adjusted for seasonality and are not adjusted for price changes. July comparisons use revised July data as published in the August 2026 release.
Passenger Cars and Commercial Vehicles Led the Decline
Passenger cars and trucks, buses, and special purpose vehicles together explained almost the entire monthly decline. Passenger-car exports fell by $468 million to $3,426 million. Exports of trucks, buses, and special purpose vehicles fell by $458 million to $1,966 million.
The two vehicle categories therefore accounted for $926 million of decline in combination. That combined decline was larger than the net automotive decline because small increases in other categories partly offset the vehicle decrease.
Exports of engines and engine parts were $1,860 million in August, down $56 million from revised July. Exports of other automotive parts and accessories were $5,064 million, up $29 million from revised July. Smaller categories also moved higher in August, with bodies and chassis for passenger cars rising from $20 million to $34 million and automotive tires and tubes rising from $240 million to $264 million.
| Category | July 2026 | August 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Automotive vehicles, parts, and engines | 13,529 | 12,612 |
| Passenger cars | 3,893 | 3,426 |
| Trucks, buses, and special purpose vehicles | 2,424 | 1,966 |
| Engines and engine parts | 1,916 | 1,860 |
| Other automotive parts and accessories | 5,035 | 5,064 |
Values in millions of U.S. dollars, seasonally adjusted.
The pattern indicates that finished vehicles drove the August result. Parts categories were broadly stable by comparison. Other parts and accessories remained the largest single automotive export category in August at $5,064 million, followed by passenger cars.
Data Table
| Category | July 2026 | August 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Automotive vehicles, parts, and engines | 13529 | 12612 |
| Passenger cars | 3893 | 3426 |
| Trucks, buses, and special purpose vehicles | 2424 | 1966 |
| Engines and engine parts | 1916 | 1860 |
| Bodies and chassis for passenger cars | 20 | 34 |
| Automotive tires and tubes | 240 | 264 |
| Other automotive parts and accessories | 5035 | 5064 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.
How Automotive Exports Compare With Overall Goods Exports
Automotive exports declined while total goods exports increased. Seasonally adjusted U.S. goods exports on a Census basis were $203.977 billion in August 2026, an increase of $4.154 billion from July.
Automotive vehicles, parts, and engines therefore moved in the opposite direction from total goods exports in August. The automotive decline of $0.916 billion partly offset gains in other goods categories during the month.
| Indicator | July 2026 | August 2026 | Monthly change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total goods exports, Census basis | 199,823 | 203,977 | 4,154 |
| Automotive vehicles, parts, and engines | 13,529 | 12,612 | -916 |
Values in millions of U.S. dollars, seasonally adjusted. Total goods exports were $203.977 billion in August.
For exporters and dealers, a rise in total goods exports did not reflect automotive trade in August. Automotive export values declined even as the broader goods total strengthened.
The 2026 Monthly Trend and Year-to-Date Picture
Monthly automotive exports fluctuated during the first eight months of 2026. After $11,506 million in January, exports rose to $12,927 million in February and $13,201 million in March. April and May recorded $12,977 million and $12,843 million, respectively.
June reached $13,621 million, the highest monthly value in the January to August period. Revised July was close to that peak at $13,529 million. August then fell to $12,612 million, the lowest value since January.
Data Table
| Period | Seasonally adjusted exports |
|---|---|
| January 2026 | 11506 |
| February 2026 | 12927 |
| March 2026 | 13201 |
| April 2026 | 12977 |
| May 2026 | 12843 |
| June 2026 | 13621 |
| July 2026 (revised) | 13529 |
| August 2026 | 12612 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.
On a cumulative basis, automotive vehicles, parts, and engines exports totaled $103.217 billion year-to-date through August 2026. That was a decrease of $5.980 billion from the same period in 2025.
Cumulative automotive export value for January to August 2026 therefore remained below the same period in 2025.
What U.S. Car Export Statistics Measure
U.S. car export statistics in the FT900 report trade values in dollars, not vehicle-unit counts. Census reports quantities separately, in the units specified for each detailed Schedule B classification. The headline automotive total does not state how many vehicles were shipped.
Monthly automotive export values are seasonally adjusted unless otherwise specified. The headline figures are adjusted for seasonality, not for price changes.
Automotive vehicles, parts, and engines is an end-use classification, not a count of cars exported. Census initially classifies export commodities using Schedule B, based on the Harmonized System, and then summarizes them into principal end-use categories and broad commodity groupings. The automotive end-use grouping includes passenger cars, new and used, trucks, buses, and special-purpose vehicles, and parts, engines, bodies, and chassis.
Listed parts groupings include engines and engine parts, passenger-car bodies and chassis, automotive tires and tubes, and other automotive parts. For goods reported on a Census basis, export value is free-alongside-ship value, including inland freight and other charges to place the merchandise alongside the carrier at the U.S. port of export.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, August 2026
- U.S. Census Bureau — Description of the International Trade Statistical Program
- U.S. Census Bureau — End-use codes
Last updated: October 2026.