China’s vehicle imports fell to 38K units in May, down 19% year on year, according to the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) Secretary General Cui Dongshu’s “May 2026 China Auto Import Data Report.” Imports totaled 160K vehicles in the first five months of 2026, down 11% from a year earlier. The cumulative decline narrowed from previous months due to a lower comparison base last year. Overall pressure on the import market, however, remained unchanged. Trend of China’s vehicle imports and growth rates from 2007 to May 2026 China’s imported vehicle market has declined for eight consecutive years. Imports peaked at 1.43 million units in 2014 before entering a sustained downturn. Annual imports fell to 700K units in 2024, down 12% year on year, then dropped further to 480K units in 2025, a 32% decline. The structural shift reflects the rising competitiveness of Chinese domestic automakers, accelerating localization by global carmakers in China. Both factors have replaced a substantial share of import demand. Meanwhile, shipping disruptions linked to the conflict between the United States and Iran also affected vehicle deliveries between March and May, slowing import arrivals. Japan remained China’s largest vehicle import source in May with 19,018 units. Germany ranked second with 9,935 units. China auto imports by country of origin (2021 – May 2026) Slovakia followed with 2,889 units, ahead of the United States with 2,770 units, the United Kingdom with 2,063 units. Austria, Mexico, China, South Africa, Poland also entered the month’s top 10 import origins. For the January-May period, Japan led with 85,007 imported vehicles. Germany followed with 35,039 units, ahead of the United States at 14,373 units, the United Kingdom at 9,429 units, Slovakia at 9,398 units. Passenger vehicles continued to dominate the import mix. China imported 37,623 passenger vehicles in May, accounting for more than 99% of total vehicle imports. Sedans represented 21,193 units, or 56% of the total. Four-wheel-drive SUVs accounted for 7,878 units, representing 21%. Auto import data across different types from 2021 to May 2026 Imported new-energy vehicles continued to lose momentum. China imported 1,245 battery electric passenger vehicles during January-May, down 42% year on year. Plug-in hybrid passenger vehicle imports fell 55% to 982 units. Auto import mix by powertrain, 2021 – May 2026 Conventional gasoline-powered passenger vehicles remained the market’s backbone. China imported 26,994 gasoline passenger vehicles in May, accounting for more than 71% of total passenger vehicle imports. Demand continued to concentrate around premium brands. Lexus remained China’s best-selling imported luxury brand. The marque imported 60,241 vehicles during the first five months of 2026, maintaining one of its strongest performances over the past four years. Hybrid models continued to support stable consumer demand. Import data of luxury auto brands from 2023 to May 2026 Ultra-luxury brands faced much steeper pressure. January-May imports reached 604 Bentley vehicles, 236 Maserati vehicles, 193 Rolls-Royce vehicles, 230 Ferrari vehicles. All recorded notable year-on-year declines. Import data of ultra-luxury auto brands from 2023 to May 2026 Among them, Maserati lost momentum after a modest recovery in 2025. Bentley and Rolls-Royce continued to struggle. Ferrari remained comparatively resilient, standing out as one of the few stable brands in the ultra-luxury segment. Outside the luxury market, imported mainstream brands also contracted sharply, with European volume brands posting particularly steep declines.
