The headline ranking
China remains in a league of its own at 2.96 million units in September — ahead of the United States (1.31 million) and India (458,000) combined on a monthly basis. But China's -8.4% YoY marks the softest month among the majors, a domestic-demand story rather than an export one: the country still moved 23.27 million units in the first nine months. The United States held firm at +4.3%, while India's +20.9% keeps it the world's fastest-growing large market.
| No. | Country / Region | Sep Sales ('000) | Sep YoY | Jan–Sep ('000) | Jan–Sep YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 2,956 | -8.4% | 23,271 | -4.5% |
| 2 | United States | 1,310 | +4.3% | 12,026 | -2.0% |
| 3 | India | 458 | +20.9% | 3,958 | +22.0% |
| 4 | Japan | 434 | +1.3% | 3,545 | +2.3% |
| 5 | United Kingdom | 351 | +12.0% | 1,739 | +10.2% |
| 6 | Brazil | 269 | +21.5% | 2,159 | +19.4% |
| 7 | Germany | 257 | +9.0% | 2,222 | +5.3% |
| 8 | Canada | 168 | +3.4% | 1,445 | -0.4% |
| 9 | France | 157 | +11.6% | 1,235 | +4.1% |
| 10 | Italy | 139 | +9.9% | 1,269 | +8.7% |
| 11 | South Korea | 135 | -14.5% | 1,229 | -2.4% |
| 12 | Mexico | 129 | +7.9% | 1,144 | +5.0% |
| 13 | Russia | 115 | -6.2% | 960 | +7.2% |
| 14 | Australia | 109 | +1.8% | 958 | +2.0% |
| 15 | Spain | 94 | +10.2% | 912 | +6.7% |
| 16 | Turkey | 83 | -24.3% | 803 | -13.4% |
| 17 | Indonesia | 80 | +28.1% | 679 | +20.9% |
| 18 | Malaysia | 74 | +20.0% | 641 | +5.2% |
| 19 | Vietnam | 63 | +28.0% | 499 | +27.6% |
| 20 | South Africa | 62 | +12.7% | 492 | +12.5% |
Where demand is heating up
Strip out the giants and the growth map is unambiguous. The Southeast Asia + South Asia bloc is on fire: Indonesia +28.1%, Vietnam +28.0%, Malaysia +20.0% and India +20.9% in September, with year-to-date gains of +20.9%, +27.6%, +5.2% and +22.0% respectively. These are precisely the markets where Chinese brands are taking share fastest — affordable, well-equipped models landing against still-recovering local industries.
Brazil (+21.5%) anchors Latin America's recovery, helped by localised assembly. Europe's core is steady rather than spectacular — the UK (+12.0%), France (+11.6%), Italy (+9.9%) and Spain (+10.2%) all grew, while Germany's +9.0% is a healthy rebound. Africa shows up via South Africa (+12.7%).
On the downside, Turkey (-24.3%) and South Korea (-14.5%) contracted sharply; Russia dipped -6.2% in September but still sits +7.2% year-to-date — the corridor holds despite a soft month. China's own decline is domestic, not export-led.
What it means if you buy from China
- The fastest-growing import markets are Chinese-sourcing markets. Indonesia, Vietnam, India, Brazil and Malaysia are where dealer demand for Chinese vehicles is climbing fastest — the same models you can source through us are gaining ground there.
- China's export base stays deep. Even with a soft domestic September, the country shipped 23.27 million units in nine months. Supply is not the constraint; matching the right model to your market is.
- Russia remains a resilient volume lane. A September dip didn't break the +7.2% YTD trend — useful for buyers who need steady, large-program allocation.
- Position for the growth corridors. Southeast Asia, South Asia, Brazil and South Africa are the 2026 momentum markets; locking sourcing and documentation early protects lead times and FX exposure.
Planning a first container or a full annual program into any of these markets? Tell us your destination and target segments — we quote FOB from Chinese ports with full documentation and customs support, across multiple brands rather than a single OEM line.