The overall cost of cars imported by all importing countries flatlined due to an average 0.1% gain since 2018 when cars purchased on international markets were valued at $783.4 billion.
Year over year, the total dollar value for globally imported cars increased by 7.3% compared to $730.3 billion in 2021.
The top 5 countries for buying imported cars are the United States of America, Germany, mainland China, the United Kingdom and France. Collectively, that quintet of major buyers of imported cars generated 47.3% of worldwide spending on imported cars bought during 2022.
From a continental perspective, importers in Europe bought the highest dollar worth of imported cars during 2022 with purchases costing $349.9 billion or 44.6% of the global total. In second place were North American importers at 27% while another 20.2% of international spending came from buyers in Asia.
Smaller percentages went to importers in Oceanian countries (3.1%) led by Australia and New Zealand, Latin America (2.9%) excluding Mexico plus the Caribbean, then Africa (2.2%).
For research purposes, the 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix for cars (including station wagons) is 8703.
Cars Imports by Country
Below are the 15 countries that imported the highest dollar value worth of cars during 2022.
- United States: US$148.1 billion (20.7% of imported cars)
- Germany: $66.8 billion (9.3%)
- China: $48.8 billion (6.8%)
- France: $40.2 billion (5.6%)
- United Kingdom: $35.8 billion (5%)
- Belgium: $31.9 billion (4.5%)
- Canada: $27.8 billion (3.9%)
- Italy: $25 billion (3.5%)
- Australia: $17.6 billion (2.5%)
- Spain: $15.3 billion (2.1%)
- South Korea: $12.9 billion (1.8%)
- Saudi Arabia: $11.9 billion (1.7%)
- Netherlands: $11.7 billion (1.6%)
- Japan: $11.6 billion (1.6%)
- Switzerland: $10.4 billion (1.5%)
By value, the listed 15 countries purchased 71.7% of all cars imported in 2022.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing markets for imported cars from 2021 to 2022 were: United Kingdom (up 24.2%), Canada (up 14.8%), United States of America (up 13.7%) and Spain (up 13.5%).
Leading buyers that posted declines in their imported cars purchases were: France (down -7.5% from 2021), United Arab Emirates (down -4.6%), Italy (down -1.2%) and mainland China (down -1.1%).
Cars Imported into the United States
Below are the top 15 suppliers from which the United States of America imported the highest dollar value worth of cars during 2022. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country from 2021 to 2022.
- Mexico: US$36.5 billion (up 22.8% from 2021)
- Japan: $33.5 billion (up 0.4%)
- Canada: $26.4 billion (up 3.6%)
- South Korea: $22.2 billion (up 25.1%)
- Germany: $19.5 billion (up 27.2%)
- United Kingdom: $6.5 billion (down -6.3%)
- Slovakia: $4.7 billion (up 28.9%)
- Italy: $3.6 billion (up 18.1%)
- Sweden: $3.4 billion (up 13.4%)
- China: $2.6 billion (up 41.4%)
- Belgium: $1.8 billion (up 41.8%)
- Finland: $1.42 billion (up 39.6%)
- Austria: $1.39 billion (down -19.7%)
- South Africa: $1.35 billion (up 72.6%)
- Hungary: $1.2 billion (up 13.4%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 98.6% of cars imported by United States in 2022.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of cars to United States from 2021 to 2022 were: South Africa (up 72.6%), Belgium (up 41.8%), mainland China (up 41.4%) and Finland (up 39.6%).
Two countries experienced declines in the value of their cars supplied to American importers namely Austria (down -19.7% from 2021) and the United Kingdom (down -6.3%).
Overall, the value of the United States’ car imports rose by an average 13.7% from all supplying countries since 2021 when cars purchases were valued at $148 billion.
Cars Imported into Germany
Below are the top 15 suppliers from which Germany imported the highest dollar value worth of cars during 2022. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country from 2021 to 2022.
- United States: US$8.1 billion (up 60.7% from 2021)
- Spain: $7.9 billion (up 2.8%)
- Czech Republic: $6.8 billion (up 11.7%)
- Slovakia: $6.3 billion (up 3.2%)
- France: $4.3 billion (down -6.1%)
- Mexico: $3.8 billion (up 5.6%)
- United Kingdom: $3.7 billion (down -5.1%)
- Italy: $3.1 billion (down -10.8%)
- South Africa: $2.83 billion (up 25.6%)
- Belgium: $2.77 billion (up 16.7%)
- Hungary: $2.6 billion (down -39.7%)
- Japan: $2 billion (up 5.2%)
- South Korea: $1.65 billion (down -7.1%)
- China: $1.57 billion (up 38.3%)
- Poland: $1.4 billion (down -8.9%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 74.4% of cars imported by Germany in 2022.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of cars to Germany from 2021 to 2022 were: United States of America (up 60.7%), mainland China (up 38.3%), South Africa (up 25.6%) and Belgium (up 16.7%).
Leading providers that experienced declines in the value of their cars supplied to German importers included: Hungary (down -39.7%), Italy (down -10.8%), Poland (down -8.9%) and South Korea (down -7.1%).
Overall, the value of Germany’s car imports increased by an average 1% from all supplying countries since 2021 when cars purchases were valued at $67.5 billion.
Cars Imported into China
Below are the top 15 suppliers from which China imported the highest dollar value worth of cars during 2022. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country from 2021 to 2022.
- Germany: US$17.2 billion (up 6% from 2021)
- Japan: $9.7 billion (up 9.3%)
- United States: $9.5 billion (down -15.1%)
- Slovakia: $6.2 billion (up 4.4%)
- United Kingdom: $4.4 billion (down -11.1%)
- Austria: $1.7 billion (up 21%)
- Sweden: $1.1 billion (up 0.1%)
- Italy: $1 billion (up 8.6%)
- Thailand: $536.5 million (down -58.3%)
- Hungary: $369.7 million (down -20%)
- Mexico: $183.7 million (up 43.2%)
- Netherlands: $174.4 million (down -6.8%)
- South Korea: $101.2 million (up 57.3%)
- Belgium: $19.4 million (down -48.2%)
- Canada: $17.8 million (up 40.6%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 99.9% of cars imported by mainland China in 2022.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of cars to China from 2021 to 2022 were: South Korea (up 57.3%), Mexico (up 43.2%), Canada (up 40.6%) and Austria (up 21%).
Countries that experienced declines in the value of their cars supplied to Chinese importers included: Thailand (down -58.3%), Belgium (down -48.2%), Hungary (down -20%) and United States (down -15.1%).
Overall, the value of China’s car imports gained an average 1.1% from all supplying countries since 2021 when cars purchases were valued at $52.9 billion.
Cars Imported into the UK
Below are the top 15 suppliers from which the United Kingdom imported the highest dollar value worth of cars during 2022. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country from 2021 to 2022.
- Germany: US$12.7 billion (down -5.4% from 2021)
- China: $4.5 billion (up 108.3%)
- Spain: $3.7 billion (up 32.4%)
- Slovakia: $2.7 billion (up 128.7%)
- Czech Republic: $2.6 billion (up 306.2%)
- South Korea: $2.4 billion (up 21.9%)
- Japan: $2.01 billion (up 41.6%)
- France: $2 billion (up 127.7%)
- Hungary: $1.5 billion (up 1204.3%)
- Romania: $1.4 billion (up 259.7%)
- Türkiye: $1.3 billion (up 34.6%)
- United States: $1.2 billion (up 981%)
- Mexico: $1 billion (up 520%)
- Italy: $969.8 million (up 55%)
- Belgium: $908.2 million (down -77.2%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 89.3% of cars imported by the United Kingdom in 2022.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of cars to the United Kingdom from 2021 to 2022 were: Hungary (up 1,204%), United States of America (up 981%), Mexico (up 520%) and Czech Republic (up 306.2%).
There was a pair of leading providers that experienced declines in the value of their cars supplied to UK importers: Belgium (down -77.2%) and Germany (down -5.4%).
Overall, the value of UK car imports expanded by an average 24.2% from all supplying countries since 2021 when cars purchases were valued at $35.7 billion.
Searchable List of Cars Importing Countries in 2022
The 100 countries in the automated database below represent 99.1% of globally imported cars during 2021.
Rank | Importer | Car Imports (US$) | 2021-2 |
---|---|---|---|
1. | United States | $168,337,379,000 | +13.7% |
2. | Germany | $68,167,273,000 | +1% |
3. | China | $52,273,905,000 | -1.1% |
4. | United Kingdom | $44,381,019,000 | +24.2% |
5. | France | $37,487,641,000 | -7.5% |
6. | Belgium | $34,631,109,000 | +8.4% |
7. | Canada | $31,939,068,000 | +14.8% |
8. | Italy | $25,543,379,000 | -1.2% |
9. | Australia | $19,250,490,000 | +9.6% |
10. | Spain | $17,406,417,000 | +13.5% |
11. | South Korea | $14,048,939,000 | +8.6% |
12. | Saudi Arabia | $12,568,544,000 | +5.9% |
13. | Netherlands | $12,232,291,000 | +3.3% |
14. | United Arab Emirates | $12,106,676,000 | -4.6% |
15. | Poland | $11,483,259,000 | +11.8% |
16. | Switzerland | $11,094,827,000 | +6.7% |
17. | Mexico | $11,011,739,000 | +45.7% |
18. | Japan | $10,663,000,000 | -8.2% |
19. | Sweden | $9,735,331,000 | -3.6% |
20. | Austria | $9,001,537,000 | -4.1% |
21. | Norway | $8,816,386,000 | +4.6% |
22. | Türkiye | $7,980,115,000 | +18.6% |
23. | Israel | $6,573,481,000 | +28.8% |
24. | Taiwan | $6,531,012,000 | +5.1% |
25. | Russia | $6,269,166,000 | -21.6% |
26. | Denmark | $5,401,207,000 | -5.4% |
27. | Czech Republic | $5,159,946,000 | +4.1% |
28. | Chile | $5,076,425,000 | +25.7% |
29. | Portugal | $4,917,866,000 | +20.9% |
30. | South Africa | $4,577,600,000 | +43.9% |
31. | New Zealand | $4,291,918,000 | +0.8% |
32. | Brazil | $3,636,783,000 | +23.1% |
33. | Philippines | $3,572,627,000 | +57% |
34. | Finland | $3,550,189,000 | -5.5% |
35. | Kuwait | $3,491,092,000 | +18.3% |
36. | Vietnam | $3,483,545,000 | +67.2% |
37. | Romania | $3,448,511,000 | +10.2% |
38. | Hungary | $3,381,946,000 | -1.9% |
39. | Ireland | $3,136,553,000 | +14.5% |
40. | Slovakia | $2,950,674,000 | +20.3% |
41. | Ukraine | $2,947,740,000 | -33.3% |
42. | Colombia | $2,695,564,000 | +15% |
43. | Greece | $2,296,316,000 | +21% |
44. | Luxembourg | $2,214,583,000 | -2.5% |
45. | Morocco | $2,117,542,000 | -4.7% |
46. | Slovenia | $2,108,290,000 | +6.4% |
47. | Argentina | $1,944,965,000 | +14.8% |
48. | Lithuania | $1,907,165,000 | +26.5% |
49. | Hong Kong | $1,871,737,000 | +6.4% |
50. | Belarus | $1,845,083,000 | +52.8% |
51. | Kazakhstan | $1,816,719,000 | +35.7% |
52. | Thailand | $1,816,115,000 | +42.7% |
53. | Peru | $1,787,141,000 | +23.3% |
54. | Pakistan | $1,748,526,000 | -23.6% |
55. | Oman | $1,674,647,000 | -3.2% |
56. | Egypt | $1,610,398,000 | -53.1% |
57. | Malaysia | $1,509,970,000 | +15.7% |
58. | Croatia | $1,503,692,000 | +12.6% |
59. | Lebanon | $1,435,057,000 | +78.5% |
60. | Iraq | $1,422,727,000 | -35.5% |
61. | Nigeria | $1,379,332,000 | -21.4% |
62. | Dominican Republic | $1,340,633,000 | +12.5% |
63. | Qatar | $1,337,562,000 | +19.2% |
64. | Estonia | $1,286,306,000 | +2.1% |
65. | Bulgaria | $1,256,966,000 | +15.8% |
66. | Indonesia | $1,244,941,000 | +71.4% |
67. | Ecuador | $1,239,426,000 | +40.6% |
68. | Singapore | $1,099,346,000 | -23.9% |
69. | Azerbaijan | $844,721,000 | +8.2% |
70. | Latvia | $816,855,000 | +11.9% |
71. | Jordan | $799,248,000 | -21.3% |
72. | Cambodia | $797,159,000 | +56.6% |
73. | Panama | $779,974,000 | +30.6% |
74. | Uzbekistan | $778,849,000 | +32.4% |
75. | Guatemala | $774,974,000 | +17.8% |
76. | Algeria | $766,797,000 | -4.3% |
77. | Bahrain | $743,616,000 | +3.9% |
78. | Iceland | $739,084,000 | +34.3% |
79. | Ethiopia | $736,431,000 | +45.7% |
80. | Tunisia | $712,946,000 | -5.3% |
81. | Serbia | $660,296,000 | +3% |
82. | Costa Rica | $654,950,000 | +27.4% |
83. | Armenia | $599,467,000 | +473.2% |
84. | Mongolia | $576,140,000 | +49.6% |
85. | Bangladesh | $557,126,000 | -0.1% |
86. | Libya | $556,126,000 | +2.2% |
87. | Kyrgyzstan | $538,681,000 | +264.1% |
88. | Angola | $492,361,000 | +126.1% |
89. | Cyprus | $491,789,000 | +10.3% |
90. | Uruguay | $476,828,000 | +20.8% |
91. | Bosnia/Herzegovina | $445,634,000 | -4.3% |
92. | Bolivia | $443,987,000 | +20.1% |
93. | Kenya | $429,610,000 | -11.3% |
94. | India | $406,978,000 | +30.6% |
95. | Ivory Coast | $388,241,000 | -12.1% |
96. | Moldova | $333,459,000 | +29.5% |
97. | El Salvador | $329,660,000 | +226.9% |
98. | Jamaica | $315,133,000 | +15.9% |
99. | Tanzania | $284,124,000 | +17.5% |
100. | Ghana | $278,061,000 | -56.4% |
Expanding the scope to the top 100 importers, the fastest-growing importers of cars were Armenia (up 473.2% from 2021), Kyrgyzstan (up 264.1%), El Salvador (up 226.9%), Angola (up 126.1%), Lebanon (up 78.5%), then Indonesia (up 71.4%).
You can change the presentation order by clicking the triangle icon at the top of any of the columns below. An entry of 0% in the right-most column means that no 2021 data is available.
See also Electric Cars Exports by Country, US Exported & Imported Cars by State, Cars Exports by Country and Truck Exports by Country
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on July 18, 2023
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on July 18, 2023
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on July 18, 2023