The overall cost of cars imported by all importing countries increased by an average 12.8% since 2015 when cars purchases were valued at $686.3 billion. Year over year, the cost of imported cars fell by -1.6% from 2018 to 2019.
From a continental perspective, Europe bought the highest dollar worth of imported cars during 2019 with purchases costing $367.4 billion or 47.4% of the global total. In second place were North American importers at 28.1% while 17.5% of cars imported worldwide were ordered by clients in Asia.
Lower percentages went to importers in Oceanian countries (2.4%) led by Australia and New Zealand, Latin America (also 2.4%) excluding Mexico plus the Caribbean, and Africa (2.1%).
For research purposes, the 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix for cars (including station wagons) is 8703.
Cars Imports by Country
Top 15
Below are the 15 countries that imported the highest dollar value worth of cars during 2019.
- United States: US$179.5 billion (23.2% of total imported cars)
- Germany: $70.5 billion (9.1%)
- China: $47.1 billion (6.1%)
- United Kingdom: $43.8 billion (5.7%)
- Belgium: $39.9 billion (5.1%)
- France: $38.5 billion (5%)
- Italy: $30.8 billion (4%)
- Canada: $28.4 billion (3.7%)
- Spain: $21.3 billion (2.7%)
- Netherlands: $16.6 billion (2.1%)
- Australia: $14.9 billion (1.9%)
- Japan: $12.1 billion (1.6%)
- South Korea: $11.1 billion (1.4%)
- Switzerland: $11 billion (1.4%)
- Saudi Arabia: $10.9 billion (1.4%)
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing markets for cars since 2015 were: Germany (up 54%), Netherlands (up 45.6%), Belgium (up 36.7%) and Italy (up 36.3%).
Three countries posted declines in their imported cars purchases namely Saudi Arabia (down -38.1%), United Kingdom (down -10%) and Australia (down -2.9%).
The listed 15 countries purchased 74.4% of all cars imported in 2019.
USA
Cars Imports into the United States
Below are the top 15 suppliers from which the United States imported the highest dollar value worth of cars during 2019. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country since 2015.
- Japan: US$39.9 billion (up 9.4% from 2015)
- Mexico: $38.1 billion (up 58.9%)
- Canada: $37.8 billion (down -11.7%)
- Germany: $18.1 billion (down -33%)
- South Korea: $16.3 billion (down -7.5%)
- United Kingdom: $9.9 billion (up 44.7%)
- Slovakia: $3.9 billion (up 198.7%)
- Italy: $3.5 billion (down -14.6%)
- Sweden: $2.3 billion (up 71.2%)
- China: $1.8 billion (up 448.1%)
- Austria: $1.6 billion (up 106.6%)
- Belgium: $1.3 billion (up 21.1%)
- India: $1.1 billion (up 87243.6%)
- Hungary: $1.1 billion (down -49%)
- Finland: $719.3 million (up 8199.9%)
The listed 15 countries shipped 98.8% of cars imported by the United States in 2019.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of cars to the United States since 2015 were: India (up 87,244), Finland (up 8,200%), China (up 448.1%) and Slovakia (up 198.7%).
Countries that experienced declines in the value of their cars supplied to American importers included: Hungary (down -49%), Germany (down -33%), Italy (down -14.6%) and Canada (down -11.7%).
Overall, the value of US imported cars rose by an average 6.1% from all supplying countries since 2015 when cars purchased cost $169.2 billion.
Germany
Cars Imports into Germany
Below are the top 15 suppliers from which Germany imported the highest dollar value worth of cars during 2019. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country since 2015.
- Spain: US$9.6 billion (up 51.7% from 2015)
- Czech Republic: $6.4 billion (up 38.4%)
- United States: $6.2 billion (down -8.2%)
- Slovakia: $5.6 billion (up 192.2%)
- France: $4.6 billion (up 77.3%)
- South Africa: $4.5 billion (up 206.2%)
- Mexico: $4.3 billion (up 304.1%)
- Hungary: $3.8 billion (up 2.5%)
- United Kingdom: $3.4 billion (down -9.4%)
- Japan: $3 billion (up 60.9%)
- Belgium: $2.9 billion (up 44.1%)
- Italy: $2.6 billion (up 87%)
- Poland: $1.5 billion (up 48.6%)
- South Korea: $1.4 billion (up 119.7%)
- Portugal: $1.4 billion (up 218.9%)
The listed 15 countries shipped 86.8% of cars imported by Germany in 2019.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of cars to Germany since 2015 were: Mexico (up 304.1%), Portugal (up 218.9%), South Africa (up 206.2%) and Slovakia (up 192.2%).
Two countries experienced declines in the value of their cars supplied to German importers namely the United Kingdom (down -9.4%) and the United States (down -8.2%).
Overall, the value of Germany’s imported cars increased by an average 54% from all supplying countries since 2015 when cars purchased cost $45.8 billion.
China
Cars Imports into China
Below are the top 15 suppliers from which China imported the highest dollar value worth of cars during 2019. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country since 2015.
- Germany: US$13.9 billion (up 15.4% from 2015)
- Japan: $11 billion (up 59.6%)
- United States: $8.7 billion (down -23.8%)
- Slovakia: $4.9 billion (up 219.3%)
- United Kingdom: $3.8 billion (down -40.8%)
- Sweden: $993.2 million (up 115.2%)
- Austria: $903.4 million (up 143.7%)
- Thailand: $706.5 million (up 504,578%)
- Italy: $677.6 million (up 37%)
- Canada: $397.2 million (up 27.6%)
- Mexico: $370 million (down -70.4%)
- Belgium: $199 million (down -1.9%)
- Netherlands: $147.4 million (up 13%)
- Hungary: $77.4 million (down -84.9%)
- Indonesia: $69 million (up 279.5%)
The listed 15 countries shipped 99.5% of cars imported by China in 2019.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of cars to China since 2015 were: Thailand (up 504,578%), Indonesia (up 279.5%), Slovakia (up 219.3%) and Austria (up 143.7%).
Countries that experienced declines in the value of their cars supplied to Chinese importers included: Hungary (down -84.9%), Mexico (down -70.4%), United Kingdom (down -40.8%) and the United States (down -23.8%).
Overall, the value of China’s imported cars appreciated by an average 6.5% from all supplying countries since 2015 when cars purchased cost $44.2 billion.
UK
Cars Imports into the United Kingdom
Below are the top 15 suppliers from which the United Kingdom imported the highest dollar value worth of cars during 2019. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country since 2015.
- Germany: US$17.8 billion (down -24% from 2015)
- Belgium: $7.5 billion (up 15.6%)
- Spain: $3.8 billion (down -24%)
- Japan: $2.2 billion (up 9.5%)
- France: $1.7 billion (down -26.3%)
- South Korea: $1.5 billion (down -1.2%)
- Slovakia: $1.4 billion (up 35.7%)
- Netherlands: $1.2 billion (up 389.8%)
- Turkey: $1.1 billion (up 16.2%)
- Sweden: $912.4 million (up 124.2%)
- Austria: $865.1 million (up 174.7%)
- Czech Republic: $749.1 million (down -36.9%)
- Italy: $735.1 million (down -36%)
- Portugal: $670.3 million (up 101.1%)
- Poland: $522.5 million (down -44.5%)
The listed 15 countries shipped 96.2% of cars imported by the United Kingdom in 2019.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of cars to the UK since 2015 were: Netherlands (up 389.8%), Austria (up 174.7%), Sweden (up 124.2%) and Portugal (up 101.1%).
Countries that experienced declines in the value of their cars supplied to UK importers included: Czech Republic (down -36.9%), Italy (down -36%), France (down -26.3%) and Spain (down -24%).
Overall, the value of the UK’s imported cars dropped by an average -10% from all supplying countries since 2015 when cars purchased cost at $48.7 billion.
Searchable List of Cars Importing Countries in 2019
You can change the presentation order by clicking the triangle icon at the top of any of the columns below. An entry of 0% in the right-most column means that no 2018 data is available.
| Rank | Importer | Car Imports (US$) | 2018-19 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | United States | $179,515,290,000 | +0.6% |
| 2. | Germany | $70,521,574,000 | +9% |
| 3. | China | $47,057,996,000 | -5.1% |
| 4. | United Kingdom | $43,813,472,000 | -1% |
| 5. | Belgium | $39,865,794,000 | +2.9% |
| 6. | France | $38,479,039,000 | +0.5% |
| 7. | Italy | $30,792,765,000 | -5.1% |
| 8. | Canada | $28,410,685,000 | -5.1% |
| 9. | Spain | $21,291,218,000 | -4% |
| 10. | Netherlands | $16,563,583,000 | +18.2% |
| 11. | Australia | $14,886,003,000 | -11.3% |
| 12. | Japan | $12,135,933,000 | -0.4% |
| 13. | South Korea | $11,111,791,000 | -0.8% |
| 14. | Switzerland | $10,955,474,000 | +3.8% |
| 15. | Saudi Arabia | $10,928,036,000 | +22.8% |
| 16. | Poland | $10,835,112,000 | -1.7% |
| 17. | Austria | $10,163,073,000 | +2.9% |
| 18. | Mexico | $9,511,370,000 | -10.4% |
| 19. | Sweden | $8,637,934,000 | -1.4% |
| 20. | United Arab Emirates | $8,337,148,000 | -46% |
| 21. | Russia | $7,906,105,000 | +8.9% |
| 22. | Norway | $5,880,624,000 | -5.5% |
| 23. | Taiwan | $5,518,423,000 | -1% |
| 24. | Portugal | $5,425,061,000 | -2.9% |
| 25. | Israel | $5,075,669,000 | +11.7% |
| 26. | Denmark | $4,922,480,000 | +4.8% |
| 27. | Czech Republic | $4,288,080,000 | -1.5% |
| 28. | Slovenia | $4,147,561,000 | +1% |
| 29. | South Africa | $3,939,385,000 | -0.7% |
| 30. | Hungary | $3,876,473,000 | +1.1% |
| 31. | Turkey | $3,382,141,000 | -42.7% |
| 32. | Brazil | $3,320,226,000 | -20.8% |
| 33. | New Zealand | $3,240,140,000 | -10.2% |
| 34. | Finland | $3,238,750,000 | -2% |
| 35. | Chile | $3,222,520,000 | -26.7% |
| 36. | Philippines | $3,109,076,000 | -16% |
| 37. | Romania | $2,981,427,000 | +13.5% |
| 38. | Kuwait | $2,915,842,000 | -3.1% |
| 39. | Slovakia | $2,910,944,000 | -1.5% |
| 40. | Nigeria | $2,704,555,000 | +162.1% |
| 41. | Ukraine | $2,635,391,000 | +17.5% |
| 42. | Ireland | $2,546,696,000 | -7.6% |
| 43. | Luxembourg | $2,536,442,000 | +7.1% |
| 44. | Argentina | $2,363,551,000 | -55.2% |
| 45. | Oman | $2,295,794,000 | +87.5% |
| 46. | Vietnam | $2,226,511,000 | +98.8% |
| 47. | Colombia | $2,212,060,000 | -4.2% |
| 48. | Morocco | $2,194,411,000 | -7.9% |
| 49. | Egypt | $2,171,556,000 | -19.6% |
| 50. | Malaysia | $2,046,888,000 | +7.3% |
| 51. | Singapore | $2,038,294,000 | +0.9% |
| 52. | Hong Kong | $1,971,479,000 | -9% |
| 53. | Greece | $1,739,197,000 | +7.1% |
| 54. | Thailand | $1,574,569,000 | +27% |
| 55. | Lithuania | $1,551,244,000 | +22.8% |
| 56. | Peru | $1,506,915,000 | -0.5% |
| 57. | Qatar | $1,504,755,000 | +7.9% |
| 58. | Croatia | $1,502,752,000 | +7.2% |
| 59. | Iraq | $1,345,956,000 | -20% |
| 60. | Jordan | $1,316,058,000 | +20.8% |
| 61. | Indonesia | $1,312,569,000 | +22.8% |
| 62. | Estonia | $1,141,067,000 | +8.1% |
| 63. | Bulgaria | $1,105,745,000 | -2.9% |
| 64. | Belarus | $1,013,688,000 | -7.6% |
| 65. | Libya | $854,759,000 | +59.8% |
| 66. | Lebanon | $817,461,000 | -28.8% |
| 67. | Bahrain | $793,007,000 | -21.9% |
| 68. | Cambodia | $750,392,000 | +29.4% |
| 69. | Algeria | $749,982,000 | -48.2% |
| 70. | Kazakhstan | $744,648,000 | +22.9% |
| 71. | Dominican Republic | $729,155,000 | -19.9% |
| 72. | Latvia | $726,829,000 | -7.1% |
| 73. | Georgia | $653,664,000 | +40,856% |
| 74. | Ecuador | $652,130,000 | -42.3% |
| 75. | Serbia | $590,487,000 | +10.3% |
| 76. | Cyprus | $571,612,000 | -2.2% |
| 77. | Panama | $559,632,000 | -3.9% |
| 78. | Guatemala | $557,009,000 | -1.9% |
| 79. | Sri Lanka | $547,217,000 | -54.3% |
| 80. | Azerbaijan | $546,472,000 | +34.1% |
| 81. | Costa Rica | $543,900,000 | -15.3% |
| 82. | Paraguay | $531,388,000 | -20.7% |
| 83. | Uzbekistan | $527,792,000 | +65.3% |
| 84. | Kenya | $513,747,000 | -7.2% |
| 85. | Bosnia/Herzegovina | $508,236,000 | +9.3% |
| 86. | Tunisia | $479,257,000 | -8% |
| 87. | Bangladesh | $470,239,000 | -2.2% |
| 88. | Mongolia | $361,084,000 | -11.5% |
| 89. | Ghana | $337,405,000 | -64.7% |
| 90. | Iceland | $321,550,000 | -38.1% |
| 91. | Jamaica | $316,681,000 | -1% |
| 92. | Uruguay | $299,828,000 | -9.2% |
| 93. | Bolivia | $295,511,000 | -27.7% |
| 94. | Yemen | $289,625,000 | +17.8% |
| 95. | Myanmar (Burma) | $283,003,000 | +23.1% |
| 96. | Trinidad/Tobago | $264,619,000 | +13.2% |
| 97. | Gibraltar | $247,547,000 | +17.6% |
| 98. | Mauritius | $243,988,000 | -1.8% |
| 99. | Macao | $243,824,000 | 0% |
| 100. | India | $228,304,000 | -13.8% |
| 101. | Laos | $224,630,000 | -9.5% |
| 102. | El Salvador | $223,223,000 | +16% |
| 103. | North Macedonia | $218,620,000 | +10.2% |
| 104. | Moldova | $215,618,000 | +26.8% |
| 105. | Albania | $195,950,000 | -24.2% |
| 106. | Pakistan | $188,881,000 | -85.7% |
| 107. | Senegal | $183,613,000 | -13.3% |
| 108. | Tanzania | $181,509,000 | +2.1% |
| 109. | Brunei Darussalam | $177,387,000 | -6.5% |
| 110. | Namibia | $157,448,000 | -19.6% |
| 111. | Montenegro | $152,732,000 | +17.8% |
| 112. | Tajikistan | $149,102,000 | +19.4% |
| 113. | Malta | $146,280,000 | +4% |
| 114. | Andorra | $135,200,000 | -10.4% |
| 115. | Ivory Coast | $133,877,000 | -55.9% |
| 116. | Nepal | $133,594,000 | -20.5% |
| 117. | Ethiopia | $128,516,000 | -13.6% |
| 118. | Armenia | $123,833,000 | +38% |
| 119. | Mozambique | $123,055,000 | +27.3% |
| 120. | Honduras | $119,422,000 | -45.3% |
| 121. | Zambia | $113,200,000 | -21.3% |
| 122. | Burkina Faso | $110,735,000 | +8.2% |
| 123. | Guinea | $104,311,000 | +19.1% |
| 124. | Palestine | $99,641,000 | -49.5% |
| 125. | Botswana | $99,049,000 | -35.3% |
| 126. | New Caledonia | $98,325,000 | -4% |
| 127. | Bahamas | $92,616,000 | -2.2% |
| 128. | Togo | $88,549,000 | -2.2% |
| 129. | Afghanistan | $83,527,000 | +68.8% |
| 130. | French Polynesia | $80,286,000 | +3.2% |
| 131. | Madagascar | $79,094,000 | +18% |
| 132. | Venezuela | $78,241,000 | +6% |
| 133. | Curaçao | $76,707,000 | -17.6% |
| 134. | Sudan | $75,517,000 | -67.5% |
| 135. | Syria | $75,006,000 | +15.5% |
| 136. | Uganda | $73,406,000 | -56.4% |
| 137. | Cameroon | $73,351,000 | -14.5% |
| 138. | Angola | $70,056,000 | -74.6% |
| 139. | Suriname | $69,233,000 | +86.9% |
| 140. | US Minor Outlying Is | $63,941,000 | +4.3% |
| 141. | Benin | $63,057,000 | -6.3% |
| 142. | Democratic Rep. Congo | $61,487,000 | -20.5% |
| 143. | Cuba | $60,837,000 | +34.4% |
| 144. | Aruba | $51,527,000 | -11.1% |
| 145. | Faroe Islands | $51,499,000 | +3.3% |
| 146. | Guyana | $50,486,000 | +20.7% |
| 147. | Fiji | $49,444,000 | -43.7% |
| 148. | Zimbabwe | $47,527,000 | -79.4% |
| 149. | Eswatini | $47,227,000 | -0.7% |
| 150. | Cayman Islands | $46,321,000 | +7.6% |
| 151. | Barbados | $44,868,000 | -3.6% |
| 152. | Haiti | $42,783,000 | -35.3% |
| 153. | Mauritania | $41,279,000 | -19.8% |
| 154. | Mali | $36,852,000 | -28.1% |
| 155. | Gabon | $32,718,000 | -23.9% |
| 156. | Antigua/Barbuda | $30,801,000 | -16.3% |
| 157. | Gambia | $30,499,000 | +35.5% |
| 158. | Djibouti | $29,359,000 | -67.3% |
| 159. | Lesotho | $26,363,000 | -10.9% |
| 160. | Bhutan | $25,838,000 | -17.2% |
| 161. | Kyrgyzstan | $25,135,000 | -27.8% |
| 162. | Malawi | $23,626,000 | -72% |
| 163. | Congo | $23,212,000 | -48.7% |
| 164. | Niger | $22,709,000 | -50.9% |
| 165. | Papua New Guinea | $22,023,000 | -42.6% |
| 166. | Sierra Leone | $21,797,000 | -51.7% |
| 167. | Somalia | $21,653,000 | -73.6% |
| 168. | Seychelles | $21,629,000 | -37.6% |
| 169. | Equatorial Guinea | $21,244,000 | -32.8% |
| 170. | Bermuda | $21,195,000 | -11.7% |
| 171. | Cabo Verde | $17,751,000 | -24.9% |
| 172. | British Virgin Islands | $17,456,000 | -62.1% |
| 173. | Saint Lucia | $16,334,000 | -5.3% |
| 174. | Northern Mariana Is | $15,986,000 | +32.5% |
| 175. | Belize | $15,467,000 | -4.9% |
| 176. | Turks/Caicos Islands | $15,332,000 | +10% |
| 177. | Nicaragua | $15,229,000 | -75.8% |
| 178. | Liberia | $14,885,000 | -33.9% |
| 179. | Turkmenistan | $13,504,000 | -46.1% |
| 180. | Timor-Leste | $12,811,000 | -20.9% |
| 181. | Chad | $12,165,000 | -31.6% |
| 182. | Saint Kitts/Nevis | $12,095,000 | +20.7% |
| 183. | Samoa | $10,483,000 | +3% |
| 184. | Grenada | $9,799,000 | -16.1% |
| 185. | Rwanda | $9,514,000 | -86.3% |
| 186. | Greenland | $9,249,000 | +10.8% |
| 187. | Maldives | $8,763,000 | +25.9% |
| 188. | Dominica | $7,140,000 | -51.4% |
| 189. | Burundi | $7,101,000 | -73.9% |
| 190. | Solomon Islands | $6,201,000 | -61.7% |
| 191. | Vanuatu | $6,182,000 | -9.5% |
| 192. | Central African Rep | $5,665,000 | -77.2% |
| 193. | St Vincent/Grenadines | $5,583,000 | -33.8% |
| 194. | Comoros | $5,553,000 | -30.1% |
| 195. | Guinea-Bissau | $5,178,000 | +7.4% |
| 196. | Anguilla | $5,164,000 | +32% |
| 197. | South Sudan | $4,612,000 | -90.2% |
| 198. | Palau | $3,694,000 | -28% |
| 199. | Marshall Islands | $3,109,000 | +21.1% |
| 200. | Micronesia | $2,844,000 | +8.5% |
| 201. | Iran | $2,838,000 | -99.4% |
| 202. | Sao Tome/Principe | $2,730,000 | -36.5% |
| 203. | Tonga | $2,713,000 | -9.5% |
| 204. | Falkland Is (Malvinas) | $2,485,000 | +10.7% |
| 205. | St Maarten (Dutch) | $2,439,000 | -26% |
| 206. | Bonaire/St Eustatius/Saba | $2,312,000 | +33.3% |
| 207. | Kiribati | $2,167,000 | +31.7% |
| 208. | Guam | $2,028,000 | -28.7% |
| 209. | Nauru | $1,297,000 | -46.4% |
| 210. | St. Pierre/Miquelon | $1,266,000 | +15% |
| 211. | Cook Islands | $936,000 | -45.2% |
| 212. | Saint Helena | $882,000 | -41.7% |
| 213. | Christmas Island | $854,000 | -12% |
| 214. | Montserrat | $732,000 | -0.3% |
| 215. | French S./Antarctic Terr | $714,000 | +399.3% |
| 216. | Norfolk Island | $559,000 | +320.3% |
| 217. | Cocos (Keeling) Islands | $388,000 | -21.3% |
| 218. | Eritrea | $228,000 | -81.1% |
| 219. | Wallis/Futuna Islands | $207,000 | +38.9% |
| 220. | British Indian Ocean Terr | $109,000 | 0% |
| 221. | Niue | $107,000 | -29.1% |
| 222. | Tuvalu | $74,000 | -79.3% |
| 223. | Western Sahara | $51,000 | -62.8% |
| 224. | North Korea | $29,000 | -92.7% |
See also Cars Exports by Country, America’s Top Trading Partners and United Kingdom’s Top 10 Imports
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on May 1, 2020
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on May 1, 2020
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on May 1, 2020
