The overall cost of cars imported by all importing countries decreased by an average -9.1% since 2016 when cars purchased on international markets were valued at $708.1 billion. Year over year, the total dollar value for globally imported cars fell by -17.7% from 2019 to 2020.
From a continental perspective, Europe bought the highest dollar worth of imported cars during 2020 with purchases costing $304.1 billion or 47.3% of the global total. In second place were North American importers at 26.9% while 19.4% of cars imported worldwide were delivered to buyers in Asia.
Smaller percentages went to importers in Oceanian countries (2.4%) led by Australia and New Zealand, Africa (2.2%) and Latin America excluding Mexico plus the Caribbean (1.8%).
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 2020.
- United States: US$145.7 billion (22.6% of imported cars)
- Germany: $65.5 billion (10.2%)
- China: $44.9 billion (7%)
- France: $36.5 billion (5.7%)
- United Kingdom: $34.7 billion (5.4%)
- Belgium: $32.5 billion (5%)
- Italy: $22.7 billion (3.5%)
- Canada: $21.8 billion (3.4%)
- Spain: $13.8 billion (2.2%)
- Australia: $12.8 billion (2%)
- South Korea: $12.1 billion (1.9%)
- Saudi Arabia: $10.6 billion (1.6%)
- Netherlands: $10.4 billion (1.6%)
- Japan: $10.2 billion (1.6%)
- Switzerland: $10.1 billion (1.6%)
Among the above countries, the lone market for cars to generate growing demand from 2019 to 2020 was South Korea thanks to its 8.5% increase.
Those countries that posted declines in their imported cars purchases were led by: Spain (down -33.9%), Italy (down -26.4%), Canada (down -23.1%) and United Kingdom (down -20.9%).
The listed 15 countries purchased 75.3% of all cars imported in 2020.
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 2020. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country from 2019 to 2020.
- Japan: US$33 billion (down -17.4% from 2019)
- Mexico: $29.9 billion (down -21.5%)
- Canada: $29.5 billion (down -21.9%)
- South Korea: $16.6 billion (up 1.3%)
- Germany: $12.5 billion (down -30.8%)
- United Kingdom: $6.3 billion (down -36.5%)
- Slovakia: $3.9 billion (up 0.7%)
- Italy: $3.3 billion (down -6.4%)
- Sweden: $2.5 billion (up 6.7%)
- China: $1.7 billion (down -6%)
- Austria: $1.3 billion (down -17.9%)
- Belgium: $1.1 billion (down -14.7%)
- Hungary: $1 billion (down -2.6%)
- India: $817.8 million (down -26.6%)
- South Africa: $542.6 million (up 50.1%)
The listed 15 countries shipped 98.8% of cars imported by the United States in 2020.
Among the above countries, the only suppliers to grow their sales of cars to the US from 2019 to 2020 were: South Africa (up 50.1%), Sweden (up 6.7%), South Korea (up 1.3%) and Slovakia (up 0.7%).
Countries that experienced declines in the value of their cars supplied to American importers were led by: United Kingdom (down -36.5%), Germany (down -30.8%), India (down -26.6%) and Canada (down -21.9%).
Overall, the value of America’s import cars dropped by an average -18.9% from all supplying countries since 2019 when cars purchased from international markets were valued at $179.5 billion.
Germany
Cars Imports into Germany
Below are the top 15 suppliers from which Germany imported the highest dollar value worth of cars during 2020. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country from 2019 to 2020.
- Spain: US$8.7 billion (down -9.8% from 2019)
- United States: $6.9 billion (up 12.5%)
- Czech Republic: $6.2 billion (down -0.7%)
- Slovakia: $5.4 billion (down -18.1%)
- France: $4.3 billion (down -8.6%)
- Hungary: $4.3 billion (up 12.3%)
- Mexico: $4.1 billion (down -4.2%)
- Italy: $3.1 billion (up 14.5%)
- United Kingdom: $2.8 billion (down -18.4%)
- South Africa: $2.6 billion (down -43.2%)
- Japan: $2.4 billion (down -21.2%)
- Belgium: $2.3 billion (down -22.9%)
- South Korea: $1.5 billion (up 1.9%)
- Poland: $1.5 billion (down -2.9%)
- Sweden: $1.4 billion (down -2.8%)
The listed 15 countries shipped 87.8% of cars imported by Germany in 2020.
Among the above countries, the following 4 suppliers of cars increased their sales of imported cars to Germany from 2019 to 2020: Italy (up 14.5%), United States (up 12.5%), Hungary (up 12.3%) and South Korea (up 1.9%).
Countries that experienced declines in the value of their cars supplied to German importers were led by: South Africa (down -43.2%), Belgium (down -22.9%), Japan (down -21.2%) and United Kingdom (down -18.4%).
Overall, the value of Germany’s imported cars fell by an average -9.2% from all supplying countries since 2019 when cars purchased from international markets were valued at $72.2 billion.
China
Cars Imports into China
Below are the top 15 suppliers from which China imported the highest dollar value worth of cars during 2020. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country from 2019 to 2020.
- Germany: US$13.5 billion (down -2.6% from 2019)
- Japan: $10.1 billion (down -7.7%)
- United States: $8.5 billion (down -3.1%)
- Slovakia: $5.3 billion (up 10.1%)
- United Kingdom: $3.6 billion (down -6.5%)
- Thailand: $1.1 billion (up 58.2%)
- Sweden: $872.5 million (down -12.2%)
- Austria: $724.8 million (down -19.8%)
- Italy: $446.9 million (down -34%)
- Hungary: $239.6 million (up 209.7%)
- Netherlands: $157.8 million (up 7.1%)
- Mexico: $125.5 million (down -66.1%)
- Canada: $93.6 million (down -76.4%)
- Finland: $41 million (up 830.6%)
- Belgium: $11.4 million (down -94.3%)
The listed 15 countries shipped 99.9% of cars imported by China in 2020.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of cars to China from 2019 to 2020 were: Finland (up 830.6%), Hungary (up 209.7%), Thailand (up 58.2%) and Slovakia (up 10.1%).
Countries that experienced declines in the value of their cars supplied to Chinese importers were led by: Belgium (down -94.3%), Canada (down -76.4%), Mexico (down -66.1%) and Italy (down -34%).
Overall, the value of China’s cars imports retreated by an average -4.5% from all supplying countries since 2019 when cars purchased from international markets were valued at $47.1 billion.
France
Cars Imports into France
Below are the top 15 suppliers from which France imported the highest dollar value worth of cars during 2020. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country from 2019 to 2020.
- Spain: US$8 billion (up 9.9% from 2019)
- Germany: $6.1 billion (down -17.8%)
- Slovakia: $3.2 billion (up 9.5%)
- Turkey: $2.1 billion (down -6.1%)
- Italy: $1.7 billion (down -3.6%)
- Czech Republic: $1.6 billion (down -0.7%)
- Japan: $1.42 billion (down -4.3%)
- Morocco: $1.38 billion (up 1.3%)
- United Kingdom: $1.37 billion (down -30.5%)
- Belgium: $1.1 billion (up 11.2%)
- South Korea: $986 million (up 6.3%)
- Romania: $939.7 million (up 5.2%)
- United States: $840.3 million (up 2.2%)
- Slovenia: $834.8 million (down -17.5%)
- Hungary: $746.3 million (down -19.6%)
The listed 15 countries shipped 83.8% of cars imported by France in 2020.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of cars to France from 2019 to 2020 were: Belgium (up 11.2%), Spain (up 9.9%), Slovakia (up 9.5%) and South Korea (up 6.3%).
Countries that experienced declines in the value of their cars supplied to French importers were led by: United Kingdom (down -30.5%), Hungary (down -19.6%), Germany (down -17.8%) and Slovenia (down -17.5%).
Overall, the value of France’s cars imports dropped by an average -5.2% from all supplying countries since 2019 when cars purchased from international markets were valued at $38.5 billion.
Searchable List of Cars Importing Countries in 2020
You can change the presentation order by clicking the triangle icon at the top of any of the columns below. An entry of 0% in the right-most column means that no 2019 data is available.
| Rank | Importer | Car Imports (US$) | 2019-20 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | United States | $145,659,382,000 | -18.9% |
| 2. | Germany | $65,529,511,000 | -9.2% |
| 3. | China | $44,923,331,000 | -4.5% |
| 4. | France | $36,476,373,000 | -5.2% |
| 5. | United Kingdom | $34,661,778,000 | -20.9% |
| 6. | Belgium | $32,495,261,000 | -18.7% |
| 7. | Italy | $22,703,002,000 | -26.4% |
| 8. | Canada | $21,849,192,000 | -23.1% |
| 9. | Spain | $13,844,345,000 | -33.9% |
| 10. | Australia | $12,846,966,000 | -13.7% |
| 11. | South Korea | $12,060,521,000 | +8.5% |
| 12. | Saudi Arabia | $10,560,451,000 | -3.4% |
| 13. | Netherlands | $10,441,925,000 | -17% |
| 14. | Japan | $10,158,709,000 | -16.3% |
| 15. | Switzerland | $10,113,450,000 | -7.7% |
| 16. | Poland | $8,839,449,000 | -18.4% |
| 17. | Austria | $7,963,697,000 | -20.4% |
| 18. | Turkey | $7,928,656,000 | +124.2% |
| 19. | Sweden | $7,870,230,000 | -9.1% |
| 20. | Taiwan | $6,060,209,000 | +9.8% |
| 21. | United Arab Emirates | $5,987,560,000 | -57% |
| 22. | Mexico | $5,788,132,000 | -41.3% |
| 23. | Norway | $5,679,663,000 | -3.4% |
| 24. | Russia | $5,426,679,000 | -31.4% |
| 25. | Denmark | $4,693,696,000 | -4.1% |
| 26. | Israel | $4,163,269,000 | -18% |
| 27. | Portugal | $3,862,999,000 | -28.7% |
| 28. | Czech Republic | $3,687,798,000 | -14.5% |
| 29. | Ukraine | $3,504,576,000 | -3.1% |
| 30. | Hungary | $3,265,541,000 | -12.9% |
| 31. | Finland | $3,061,860,000 | -5.5% |
| 32. | Nigeria | $2,920,245,000 | +8% |
| 33. | Egypt | $2,751,784,000 | +8.1% |
| 34. | New Zealand | $2,441,047,000 | -24.7% |
| 35. | Romania | $2,340,165,000 | -20.2% |
| 36. | Slovakia | $2,270,188,000 | -19.1% |
| 37. | Luxembourg | $2,201,652,000 | -11.7% |
| 38. | Kuwait | $2,180,459,000 | -32.4% |
| 39. | Ireland | $2,140,905,000 | -16.1% |
| 40. | South Africa | $2,102,562,000 | -46.6% |
| 41. | Vietnam | $2,086,609,000 | +4.1% |
| 42. | Philippines | $1,903,135,000 | -38.8% |
| 43. | Brazil | $1,761,573,000 | -46.9% |
| 44. | Slovenia | $1,740,716,000 | -23.1% |
| 45. | Argentina | $1,614,996,000 | -31.7% |
| 46. | Colombia | $1,531,224,000 | -33.9% |
| 47. | Oman | $1,500,253,000 | -54.8% |
| 48. | Chile | $1,464,497,000 | -54.6% |
| 49. | Hong Kong | $1,451,263,000 | -26.4% |
| 50. | Morocco | $1,427,170,000 | -34.9% |
| 51. | Greece | $1,413,001,000 | -18.8% |
| 52. | Jordan | $1,251,160,000 | +48.9% |
| 53. | Lithuania | $1,223,970,000 | -21.4% |
| 54. | Qatar | $1,165,338,000 | +6.6% |
| 55. | Singapore | $1,121,787,000 | -45% |
| 56. | Thailand | $1,074,810,000 | -31.7% |
| 57. | Malaysia | $1,046,801,000 | -48.9% |
| 58. | Croatia | $972,197,000 | -34.6% |
| 59. | Peru | $969,646,000 | -35.7% |
| 60. | Estonia | $892,597,000 | -13.9% |
| 61. | Pakistan | $860,288,000 | +8.9% |
| 62. | Bulgaria | $858,944,000 | -21% |
| 63. | Iraq | $853,508,000 | -66.2% |
| 64. | Belarus | $800,907,000 | -35.4% |
| 65. | Kazakhstan | $771,959,000 | +3.7% |
| 66. | Bahrain | $676,379,000 | -24.4% |
| 67. | Indonesia | $611,712,000 | -45.9% |
| 68. | Azerbaijan | $542,389,000 | -0.7% |
| 69. | Dominican Republic | $531,520,000 | -48.2% |
| 70. | Cambodia | $501,843,000 | -39.5% |
| 71. | Latvia | $495,902,000 | -34.9% |
| 72. | Uzbekistan | $475,139,000 | +8% |
| 73. | Serbia | $463,384,000 | -21.5% |
| 74. | Cyprus | $457,235,000 | -18.7% |
| 75. | Tunisia | $450,469,000 | -26.3% |
| 76. | Ecuador | $425,314,000 | -34.8% |
| 77. | Algeria | $424,597,000 | -42.7% |
| 78. | Ethiopia | $417,408,000 | -8.8% |
| 79. | Ghana | $416,738,000 | -52.7% |
| 80. | Guatemala | $411,506,000 | -26.1% |
| 81. | Paraguay | $410,611,000 | -22.7% |
| 82. | Kenya | $386,415,000 | -30.2% |
| 83. | Libya | $379,443,000 | -60.2% |
| 84. | Costa Rica | $363,322,000 | -33.2% |
| 85. | Bosnia/Herzegovina | $357,542,000 | -29.6% |
| 86. | Iceland | $340,130,000 | +5.8% |
| 87. | Bangladesh | $331,560,000 | -31.7% |
| 88. | Myanmar | $289,197,000 | +30% |
| 89. | Brunei Darussalam | $276,269,000 | +9% |
| 90. | Bolivia | $272,016,000 | -36.9% |
| 91. | Mongolia | $271,493,000 | -35.2% |
| 92. | Uruguay | $247,872,000 | -17.3% |
| 93. | Jamaica | $229,331,000 | -38.7% |
| 94. | Yemen | $223,016,000 | -34.6% |
| 95. | Lebanon | $220,953,000 | -71.4% |
| 96. | Benin | $200,697,000 | +218.3% |
| 97. | Macao | $194,511,000 | -20.2% |
| 98. | Trinidad/Tobago | $193,037,000 | -29.9% |
| 99. | Sri Lanka | $192,844,000 | -65.4% |
| 100. | Gibraltar | $192,434,000 | -22.1% |
See also Electric Cars Exports by Country, US Exported & Imported Cars by State and Cars Exports by Country
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on May 26, 2021
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on May 26, 2021
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on May 26, 2021
