The value for all US import purchases of cars in 2020 endured a -15.9% decrease since 2016 and a -18.9% downtick from 2019 to 2020.
America’s top 5 car suppliers are Japan, Mexico, Canada, South Korea and Germany. Combined, those automobile providers earned 83.4% of money spent on cars delivered to the US in 2020.
Applying a wider continental lens, the US paid 40.8% of its total spending on imported cars to fellow partners under the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) formerly the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Close behind in second place were car suppliers in Asia garnering 36.3%.
Now minus the United Kingdom, the 27-nation European Union furnished 18.2% worth of cars imported into America. That percentage represents a -20.2% drop from the value of US imported cars from 2019 to 2020.
Meanwhile, the UK sold 4.3% worth of all US imported cars in 2020. That metric represents a drastic -36.5% decline from 2019.
For research purposes, the four-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) prefix code is 8703 for cars.
Countries Exporting Cars to America
Top 15
America’s top 15 suppliers of cars in 2020 generated 98.8% of US purchases originating from foreign markets, with approaching two-thirds (63.5%) of the overall value coming from Canada, Japan and Mexico.
- Japan: US$33 billion (22.7% of total US imported cars)
- Mexico: $29.9 billion (20.5%)
- Canada: $29.5 billion (20.3%)
- South Korea: $16.6 billion (11.4%)
- Germany: $12.5 billion (8.6%)
- United Kingdom: $6.3 billion (4.3%)
- Slovakia: $3.9 billion (2.7%)
- Italy: $3.3 billion (2.2%)
- Sweden: $2.5 billion (1.7%)
- China: $1.7 billion (1.2%)
- Austria: $1.3 billion (0.9%)
- Belgium: $1.1 billion (0.8%)
- Hungary: $1 billion (0.7%)
- India: $817.8 million (0.6%)
- South Africa: $542.6 million (0.4%)
Among the top 15 companies above, the sole growth suppliers from 2019 to 2020 were South Africa (up 50.1%), Sweden (up 6.7%), South Korea (up 1.3%) and Slovakia (up 0.7%).
Leading the decliners year over year were the UK (down -36.5%), Germany (down -30.8%), India (down -26.6%), Canada (down -21.9%), Mexico (down -21.5%) and Austria (down -17.9%).
Deficit Creators
America is a key producer and seller of its own cars on international markets. In 2020, the United States shipped $45.6 billion worth of cars to its trade partners (down -18.7% from $56.2 billion in 2019).
American revenues from exporting cars is less than a third of the -$145.7 billion that the US spent importing cars during 2020.
The US product category trade deficit for cars was an overall -$100 billion in 2020. That amount of red ink reflects a 18.9% decline from -$123.4 billion one year earlier in 2019.
Below you will find the 15 countries that caused America’s highest negative trade balances from buying and selling cars on international markets in 2020.
- Japan: -US$32.2 billion (product deficit down -17.1% since 2019)
- Mexico: -$28.3 billion (down -20.1%)
- Canada: -$18.9 billion (down -20.9%)
- South Korea: -$14.2 billion (down -2%)
- Germany: -$5.7 billion (down -48.4%)
- United Kingdom: -$4.8 billion (down -42.8%)
- Slovakia: -$3.9 billion (up 0.7%)
- Italy: -$3.2 billion (down -3.6%)
- Sweden: -$2.4 billion (up 9.8%)
- Austria: -$1.3 billion (down -15.7%)
- Hungary: -$1 billion (down -1.1%)
- India: -$808.5 million (down -26.7%)
- South Africa: -$492.4 million (up 88%)
- Turkey: -$350.4 million (down -14.2%)
- Finland: -$295.6 million (down -53.4%)
American trade deficits from buying and selling cars from its top suppliers widened from 2019 to 2020 with South Africa (up 88%), Sweden (up 9.8%) and Slovakia (up 0.1%).
The US was able to trim the size of its negative trade balances by the greatest percentage with Finland (down -53.4%), Germany (down -48.4%), United Kingdom (down -42.8%), India (down -26.7%), Canada (down -20.9%) and Mexico (down -20.1%).
Surpluses
The United States did earn surpluses from the global car trade with 177 other countries, islands or territories.
Notably, America captured $14.8 billion in positive cashflow during 2020 from buying and selling cars with the following 15 countries.
- China: US$4.4 billion (product surplus down -19% since 2019)
- Belgium: $2.5 billion (down -30.3%)
- United Arab Emirates: $1.4 billion (down -31.3%)
- Saudi Arabia: $1.3 billion (down -15%)
- Australia: $895.7 million (down -47.6%)
- Nigeria: $760.4 million (up 7%)
- Taiwan: $706.2 million (up 21.4%)
- Ukraine: $657.4 million (up 25.3%)
- Jordan: $378.4 million (down -2%)
- Dominican Republic: $319.1 million (up 23.6%)
- Oman: $363.4 million (down -11.3%)
- Kuwait: $356 million (down -40.8%)
- Lithuania: $288.7 million (down -11.1%)
- Ghana: $212.4 million (up 55.6%)
- Georgia: $206.2 million (down -56.9%)
The US grew its car trade surpluses from 2019 to 2020 at the expense of Ghana (up 55.6%), Ukraine (up 25.3%), Taiwan (up 21.4%) and Nigeria (up 7%).
In contrast, American surpluses from buying and selling cars shrank the most year over year with: Georgia (down -56.9%), Australia (down -47.6%), Kuwait (down -40.8%), United Arab Emirates (down -31.9%), Belgium (down -30.3%) and China (down -19%).
Searchable List of US Imported Cars Suppliers
The table below shows the dollar amount for cars sold to the US in 2020 by 72 supplier countries. Also shown is the percentage value change for each supplier from 2019 to 2020.
| Rank | Supplier | Car Imports US$ | 2019-2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Japan | $32,994,199,000 | -17.4% |
| 2. | Mexico | $29,890,826,000 | -21.5% |
| 3. | Canada | $29,544,150,000 | -21.9% |
| 4. | South Korea | $16,554,249,000 | +1.3% |
| 5. | Germany | $12,490,131,000 | -30.8% |
| 6. | United Kingdom | $6,282,268,000 | -36.5% |
| 7. | Slovakia | $3,892,770,000 | +0.7% |
| 8. | Italy | $3,273,941,000 | -6.4% |
| 9. | Sweden | $2,458,107,000 | +6.7% |
| 10. | China | $1,689,004,000 | -6% |
| 11. | Austria | $1,290,225,000 | -17.9% |
| 12. | Belgium | $1,141,242,000 | -14.7% |
| 13. | Hungary | $1,036,365,000 | -2.6% |
| 14. | India | $817,772,000 | -26.6% |
| 15. | South Africa | $542,573,000 | +50.1% |
| 16. | Turkey | $403,732,000 | -19.4% |
| 17. | Finland | $356,851,000 | -50.4% |
| 18. | Netherlands | $299,344,000 | -41.7% |
| 19. | Thailand | $217,207,000 | -29% |
| 20. | Spain | $178,076,000 | -9.4% |
| 21. | France | $111,725,000 | +25.2% |
| 22. | Taiwan | $92,180,000 | +11.3% |
| 23. | Vietnam | $80,905,000 | +1,649% |
| 24. | Brazil | $4,372,000 | +16.9% |
| 25. | Serbia | $4,351,000 | -42.8% |
| 26. | Denmark | $3,214,000 | +2.4% |
| 27. | Czech Republic | $2,021,000 | -37% |
| 28. | Ukraine | $1,616,000 | -84.7% |
| 29. | Australia | $1,586,000 | -74.3% |
| 30. | New Zealand | $672,000 | +540% |
| 31. | Switzerland | $568,000 | -94.4% |
| 32. | Colombia | $376,000 | +52.2% |
| 33. | Russia | $356,000 | +18.3% |
| 34. | Poland | $324,000 | -99% |
| 35. | Israel | $323,000 | +169.2% |
| 36. | Costa Rica | $238,000 | +19% |
| 37. | Indonesia | $225,000 | -65.2% |
| 38. | Portugal | $182,000 | -65.4% |
| 39. | Qatar | $152,000 | +533.3% |
| 40. | Bulgaria | $128,000 | +481.8% |
| 41. | Venezuela | $93,000 | -86.4% |
| 42. | Greece | $79,000 | -59.1% |
| 43. | Ireland | $69,000 | -74.5% |
| 44. | Albania | $68,000 | +580% |
| 45. | Lebanon | $65,000 | +58.5% |
| 46. | Montenegro | $48,000 | 0% |
| 47. | Romania | $43,000 | +30.3% |
| 48. | Kuwait | $38,000 | +137.5% |
| 49. | Guatemala | $34,000 | +580% |
| 50. | Jordan | $33,000 | 0% |
| 51. | Latvia | $33,000 | +57.1% |
| 52. | United Arab Emirates | $32,000 | -95.7% |
| 53. | Oman | $21,000 | 0% |
| 54. | Egypt | $18,000 | 0% |
| 55. | Morocco | $16,000 | +166.7% |
| 56. | Bosnia/Herzegovina | $14,000 | 0% |
| 57. | Georgia | $14,000 | +180% |
| 58. | Antigua/Barbuda | $13,000 | 0% |
| 59. | El Salvador | $13,000 | -13.3% |
| 60. | Argentina | $12,000 | -96.4% |
| 61. | Peru | $12,000 | 0% |
| 62. | Curaçao | $11,000 | +57.1% |
| 63. | Bermuda | $10,000 | 0% |
| 64. | Mozambique | $9,000 | 0% |
| 65. | Lithuania | $8,000 | +33.3% |
| 66. | Saudi Arabia | $6,000 | -86.7% |
| 67. | Ivory Coast | $5,000 | -93.9% |
| 68. | Jamaica | $5,000 | 0% |
| 69. | Moldova | $5,000 | 0% |
| 70. | Gibraltar | $3,000 | -99.9% |
| 71. | Solomon Islands | $3,000 | 0% |
| 72. | Pakistan | $3,000 | -66.7% |
You can change presentation order by clicking the triangle icon at the top of the columns. Note than an entry of 0% in the fourth column means that no 2019 data was available.
Top 10 US States for Imported Cars
Based on 2018 data, listed below are the key American states that spend the most on imported cars.
- California: US$47.1 billion
- Michigan: $43.8 billion
- Texas: $17.1 billion
- Georgia: $10.9 billion
- Maryland: $10.7 billion
- Tennessee: $8.9 billion
- Rhode Island: $6.2 billion
- Washington: $3.9 billion
- Florida: $3.6 billion
- New Jersey: $3.2 billion
See also US Exported & Imported Cars by State, America’s Top Trading Partners, Car Imports by Country and Top Cars Exporters by Country
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities, . Accessed on June 17, 2021
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on June 17, 2021
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on June 17, 2021
Wikipedia, Car. Accessed on June 17, 2021
Wikipedia, List of automobile manufacturers. Accessed on June 17, 2021
Wikipedia, List of car brands. Accessed on June 17, 2021
