Global Car Sales & Rankings by Region & Country for 2021
Global car sales in 2021 showed signs of recovery compared to the previous year, although challenges and uncertainties persisted due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Here are some key points regarding global car sales in 2021:
In 2021, global car sales reached approximately 75 million units, representing a significant increase compared to the previous year. The recovery in sales was driven by various factors, including easing pandemic restrictions, increased consumer confidence, and economic rebound in several regions.
Asia, particularly China, continued to be the largest market for car sales in 2021. China maintained its position as the world’s largest car market, with robust sales growth. Europe and North America also witnessed improved sales compared to the previous year, albeit at a more moderate pace.
In 2021, there were several notable trends in the global car market. The demand for SUVs and crossovers remained strong, as they continued to be popular among consumers for their versatility and higher driving position. Additionally, electric vehicle (EV) sales saw further growth, with increasing adoption and more automakers introducing EV models.
The recovery of global car sales in 2021 was influenced by multiple factors. The easing of pandemic-related restrictions, government stimulus measures, and increased consumer spending contributed to improved sales. However, supply chain challenges, including semiconductor shortages, affected production and limited vehicle availability in some instances.
The indicator estimates the number of new passenger car registrations and sales that took place within a country in a year. Passenger cars are road motor vehicles, other than a motor cycle, intended for the carriage of passengers and designed to seat no more than nine persons (including the driver).
Please note: For 2021, we have only got data on the top 58 markets which is why our data may differ from other sources.
2021 Top Level Stats for Global Car Sales
The average for 2021 based on 58 countries was 955,001 passenger cars. The highest value was in China: 21,481,537 passenger cars and the lowest value was in Bulgaria: 24,537 passenger cars. Total new passenger car sales hit 52,646,423 sales units globally in 2021.
- Total Car Sales for 2021: 55,390,039 – Globally
- Top Ranked Country Sales: 21,481,537 – China
- Lowest Ranked Country Sales: 24,537 – Bulgaria
- Average Country Sales: 955,000.7
- Number of Countries in Analysis: 58
2021 Passenger Car Sales by Region
| Region | Sales Units | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Europe | 13,736,595 | -1.06 |
| Asia | 33,335,719 | 7.68 |
| Africa | 673,696 | 26.54 |
| North America | 4,276,253 | 0.55 |
| South America | 2,503,221 | 10.66 |
| Australia / Oceania | 864,555 | 14.17 |
2021 Region Share of Total Global Sales
List of Countries by Motor Vehicle Production for 2021
It’s important to note that the specific sales figures and rankings may vary slightly depending on the source, as data can differ between different market research firms and organizations. For this analysis, we have used OICA data.
| Countries | Sales Units | Rank | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | 21,481,537 | 1 | 6.46 |
| Japan | 3,675,698 | 2 | -3.52 |
| USA | 3,350,050 | 3 | -1.52 |
| India | 3,082,279 | 4 | 26.66 |
| Germany | 2,622,132 | 5 | -10.13 |
| France | 1,659,005 | 6 | 0.54 |
| UK | 1,647,181 | 7 | 0.99 |
| Brazil | 1,558,467 | 8 | -3.56 |
| Russia | 1,483,444 | 9 | 3.45 |
| South Korea | 1,468,873 | 10 | -9.24 |
| Italy | 1,456,674 | 11 | 5.44 |
| Spain | 859,476 | 12 | 0.97 |
| Australia | 753,256 | 13 | 11.30 |
| Indonesia | 659,809 | 14 | 69.65 |
| Turkey | 561,853 | 15 | -7.91 |
| Mexico | 520,112 | 16 | -2.25 |
| Saudi Arabia | 475,837 | 17 | 22.73 |
| Malaysia | 452,663 | 18 | -5.88 |
| Poland | 446,647 | 19 | 4.27 |
| Belgium | 383,123 | 20 | -9.75 |
| Taiwan | 382,000 | 21 | 99.65 |
| Netherlands | 324,336 | 22 | -9.40 |
| Canada | 320,605 | 23 | 0.58 |
| Thailand | 312,200 | 24 | -9.11 |
| South Africa | 304,340 | 25 | 22.93 |
| Chile | 304,045 | 26 | 56.62 |
| Sweden | 301,006 | 27 | 3.08 |
| Israel | 272,646 | 28 | 34.73 |
| Argentina | 241,619 | 29 | 8.14 |
| Austria | 239,803 | 30 | -6.95 |
| Switzerland | 238,481 | 31 | 0.70 |
| Egypt | 215,072 | 32 | 28.18 |
| Vietnam | 207,693 | 33 | -3.80 |
| Czechia | 206,876 | 34 | 1.92 |
| Colombia | 200,914 | 35 | 135.59 |
| Pakistan | 198,921 | 36 | 90.56 |
| Denmark | 185,324 | 37 | -6.46 |
| Philippines | 180,642 | 38 | 17.43 |
| Norway | 176,276 | 39 | 41.67 |
| UA Emirates | 156,780 | 40 | 20.69 |
| Morocco | 154,284 | 41 | 31.81 |
| Portugal | 149,740 | 42 | 2.97 |
| Uzbekistan | 138,377 | 43 | -5.38 |
| Hungary | 121,920 | 44 | -4.77 |
| Romania | 120,804 | 45 | -4.39 |
| Peru | 111,436 | 46 | 36.74 |
| New Zealand | 111,299 | 47 | 38.37 |
| Jordan | 106,304 | 48 | 659.31 |
| Ireland | 104,669 | 49 | 18.51 |
| Ukraine | 103,262 | 50 | 20.84 |
| Greece | 100,916 | 51 | 24.62 |
| Finland | 98,481 | 52 | 2.17 |
| Ecuador | 86,740 | 53 | 40.48 |
| Puerto Rico | 85,486 | 54 | 3.49 |
| Kuwait | 83,460 | 55 | 14.88 |
| Slovakia | 75,700 | 56 | -0.79 |
| Croatia | 44,929 | 57 | 24.61 |
| Bulgaria | 24,537 | 58 | 9.70 |
2021 Worldwide Passenger Car Sales by Country
This visual tree-chart shows the relative size of the global car market and how each country fairs in terms of market share size. As you can see, the big five countries make up a huge part of the global car market.
Top 30 New Car Markets for 2021
While global car sales showed signs of recovery in 2021, the industry continued to face uncertainties. Ongoing COVID-19 concerns, supply chain disruptions, and evolving consumer preferences presented challenges. Additionally, the transition towards electric and autonomous vehicles, as well as increasing focus on sustainability and environmental regulations, shaped the future outlook of the automotive industry.
Source: OICA
