Gitnux/Report 2026

Automotive Sales Industry Statistics

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Automotive Sales Industry Statistics
Samuel NorbergWritten by Samuel Norberg·Fact-checked by Maya Johansson
Published
How this report is researched
01Editorial Scope

An editor sets the topic, the inclusion criteria, and the evaluation framework before research starts.

02Source Research

AI search agents locate sources and extract each figure together with the document it came from.

Read our full methodology →

Search agents attach provenance to every extracted figure.

Next review: within 31 days

01 Industry overview

The automotive sales industry at a glance

Global vehicle sales reached 99.8 million units in 2025, while electric-car sales exceeded 20 million, making electrification and regional competition the industry’s defining forces.

99.8M[20]
Global vehicle sales, 2025
96.4M[20]
Global vehicle production, 2025
21M[18]
Global electric-car sales, 2025
17.4%[61]
EU battery-electric share, 2025
Market size
Global vehicle sales totaled 99.8 million units in 2025, up from 95.3 million in 2024. Global production reached 96.4 million vehicles, compared with 92.7 million in 2024.[20]
Market share & regions
Asia accounted for 55.1% of global vehicle sales in 2025, while the EU represented around 14% of global car sales. China remained the largest electric-car market, selling more than 13 million electric cars and accounting for over 60% of global electric-car sales.[65][61][18]
Segmentation
Electric cars exceeded 20 million global sales in 2025 and represented about one in four cars sold. Large cars and SUVs accounted for almost 70% of the global electric-car market, indicating that electrification is concentrated in larger vehicle segments.[18]
Key players & concentration
In the EU, the Volkswagen Group held a 27.5% market share during January–September 2025, while Stellantis held 15.8%. Volkswagen Group therefore remained the region’s largest automotive sales group, although the market included substantial competition from Renault, Toyota, Hyundai-Kia, BMW and newer Chinese brands.[61]
Pricing
The U.S. average transaction price for a new vehicle reached a record $50,326 in December 2025. Full-size pickup buyers paid an average of $66,386, while incentives rose to 7.5% of average transaction price in December.[1]
Trends, drivers & challenges
The main growth drivers are EV adoption, tighter emissions standards and increasing cost competitiveness. Challenges include high vehicle prices, affordability pressure, trade restrictions, regional overcapacity and the cost of funding the transition to batteries, software and connected vehicles.[18][1][61]
Consumer behavior & competition
Consumer demand is shifting toward electrified vehicles and larger body styles: EV sales reached 21 million globally in 2025, while SUVs and large cars represented almost 70% of global EV sales. In the EU, battery-electric models reached 17.4% of new-car registrations in 2025, and their share rose to 22.7% in January–September 2026.[18][61]
M&A
Automotive M&A remained active in 2026 across suppliers and dealerships. Apollo agreed to acquire Forvia’s automotive interiors business in April 2026, while Group 1 Automotive completed its Hennessy Automobile Companies acquisition in October 2026, with expected annual revenue of approximately $1.7 billion.[66][67]
Regulation
EU fleet-average CO2 targets require a 15% reduction for cars and vans in 2025–2029 versus the 2021 baseline. Existing EU legislation sets a 0 g CO2/km target from 2035, although the European Commission’s December 2025 Automotive Package proposed a 90% tailpipe-emissions reduction target with the remaining 10% compensated through low-carbon steel, e-fuels or biofuels.[68][69]
Latest news
The latest market data show EU new-car registrations up 5.7% year to date through September 2026, with battery-electric vehicles reaching a 22.7% share. In July 2026, Ford and Geely also announced plans for a joint venture to manufacture low- and zero-emission vehicles at Ford’s Valencia plant, which has annual capacity of 500,000 vehicles.[61][70]

02 Ranking

Top 10 Companies in the Automotive Sales Industry

The leading companies in the automotive sales industry, ranked on market impact, performance, momentum, innovation and brand popularity.

Updated November 10, 2026 · Next review December 10, 2026

Verdict

Geely Holding leads Gitnux's 2026 automotive sales ranking with an Overall score of 9.2, with 4.11 million vehicles sold in 2025, supplying global passenger and commercial segments. Toyota Motor is the runner-up at 8.8, driven by 9.36 million vehicles sold in fiscal 2025 across global manufacturing and sales.

Ranked by Overall score · How we score ↓

Editor's top 3 picks

Where to start, by need.

  1. #1 Overall · Leader in passenger and commercial vehicles

    Geely Holding

    CN

    Ranked #1 · 9.2 · Passenger and commercial vehicles

    Why we picked it: Its scale in global passenger and commercial vehicle sales is supported by 4.11 million 2025 units.

    See in ranking ↓Visit geely.com ↗

  2. #2 overall

    Toyota Motor

    JP

    Ranked #2 · 8.8 · Passenger and commercial vehicles

    Why we picked it: Its global volume of 9.36 million fiscal-2025 units anchors its vehicle manufacturing and sales footprint.

    See in ranking ↓Visit toyota.com ↗

  3. #3 overall

    General Motors

    US

    Ranked #3 · 8.7 · Passenger and commercial vehicles

    Why we picked it: Its 2025 automotive revenue of $167.971 billion reflects mix across passenger vehicles and truck sales.

    See in ranking ↓Visit gm.com ↗

Pick 1 is the #1 company overall. No other segment places in the top 5, so picks 2 and 3 follow rank.

Full ranking

Sort by
Top 10 companies in the automotive sales industry, 2026 – Gitnux ranking
#CompanyOverall ↓Company snapshot
1

Geely Holding

Passenger and commercial vehicles · CN

9.2
2

Toyota Motor

Passenger and commercial vehicles · JP

8.8
3

General Motors

Passenger and commercial vehicles · US

8.7
4

Hyundai Motor

Passenger and commercial vehicles · KR

8.6
5

Volkswagen Group

Passenger and commercial vehicles · DE

8.5
6

Chery Group

Chinese passenger vehicle exports · CN

8.5
7

BYD

Global electric and plug-in vehicle sales · CN

8.5
8

Tesla

Global electric vehicle sales · US

8.4
9

Mercedes-Benz Group

Global premium cars and vans · DE

8.4
10

Renault Group

European and international vehicle sales · FR

8.0

How we score

  • Impact (30%): scale and weight in the market (revenue, market share, employees, market position).
  • Performance (20%): recent revenue growth and operating margin; an analyst assessment where a company does not publish them.
  • Momentum (20%): growth trajectory and future potential.
  • Innovation (15%): R&D intensity and how technologically advanced the company is.

Popularity (brand search demand, 15%) counts toward Overall but is not published as a column. Overall leaves out what is not known.

Scale Scores are shown on a 7–10 scale with one decimal; bars start at 7.0.

Cadence Recalculated when new figures are published; next review December 10, 2026.

Independence. Rankings are editorially independent. Scores, ranks, picks and the verdict follow the method above; no company can pay to change them.

Cite this ranking

APA

Samuel Norberg. (2026, November 11). Top 10 companies in the automotive sales industry. In Automotive Sales Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/automotive-sales-industry-statistics/#top-companies

report visual · Comparison

Revenue of the largest automotive sales companies

Volkswagen Group leads with $347.7B in annual revenue (group level, converted to USD).

Volkswagen Group$347.7B
Toyota Motor$321.8B
General Motors$185.0B
Mercedes-Benz Group$142.8B
Hyundai Motor$136.0B
source-verifiedannualreport2025.volkswagen-group.com · global.toyota · sec.gov · group.mercedes-benz.com · hyundai.com2025

04 Statistics

Technology & Innovation

AI adoption shows up in dealership operations: 82% used AI in some form in Q2 2026, and 40% used it for customer follow-up.

AI in the automotive sales industry

  • 13% of U.S. dealerships reported having an external AI partner in 2026.[1]
  • 63% of U.S. in-market vehicle shoppers said they would probably or definitely use AI for their next vehicle purchase in 2026.[1]
  • 82% of U.S. dealerships reported using AI in some form in Q2 2026.[1]
  • 40% of U.S. dealerships used AI to coordinate customer follow-up in Q2 2026.[1]
  • 29% of dealerships currently used 24/7-response AI chatbots in the 2024 U.S. automotive retail study.[1]
  • 40% of U.S. dealerships used AI to automate routine and complex tasks in Q2 2026.[1]

Automation in the automotive sales industry

  • 83% of U.S. dealers said customers repeating online steps in-store affected dealership efficiency in 2024.[1]
  • 65% of U.S. vehicle shoppers said they would conduct some or most of the purchase process online in 2024.[1]
  • 77% of U.S. dealers said their current online retailing solutions met their digital retailing goals in 2024.[1]
  • 97% of U.S. dealers said customers completed online steps and repeated them in-store in 2024.[1]
  • 62% of U.S. dealers used multiple online retailing solutions in 2024.[1]
  • 69% of U.S. dealers said customers influenced adoption of online retailing tools in 2024.[1]

Digital Transformation in the automotive sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across automotive, 52% of executives said continuous transformation is now the industry norm rather than a program with an end date in 2026.[2]
  • Across automotive manufacturing, technology investment rose 35% year over year, from 23% to 31% of operating budgets, in 2024.[3]
  • Across automotive, 36% of executives said their company is entering a phase of deep transformation affecting business models, products and operations over the next three years in 2025.[2]
  • Across automotive, 47% of companies use AI and other advanced technologies today, a share expected to reach 72% by 2030, according to executives surveyed in 2026.[4]

Technology Adoption in the automotive sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across automotive, only 36% of AI and software initiatives had scaled beyond pilot stage and been adopted across the organization in 2026.[2]
  • Across automotive, 86% of companies reported investing heavily in AI and emerging technologies in 2025.[5]
  • Across automotive manufacturing, 48% of surveyed companies were not using AI in production in 2024, while 18% used it for supplier search.[6]
  • Across automotive manufacturing, 56% identified quality control as an AI application, while 45% identified process optimization and 45% robotics in 2025.[3]

Cloud Computing in the automotive sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across automotive and manufacturing organizations, 10% described themselves as cloud-evolved, the most advanced cloud-adoption category, in 2026.[7]
  • Across midsize automotive businesses, 39.8% cited cloud migration as a priority for simplification and process improvement, compared with 37.8% across industries, in the reported study.[8]
  • Across automotive OEMs and suppliers, 67% reported cloud spending below 1% of annual revenue in the 2022 study.[9]
  • Across automotive OEMs and suppliers, 44% reported that 50%–74% of infrastructure was in the cloud in the 2022 study.[9]

Big Data in the automotive sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across automotive executives, 81% reported collecting connected-vehicle telemetry, while 40% had an automated pipeline linking data collection, insights, validation and deployment in 2026.[10]
  • Across automotive businesses, 50.8% prioritized new or updated analytics products and decision-making tools to simplify work and processes in the reported study.[8]
  • Across automotive manufacturers, 76% viewed manufacturing analytics as very or extremely valuable in the 2021 smart-manufacturing survey.[11]
  • 36% of automotive manufacturers say industry leaders use collected data for artificial intelligence, applied AI, generative AI or machine learning, globally in 2024.[3]
  • 34% of automotive manufacturers say industry leaders use collected data to improve or monitor product quality, globally in 2024.[3]
  • 36% of automotive manufacturers say industry leaders use collected data for process optimization, globally in 2024.[3]

05 Statistics

Data & Analytics

Data capture gaps shape sales conversion: 3.5% of buyer touchpoints were captured by dealerships tracking only two interactions per journey.

Business intelligence in the automotive sales industry

  • 44% of dealerships had held off adopting new data solutions or tools because of fears about privacy issues or non-compliance in 2024.[1]
  • 83% of dealerships had analysis or insights available in a dashboard or reporting tool in Cox Automotive’s 2024 Power of Data study.[1]
  • 45% of dealerships were highly satisfied with insights from dedicated in-house data-analysis staff in 2024.[1]
  • 35% of dealership managers were highly confident in insights from dealership staff in 2024, compared with 26% for third-party vendors.[1]
  • 70% of dealership managers said they would implement a change based on analysis and insights developed from their data in 2024.[1]
  • 69% of dealership managers felt confident taking action on insights developed from their data in 2024.[1]

Data analytics in the automotive sales industry

  • 94% of U.S. dealers used vehicle data in their operations, according to reporting on Cox Automotive’s Power of Data study.[12]
  • 95 days was the average length of time automotive buyers spent in market before purchasing, according to Cox’s buyer-journey data.[1]
  • 3.5% of actual buyer touchpoints were captured by the average dealership tracking only two interactions per customer journey.[1]
  • 96% of U.S. dealers used customer or lead data in their operations, according to reporting on Cox Automotive’s Power of Data study.[12]
  • 8% of automotive sales in Clarivoy’s 875,000-sale sample were traceable in dealership CRM systems.[1]
  • 55% of automotive sales were influenced by Autotrader in a multi-touch attribution test, more than 2.5 times the share indicated by one-touch measurement.[1]

Data Quality in the automotive sector (sector benchmark)

  • 5% of automotive firms fully use 76–100% of their collected data, according to the 2025 global automotive manufacturing survey.[3]
  • 68% of automotive respondents identify data and technology adoption as a priority, according to Hexagon’s 2025 advanced manufacturing survey.[13]
  • 57% of automotive quality leaders estimate total quality costs exceed 5% of revenue, based on a 2026 survey of 65 leaders.[14]
  • 55% of tier-one and tier-two automotive suppliers still conduct capability studies in Excel, based on a 2021 survey of 215 suppliers.[15]
  • 30% of tier-one and tier-two automotive suppliers use real-time statistical process-control software, while 12% run software checks manually, in a 2021 survey.[15]

Data Governance in the automotive sector (sector benchmark)

  • 84% of automotive OEMs use a cross-functional steering committee to govern customer-privacy efforts, according to KPMG’s 2024 global survey.[2]
  • 42% of automotive OEMs employ a chief privacy officer to oversee systemic handling of sensitive data, according to KPMG’s 2024 global survey.[2]
  • 40% of automotive manufacturers have established a data-governance framework covering data flow, access control and retention, according to a 2019 survey of 100 firms.[10]
  • 34% of automotive manufacturers report complete visibility of data flows across all processes and IT-OT systems, based on a 2019 survey of 100 firms.[10]
  • 67% of automotive OEMs report to the board on customer-privacy efforts, according to KPMG’s 2024 global survey.[2]
  • 78% of automotive OEMs use metrics and KPIs to govern customer-privacy efforts, according to KPMG’s 2024 global survey.[2]

KPIs in the automotive sales industry

  • $186 was the average customer mechanical labor rate at a U.S. new-vehicle dealership in 2025.[16]
  • 16,252 repair orders were written by the average U.S. new-vehicle dealership in 2025.[16]
  • $1,150 was the average body-shop sales value per repair order at U.S. dealerships in 2025.[16]
  • 34.0% of U.S. dealerships operated on-site body shops in 2025.[16]
  • 1.43 dollars of parts sales were generated per dollar of service labor sales at the average U.S. new-vehicle dealership in 2025.[16]
  • $572,382 was the average parts inventory held by a U.S. new-vehicle dealership in 2025.[16]

06 Statistics

Strategy & Growth

Global sales expanded to 99.8 million units in 2025, while EV volumes scaled to 21 million globally in 2025, changing allocation across regions.

Growth in the automotive sales industry

  • Leapmotor International began operations in September 2024 across nine European countries before expanding to additional regions.[17]
  • Pure internal-combustion-engine car sales were 30% below their 2017 peak in 2024.[18]
  • Global electric-car sales grew more than fourteenfold between 2017 and 2024.[18]
  • Hyundai expects five co-developed GM alliance vehicles to exceed 800,000 annual sales once fully scaled.[19]
  • Global electric-car sales exceeded one-fifth of total car sales in 2024.[18]
  • Global vehicle sales increased 4.7% to 99.8 million units in 2025.[20]

Differentiation in the automotive sales industry

  • Penske generated 72% of retail franchised-dealership revenue from premium brands in 2024.[21]
  • Genesis surpassed 1.5 million cumulative global sales by November 2025.[22]
  • Ford’s 2024 wholesale volume included 155,000 units in Germany and 114,000 in Türkiye.[23]
  • Ford’s 2024 wholesale volume included 269,000 units in Canada and 242,000 in the United Kingdom.[23]
  • Ford sold 4.47 million vehicles at wholesale worldwide in 2024.[23]
  • Ford’s 2024 wholesale volume included 109,000 units in Italy and 104,000 in Australia.[23]

Mergers and acquisitions in the automotive sales industry

  • Strategic buyers represented 67% of announced automotive M&A transactions in 2024.[24]
  • Automotive M&A median transaction values increased in the second half of 2024 as larger disclosed deals became more common.[24]
  • Automotive M&A activity in 2024 remained broadly consistent with subdued 2023 levels.[24]
  • Stellantis invested approximately €1.5 billion to acquire about 21% of Leapmotor in 2023, supporting its 2024 international joint venture.[17]
  • Automotive sales, leasing and rental M&A recorded 1,114 announced transactions from Q1 2020 through Q2 2024.[25]
  • Automotive sales, leasing and rental M&A represented approximately $28.7 billion of invested capital from Q1 2020 through Q2 2024.[25]

Strategic partnerships in the automotive sales industry

  • Hyundai and GM’s strategic alliance includes five co-developed vehicles planned for launch as early as 2028.[19]
  • Hyundai and GM signed a 2024 memorandum covering vehicle development, manufacturing, supply chains and clean-energy technologies.[19]
  • Leapmotor International and Grimaldi delivered nearly 100,000 vehicles from China to Europe during the 18 months ending May 2026.[26]
  • Toyota’s FAW and GAC joint ventures had served more than 23 million customers in China by 2026.[27]
  • Stellantis and Leapmotor formed a 51/49 Stellantis-led international joint venture in 2024.[17]
  • Maserati MSG Racing and PETRONAS formed a multi-year technical partnership beginning with Formula E Season 10.[26]

07 Statistics

People & Workforce

Workforce stability varies by role: U.S. dealership employees had a 77% one-year retention rate in 2024, while Canadian service-advisor retention was 45% over three years.

Hiring in the automotive sales industry

  • 46% of Canadian dealership sales-consultant hires were Millennials in 2023, compared with 35% who were Generation Z.[28]
  • 57% of Canadian dealership F&I-manager hires were Millennials in 2023, compared with 12% who were Generation Z.[28]
  • 59% of Canadian dealership service B-technician hires were Millennials in 2023, compared with 20% who were Generation Z.[28]
  • 33% of new U.S. dealership parts-consultant hires were Generation Z in 2024.[16]
  • 47% of new U.S. dealership hires were Generation Z in 2024.[16]

Employee retention in the automotive sales industry

  • 56% was Generation Z turnover in Canadian dealerships in 2023.[28]
  • 77% was the one-year retention rate for U.S. dealership employees in 2024.[16]
  • 45% was three-year retention for Canadian service advisors in 2023.[28]
  • 76% was one-year retention across Canadian dealership positions in 2023.[28]
  • 49% was the three-year retention rate for U.S. dealership employees in 2024.[16]

Remote Work in the automotive sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across global automotive companies, 2% of corporate employees worked fully remotely in 2024, according to a survey of 120 automotive CEOs.[5]
  • Across U.S. motor-vehicle manufacturers, 3.4% of positions were fully remote in 2024, based on employer recruiting data.[29]
  • Across automotive and other transportation companies, 61% said in 2024 that they were seeking more remote workers in low-cost-of-living areas.[30]
  • Across automotive and other transportation companies, 63% said in 2024 that they were mandating employees return to the workplace.[30]

Hybrid Work in the automotive sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across U.S. motor-vehicle manufacturers, 64% of positions were fully in-person in 2024, based on employer recruiting data.[29]
  • Across global automotive companies, 3% of corporate employees worked in hybrid arrangements in 2024, according to a survey of 120 automotive CEOs.[5]
  • Across U.S. motor-vehicle manufacturers, 32.6% of positions were fully hybrid in 2024, based on employer recruiting data.[29]
  • Across global automotive companies, 96% of corporate employees worked in-office in 2024, leaving 4% in fully remote or hybrid arrangements.[5]

Employee Engagement in the automotive sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across the U.S. automotive workforce, 70% of surveyed employees said they were empowered to make decisions at work in 2025.[31]
  • Across the U.S. automotive workforce, 79% of 312 surveyed employees said they felt respected and valued by colleagues, teammates, or peers in 2025.[31]
  • Across the U.S. automotive workforce, 60% of surveyed employees intended to still work for their current company two years later in 2025.[31]
  • Across the U.S. automotive workforce, 63% of surveyed employees described their company culture as very or somewhat inclusive in 2025.[31]
  • Across the U.S. automotive workforce, 70% of surveyed employees were satisfied or very satisfied with their job in 2025.[31]

DEI in the automotive sales industry

  • 41% of Canadian dealership F&I managers were women in 2023.[28]
  • 34% was female employee turnover across Canadian dealership positions in 2023.[28]
  • 14% of Canadian dealership sales consultants were women in 2023.[28]
  • 9% of Canadian dealership sales managers were women in 2023.[28]
  • 59% of the Canadian dealership workforce consisted of Millennials and Generation Z employees in 2023.[28]

Change Management in the automotive sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across midsize automotive companies, 32.2% identified employee or management resistance to change as a top-three concern in the SAP survey.[8]
  • Across midsize automotive companies, 37% identified a lack of change-management processes as a top-three growth challenge in the SAP survey.[8]

08 Statistics

Customer & Sales

Purchase paths blend digital and in-person steps: 53% of U.S. purchases in 2025 were completed entirely in person, and 40% combined online and offline.

Customer experience in the automotive sales industry

  • 41 minutes was the average dealership time saved by mostly digital U.S. vehicle buyers in 2025.[1]
  • 801 points was the average U.S. new-vehicle purchase-experience satisfaction score in 2024, on a 1,000-point scale.[32]
  • 42% of U.S. vehicle shoppers said their 2025 purchase experience was better than their previous purchase, while 6% said it was worse.[1]
  • 53% of U.S. respondents preferred in-person advice when buying a car in 2024, versus 82% in Germany.[33]
  • 67% of car buyers globally preferred in-person advice when buying a vehicle in 2024, compared with 15% preferring telephone advice.[33]

Customer retention in the automotive sales industry

  • 62.3% of U.S. new-vehicle purchases in 2023 were associated with a trade-in vehicle.[34]
  • 26% of U.S. garages added a vehicle in 2023, indicating purchases by households expanding their vehicle holdings rather than replacing one.[34]
  • 81% of U.S. new-vehicle buyers were highly satisfied with their dealership experience in both 2024 and 2025.[1]
  • 75% of U.S. new-vehicle buyers were highly satisfied with their dealership experience in 2024, compared with 64% of used-vehicle buyers.[1]
  • 26.1% of U.S. used-vehicle owners who bought a new vehicle in 2023 stayed with the same brand.[34]

Customer acquisition in the automotive sales industry

  • 48% of consumers across the United States, Germany, China and South Korea preferred requesting a vehicle offer online in 2024.[33]
  • 45% of U.S. consumers were willing to purchase their next vehicle through social-media platforms in 2024.[35]
  • 53% of U.S. vehicle purchases in 2025 were completed entirely in person, while 40% combined online and offline steps.[1]
  • 69% of U.S. consumers preferred comparing cars online in 2024, making comparison the most preferred online purchase activity.[33]
  • 7% of U.S. vehicle purchases were completed entirely online in 2025, compared with 8% for used vehicles.[1]

Customer loyalty in the automotive sales industry

  • 67.7% was General Motors’ U.S. manufacturer-loyalty rate in the first half of 2024, the highest among multi-brand manufacturers reported.[36]
  • 35% of a U.S. dealership’s sales volume should come from customers who have previously done business with that dealership, according to the 2024 dealer benchmark.[37]
  • 43% of U.S. new-vehicle buyers considered both new and used vehicles in 2025, an all-time high in the Cox series.[1]
  • 74% of U.S. used-vehicle buyers considered both new and used vehicles in 2025.[1]
  • 66% of U.S. vehicle buyers considered both new and used vehicles during their 2025 shopping journey.[1]

Lead generation in the automotive sales industry

  • 900 million dealer-website visits were analyzed in Foureyes’ 2024 automotive benchmark dataset covering January 2022 through November 2023.[38]
  • 4.3% of dealership web leads became closed deals in Foureyes’ 2024 benchmark.[38]
  • 13.1% of new in-market dealership leads were never logged to dealer CRMs in Foureyes’ 2024 benchmark.[38]
  • Less than 1% of dealership website visitors became closed deals in Foureyes’ 2024 benchmark.[38]
  • 43% of qualified U.S. dealership leads were mishandled in Foureyes’ 2024 benchmark, through missed calls, delayed follow-up or CRM logging failures.[38]

09 Statistics

Marketing & Brand

Retailing spend stays high: U.S. dealership advertising expenditure reached $9.2 billion in 2024, with 10.9% allocated to SEO.

Marketing in the automotive sales industry

  • $9.2 billion was the estimated total U.S. dealership advertising expenditure in 2024.[16]
  • $543,539 was the average U.S. dealership advertising expenditure in 2024 across all media.[16]
  • 10.9% of U.S. dealership advertising expenditure went to SEO website optimization in 2024.[16]
  • 19.1% of U.S. dealership advertising expenditure went to third-party listing sites in 2024.[16]
  • 20.2% of U.S. dealership advertising expenditure went to television in 2024.[16]

Digital marketing in the automotive sales industry

  • 24% of consumers across four automotive markets preferred buying a car online in 2024.[33]
  • 69% of consumers across four automotive markets preferred comparing cars online in 2024.[33]
  • 74% of EV shoppers across four automotive markets preferred comparing cars online in 2024, versus 62% of non-EV shoppers.[33]
  • 54% of EV shoppers across four automotive markets preferred requesting a vehicle offer online in 2024, versus 38% of non-EV shoppers.[33]
  • 21% of Chinese respondents had bought a car online in 2024, compared with 11% in the United States.[33]

Branding in the automotive sales industry

  • 4% was the year-over-year increase in unique authors discussing cars in Brandwatch’s April 2023–March 2024 analysis.[39]
  • 21.1% was the 2023 U.S. same-brand repurchase rate among used-vehicle owners buying another used vehicle.[34]
  • 13 million unique authors discussed cars online between April 1, 2023 and March 31, 2024, according to Brandwatch’s automotive analysis.[39]
  • 41 million online automotive mentions were recorded by Brandwatch between April 1, 2023 and March 31, 2024.[39]
  • 26.1% was the 2023 U.S. same-brand purchase rate among used-vehicle owners switching to a new vehicle.[34]

Social media in the automotive sales industry

  • 7% of 60–69-year-old respondents in a four-market automotive survey cited social media as an influential car-purchase information source in 2024.[33]
  • 21% of 40–49-year-old respondents in a four-market automotive survey cited social media as an influential car-purchase information source in 2024.[33]
  • 60% of recent U.S. vehicle purchasers valued social media during consideration and decision-making in 2024.[35]
  • 34% of 18–29-year-old respondents in a four-market automotive survey cited social media as an influential car-purchase information source in 2024.[33]
  • 28% of 30–39-year-old respondents in a four-market automotive survey cited social media as an influential car-purchase information source in 2024.[33]

Influencer Marketing in the automotive sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among 277 surveyed car enthusiasts, 84% had taken at least one real-world action because of a car influencer they followed online in 2026.[40]
  • Across automotive shoppers in the US, UK, Germany, Norway and Saudi Arabia, 69% said creators made them more aware of vehicle brands in 2025.[41]
  • Across automotive shoppers in the US, UK, Germany, Norway and Saudi Arabia, 61% said they trusted vehicle recommendations and reviews from creators in 2025.[41]
  • Among US Pinterest users planning to buy a car in 2024, 42% noticed sponsorship of a social-media post, such as an influencer post.[42]
  • Across automotive shoppers in the US, UK, Germany, Norway and Saudi Arabia, 63% said creators made them consider buying a vehicle brand or model in 2025.[41]

10 Statistics

Operations & Execution

Dealership service operations report scale: U.S. franchised dealers wrote 5,267 repair orders on average in 2025.

Process optimization in the automotive sales industry

  • 26 AutoNation USA used-vehicle stores operated at December 31, 2025.[23]
  • 52 AutoNation-branded collision centers operated in the United States at December 31, 2025.[23]
  • 393 U.S. franchised dealers participated in Cox Automotive’s 2023 digitization-of-car-buying study.[1]
  • 43% of consumers who service outside dealerships preferred online scheduling in 2025.[1]
  • 2,963 vehicle buyers participated in Cox Automotive’s 2023 digitization-of-car-buying study.[1]

Operational efficiency in the automotive sales industry

  • $182 was the average customer mechanical labor rate at U.S. franchised dealerships in 2025.[16]
  • $1,934 was average weekly pay at U.S. franchised dealerships in 2025.[16]
  • 5,267 repair orders were written by the average U.S. franchised dealership in 2025.[16]
  • 37.6% was the average service-and-parts gross margin at U.S. franchised dealerships in 2025.[16]
  • $8,035 was the average service-and-parts sale per customer repair order at U.S. franchised dealerships in 2025.[16]

Quality management in the automotive sales industry

  • 74% of consumers highly likely to return for dealer service said they trusted the dealer gave them the best deal in 2025.[1]
  • 86% of consumers highly likely to return for dealer service reported high satisfaction with the dealer experience in 2025.[1]
  • 809 was the 2024 U.S. premium-brand sales-satisfaction score on J.D. Power’s 1,000-point scale.[32]
  • Nissan ranked highest among mass-market brands in the 2024 U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index study.[32]
  • Porsche ranked highest among premium brands in the 2024 U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index study.[32]

Supply chain in the automotive sales industry

  • 39 days was AutoNation’s inventory supply at December 31, 2024.[23]
  • $1.35 billion was the total parts inventory held by U.S. franchised dealerships in 2025.[16]
  • 45 days was AutoNation’s inventory supply at December 31, 2025.[23]
  • 46,523 technicians, including body-shop technicians, worked at U.S. franchised dealerships in 2025.[16]

Outsourcing / Offshoring in the automotive sector (sector benchmark)

  • 28% of automotive procurement by dollar value came from offshore locations globally in 2023, down from 36% in 2021.[43]
  • 80% of U.S. automotive respondents sourced at least half of their services domestically in 2023, while 51% sourced 75%–100% domestically.[6]
  • 79% of U.S. automotive respondents were likely to add North American product or raw-material suppliers within the next 12 months in 2023.[6]
  • 66% of U.S. automotive respondents sourced at least half of their products and raw materials domestically in 2023, while 40% sourced 75% or more domestically.[6]
  • 36% of automotive procurement by dollar value came from offshore locations globally in 2021, according to a survey of 592 supply-chain professionals.[43]

11 Statistics

Finance & Pricing

Transaction economics remained strained: U.S. average transaction price for a new vehicle hit a record $50,326 in December 2025.

Pricing strategy in the automotive sales industry

  • $52,075 was AutoNation’s 2025 average revenue per vehicle retailed in the United States.[23]
  • $6,244 was the average U.S. dealer gross profit per new vehicle at the beginning of 2022.[44]
  • 50% was the approximate 2024 decline in U.S. dealers’ ability to sell vehicles above MSRP compared with 2023.[45]
  • $51,227 was AutoNation’s 2024 average revenue per vehicle retailed in the United States.[23]
  • $3,045 was AutoNation’s 2024 gross profit per vehicle retailed.[23]

Cost reduction in the automotive sales industry

  • 7.1% was Group 1 Automotive’s 2025 year-over-year increase in depreciation and amortization expense.[23]
  • 16.8% was Group 1 Automotive’s 2025 year-over-year increase in selling, general and administrative expense.[23]
  • $2.55 billion was Group 1 Automotive’s 2025 selling, general and administrative expense.[23]
  • $192.8 million was Group 1 Automotive’s 2025 asset-impairment expense.[23]
  • $218.9 million was AutoNation’s 2024 floorplan interest expense.[23]

Profitability in the automotive sales industry

  • $2.36 billion was AutoNation’s 2025 parts-and-service gross profit.[23]
  • $4.95 billion was AutoNation’s total gross profit in 2025.[23]
  • $3.62 billion was Group 1 Automotive’s total gross profit in 2025.[23]
  • 13% of AutoNation’s 2025 total gross profit came from new-vehicle sales.[23]
  • $1.6 billion was Group 1 Automotive’s 2025 parts-and-service gross profit.[23]

Financial planning in the automotive sales industry

  • $16.64 billion was Penske Automotive Group’s 2025 U.S. retail automotive dealership revenue.[23]
  • $8.33 billion was Penske Automotive Group’s 2025 U.K. retail automotive dealership revenue.[23]
  • $31.8 billion was Penske Automotive Group’s total revenue in 2025.[23]
  • $1.46 billion was AutoNation’s 2025 finance-and-insurance revenue.[23]
  • $7.81 billion was AutoNation’s 2025 used-vehicle revenue.[23]

12 Statistics

Product & Service

Ownership retention pressure appears in service: U.S. dealerships handled 12% fewer service visits in 2025 than in 2018.

Product development in the automotive sales industry

  • 15% of global new-vehicle sales were battery-electric vehicles in 2025, up from 6% in 2021, according to BCG’s global automotive consumer research.[45]
  • 59% of respondents reported high satisfaction with AI-powered assistance during the 2025 vehicle-buying process.[1]
  • 860 points was the 2025 U.S. satisfaction score for battery-electric vehicles excluding Tesla, measured on J.D. Power’s 1,000-point APEAL scale.[32]
  • 25% of new-vehicle buyers used artificial-intelligence tools during the 2025 shopping process, indicating growing demand for AI-enabled retail experiences.[1]
  • 55% of U.S. owners of new 2025 model-year vehicles created individual in-vehicle user profiles, supporting personalization of settings such as seating and climate control.[32]

Product lifecycle in the automotive sales industry

  • 12% fewer service visits were handled by U.S. dealerships in 2025 than in 2018, reflecting weaker lifecycle retention after vehicle purchase.[1]
  • 89% of customers considered returning after completing a dealership service visit, compared with 20% of consumers who serviced their vehicle elsewhere.[1]
  • 45% of vehicle owners were dissatisfied with their dealership service experience in 2025, mainly because of unexpected costs and poor communication.[1]
  • 74% of customers who serviced their vehicle at a dealership were likely to buy their next vehicle from the same dealership, according to Cox Automotive’s 2025 study.[1]
  • 55% of vehicle owners considered online repair-cost comparison very important in 2025, highlighting transparency expectations during ownership.[1]

After-sales in the automotive sales industry

  • $261 was the average dealership repair cost in 2025, compared with $275 at general repair shops, according to Cox Automotive.[1]
  • 276.13 million repair orders were written by U.S. new-vehicle dealerships in 2025.[16]
  • 16 technicians, including body-shop technicians, were employed by the average U.S. new-vehicle dealership in 2025.[16]
  • $164.60 billion was generated by U.S. new-vehicle dealerships’ service and parts operations in 2025.[16]
  • $9.69 million was the average service-and-parts revenue per U.S. new-vehicle dealership in 2025.[16]

Value proposition in the automotive sales industry

  • 48% of U.S. car buyers identified price as a top vehicle-shopping decision factor in 2024.[46]
  • 81% was satisfaction with the dealership experience among new-vehicle buyers in Cox Automotive’s 2025 study.[1]
  • 71% was overall shopping satisfaction among vehicle buyers in Cox Automotive’s 2025 car-shopping study.[1]
  • 10% of U.S. car buyers identified retailer guidance as a top decision factor in 2024.[46]
  • 28% of U.S. car buyers identified purchase effort as a top vehicle-shopping decision factor in 2024, up from 22% in 2023.[46]

13 Statistics

Sustainability & Ethics

Sustainability reporting varies across players: CarMax reported a 33% greenhouse-gas emissions reduction in 2024 versus its 2018 baseline.

Sustainability in the automotive sales industry

  • 33% was the reduction in CarMax’s greenhouse-gas emissions in 2024 compared with its 2018 baseline in the United States.[47]
  • 65% of CarMax’s total electricity consumption came from renewable sources in fiscal 2025 in the United States.[47]
  • 85% of CarMax associates participated in at least one community program during fiscal 2025 in the United States.[47]
  • 6,501 tons of waste were recycled by AutoNation through Quest Resource Management Group programs in the United States.[48]
  • 18,594 metric tons of greenhouse-gas emissions were reported by AutoNation in its published sustainability data for the United States.[48]

ESG in the automotive sales industry

  • More than $110 million had been donated by CarMax and The CarMax Foundation to communities since 2003.[47]
  • 65% of CarMax’s electricity consumption came from renewable sources in fiscal 2025, according to its ESG-related responsibility reporting.[47]
  • 22 consecutive years was CarMax’s reported run on the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For list by fiscal 2026.[47]
  • 1.1 million customer accounts represented $17.6 billion in vehicle loans in CarMax’s fiscal 2025 responsibility reporting.[49]
  • 91% of Penske Automotive Group’s 2024 revenue was covered by its reported U.S., Canadian and U.K. sustainability disclosures.[49]

Ethics in the automotive sales industry

  • More than 8,000 dealers participated weekly in CarMax online wholesale auctions in fiscal 2025.[49]
  • 22 consecutive years was CarMax’s reported Fortune 100 Best Companies recognition period by fiscal 2026.[47]
  • 1% of respondents rated car salespeople as highly honest and ethical in Gallup’s December 2024 U.S. poll.[50]
  • 100 former dealership employees participated in CDK Global’s 2024 study of U.S. automotive retail workers.[51]
  • 43% of respondents rated car salespeople as having low ethical standards in Gallup’s December 2024 U.S. poll.[50]

CSR in the automotive sales industry

  • 50,000 dollars was donated by The CarMax Foundation to each nonprofit supported through fiscal 2025 companywide walk-or-run initiatives.[47]
  • 85% of CarMax associates participated in at least one community program during fiscal 2025.[47]
  • 97% of dealerships in the Los Angeles County dealer association’s 2024 economic-impact report provided access to health insurance for employees and dependents.[52]
  • 1.17 million dollars was donated by Penske Automotive Group to Paralyzed Veterans of America through its Service Matters campaign in 2024.[53]
  • 12,000 CarMax associates participated in two companywide walk-or-run initiatives during fiscal 2025.[47]

Circular economy in the automotive sales industry

  • 1 billion Swedish kronor was Volvo Cars’ target revenue from circular-economy initiatives by 2025 against a 2018 baseline.[54]
  • 89% of end-of-life vehicle material was recycled in Stellantis’ 2024 reported indicator for France and Benelux operations.[17]
  • More than 30 countries were covered by Stellantis’ participation in the International Dismantling Information System.[55]
  • 24 e-repair centers were active in Stellantis’ 2024 circular-economy network.[17]
  • 25% was Volvo Cars’ target share of recycled or bio-based materials in new car models by 2025.[54]

Carbon footprint in the automotive sales industry

  • 89,555 metric tons of location-based Scope 2 emissions were reported by CarMax for calendar 2024.[56]
  • 18,594 metric tons was AutoNation’s reported greenhouse-gas emissions figure in its published sustainability information.[48]
  • 33% was CarMax’s reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions in 2024 compared with its 2018 baseline.[47]
  • 759,279 propane cylinders for home barbecues was AutoNation’s published equivalence for its greenhouse-gas emissions.[48]
  • 2,084,815 gallons of gasoline-equivalent emissions were represented by AutoNation’s published greenhouse-gas figure.[48]

15 Statistics

Globalization & Expansion

Regional mix continues to shift: Asia accounted for 55.1% of global vehicle sales in 2025, while the EU represented around 14% of global car sales.

Globalization in the automotive sales industry

  • 18.63 million new vehicles were sold in Europe in 2025, 0.4% fewer than in 2024.[20]
  • Toyota sells vehicles in approximately 200 countries and regions.[23]
  • Global car sales reached 74.6 million units in 2024, a 2.5% increase from 2023.[61]
  • Toyota operated more than 50 overseas manufacturing organizations in 27 countries and regions outside Japan as of March 31, 2026.[23]
  • 85.08 million new vehicles were registered or sold across OICA member markets in 2025.[20]

Cultural adaptation in the automotive sales industry

  • Toyota’s fiscal-2026 consolidated unit sales were distributed 21.7% in Japan, 30.6% in North America and 12.3% in Europe.[23]
  • Toyota’s fiscal-2026 consolidated unit sales were distributed 18.3% in Asia and 17.1% in other markets.[23]
  • India represented 5.3% of global light-vehicle sales in 2024, while Japan represented 5.1%.[62]
  • China represented 34.0% of global light-vehicle sales in 2024, compared with 17.6% for Europe and 23.5% for North America.[62]

Supplier management in the automotive sales industry

  • Stellantis and Infineon signed supply and capacity agreements for power switches and silicon-carbide semiconductors in 2024.[17]
  • Autoneum introduced its Level Up supplier-sustainability strategy in 2024.[63]
  • Hyundai and GM agreed to explore combined sourcing of battery raw materials, steel and other inputs in 2024.[19]
  • The global automotive supplier network analyzed in a 2026 study contained about 77,000 firms and 197,000 supplier-customer links.[64]

Stakeholder management in the automotive sales industry

  • Toyota’s dealer network comprised 226 dealers employing approximately 100,000 people as of March 31, 2026.[23]
  • Stellantis committed an additional $10 million for public electric-vehicle charger installation through its California partnership.[17]
  • Stellantis and California estimated their emissions partnership would avoid 10–12 million metric tons of greenhouse gases in the United States.[17]
  • Toyota’s dealer network operated approximately 4,200 sales and service outlets as of March 31, 2026.[23]

Distribution channels in the automotive sales industry

  • Ford sold substantially all vehicles, parts and accessories through distributors and dealers, with most dealerships independently owned, in 2024.[23]
  • Penske operated 148 franchised dealerships in the United States and 205 outside the United States at December 31, 2024.[21]
  • Penske generated 56% of total retail automotive dealership revenue in the United States and Puerto Rico in 2024.[21]
  • Penske generated 44% of total retail automotive dealership revenue outside the United States in 2024.[21]
  • Penske operated 16 used-vehicle dealerships in 2024: six in the United States, nine in the United Kingdom and one in Australia.[21]

Key questions about the automotive sales industry

What is the global vehicle sales market size for 2025?
Global vehicle sales reached 99.8 million units in 2025.
How did vehicle sales change from 2024 to 2025?
Global vehicle sales increased from 95.3 million in 2024 to 99.8 million in 2025, a rise of 4.7%.
Which companies lead the automotive sales industry?
Geely Holding leads Gitnux's 2026 automotive sales ranking with an Overall score of 9.2, with 4.11 million vehicles sold in 2025, supplying global passenger and commercial segments. Toyota Motor is the runner-up at 8.8, driven by 9.36 million vehicles sold in fiscal 2025 across global manufacturing and sales.
What technology shifts are changing automotive retail and purchase behavior?
U.S. in-market shoppers reported 63% probably or definitely using AI for their next vehicle purchase in 2026, while 82% of dealerships used AI in some form in Q2 2026.
How concentrated is auto sales in the EU by major groups?
In the EU, Volkswagen Group held a 27.5% market share during January–September 2025, while Stellantis held 15.8%.
How large is EV penetration in 2025, and how does it vary by region in 2026?
In 2025, electric-car sales exceeded 20 million and represented 1 in 4 cars sold; the EU battery-electric share was 17.4% in 2025 and rose to 22.7% in January–September 2026.
Reference

Cite This Report

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APA
Samuel Norberg. (2026, November 11). Automotive Sales Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/automotive-sales-industry-statistics
MLA
Samuel Norberg. "Automotive Sales Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 11 Nov 2026, https://gitnux.org/automotive-sales-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Samuel Norberg. 2026. "Automotive Sales Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/automotive-sales-industry-statistics.

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