From producing over a million and a half vehicles last year to fueling a workforce of nearly half a million, Turkey's automotive industry is shifting gears to become a global powerhouse.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, Turkey's total automobile production reached 1,437,555 units, including 1,089,853 passenger cars and 347,702 commercial vehicles
- Turkey ranked 13th globally in motor vehicle production in 2023 with 1.37 million units produced
- Ford Otosan plant in Kocaeli produced 407,000 vehicles in 2023, accounting for 28% of Turkey's total output
- In 2023, Turkey domestic auto sales totaled 1,025,634 units, up 59% YoY
- Passenger car sales in Turkey 2023: 870,000 units
- Light commercial vehicle sales 155,634 units in Turkey 2023
- In 2023, Turkey exported 1,112,000 vehicles worth $31.6 billion
- Auto exports volume up 14% in 2023 to 1.112 million units
- Germany top destination with 18% of Turkey's auto exports in 2023
- In 2023, Turkish automotive industry employed 450,000 direct workers
- Auto sector indirect employment 1.2 million jobs in Turkey 2023
- Average wage in auto manufacturing TL 45,000 monthly in 2023
- In 2023, automotive FDI inflows $1.2 billion to Turkey
- Total investments in auto sector TL 150 billion cumulative to 2023
- Ford Otosan invested $700 million in EV production 2023
Turkey's automotive industry saw significant growth in production, sales, and exports in 2023.
Employment and Labor
- In 2023, Turkish automotive industry employed 450,000 direct workers
- Auto sector indirect employment 1.2 million jobs in Turkey 2023
- Average wage in auto manufacturing TL 45,000 monthly in 2023
- Female workforce in auto industry 18% or 81,000 women in 2023
- Engineers in auto sector 65,000 professionals in 2023 Turkey
- Apprenticeship programs trained 25,000 youth in auto skills 2023
- Labor productivity per worker $120,000 in auto industry 2023
- Turnover rate in auto plants 8% in 2023 Turkey
- R&D staff 35,000 in automotive firms 2023
- Strikes affected 12,000 workers in auto sector 2023
- Vocational training centers supplied 15,000 skilled workers to auto 2023
- Migrant workers 5% of auto workforce or 22,500 in 2023
- Overtime hours averaged 12 per week in auto factories 2023
- Safety incidents down 15% to 2,100 cases in auto sector 2023
- Digital skills training for 10,000 auto workers in 2023
- Youth employment under 25: 22% of auto workforce 2023
- Part-time workers 8,000 in auto supply chain 2023
- Q1 2024 employment stable at 452,000 in auto industry
- Auto sector contributed 3.5% to total employment in Turkey 2023
- FDI in auto created 20,000 jobs since 2020
Employment and Labor Interpretation
Turkey's automotive industry, while impressively employing over 1.6 million people directly and indirectly and paying decent wages, reveals an engine still sputtering with a significant gender gap, notable overtime, and thousands affected by strikes, all while it wisely invests in R&D and trains the next generation of engineers and technicians.
Exports and Trade
- In 2023, Turkey exported 1,112,000 vehicles worth $31.6 billion
- Auto exports volume up 14% in 2023 to 1.112 million units
- Germany top destination with 18% of Turkey's auto exports in 2023
- France received 12% of Turkish vehicle exports 2023, 133,000 units
- UK imports from Turkey autos 85,000 units worth $2.5B in 2023
- Italy took 78,000 Turkish vehicles in 2023
- Spain imported 65,000 units from Turkey auto sector 2023
- US market for Turkish autos 45,000 units in 2023 mainly commercials
- Auto parts exports $12.5 billion from Turkey in 2023
- EU accounted for 82% of Turkey's auto exports value in 2023
- Export per vehicle average $28,400 in 2023 Turkey
- Passenger car exports 845,000 units, 76% of total exports 2023
- LCV exports 210,000 units from Turkey 2023
- Truck exports 22,000 units worth $1.2B in 2023
- Bus exports 8,900 units from Turkey 2023 to 85 countries
- Q1 2024 auto exports 285,000 units $8.1B, up 5% YoY
- Russia imports surged 25% Turkish autos in 2023 to 55,000 units
- Middle East exports 120,000 vehicles from Turkey 2023
- Africa received 45,000 Turkish vehicles 2023
- Free trade agreements boosted exports by 10% in 2023
- Auto imports to Turkey $15.2 billion in 2023, down 20%
- Passenger car imports 285,000 units to Turkey 2023
- Turkey auto trade surplus $16.4 billion in 2023
Exports and Trade Interpretation
Turkey, proving it's not just a crossroads for continents but also for cash, elegantly parked a $16.4 billion trade surplus on the back of selling over a million vehicles, predominantly to its European neighbors who, much like loyal customers at their favorite kebab shop, keep coming back for more.
Investments and R&D
- In 2023, automotive FDI inflows $1.2 billion to Turkey
- Total investments in auto sector TL 150 billion cumulative to 2023
- Ford Otosan invested $700 million in EV production 2023
- Tofas new engine plant $250 million investment 2023
- Toyota Turkey $400 million for hybrid line expansion 2023
- Hyundai Assan $300 million battery plant investment announced 2023
- Renault $500 million for EV Clio production 2023-2025
- TOGG gigafactory investment TL 32 billion total by 2030
- R&D expenditure $1.5 billion in auto industry 2023
- 45 technocenters in auto sector with 1,200 projects 2023
- Patent applications 2,500 from auto firms in 2023 Turkey
- KOSGEB grants TL 500 million to auto SMEs 2023
- TÜBİTAK auto R&D projects funded 150 initiatives $200M 2023
- Localization rate reached 65% in auto parts 2023 investment push
- Green transformation investments $800 million in auto 2023
- Digital twin tech invested by 20 major plants $150M 2023
- Supplier park investments 12 new parks $2B total 2023
- Export incentive scheme disbursed TL 10B to auto firms 2023
- Capacity expansion 500,000 units added via investments 2023
- Venture capital in auto tech startups $300M in 2023 Turkey
- Industry 4.0 upgrades $600M invested in 2023
Investments and R&D Interpretation
Despite the world's love affair with the electric car waning into a complex polyamory, Turkey's auto industry, with a cool $1.2 billion in fresh FDI and relentless investments topping 150 billion TL, is elbowing its way into the future by betting billions on EVs, hybrids, batteries, and smart factories, all while aggressively localizing parts and turbocharging R&D to ensure it's not just assembling cars but engineering the next gearshift in global mobility.
Production Statistics
- In 2023, Turkey's total automobile production reached 1,437,555 units, including 1,089,853 passenger cars and 347,702 commercial vehicles
- Turkey ranked 13th globally in motor vehicle production in 2023 with 1.37 million units produced
- Ford Otosan plant in Kocaeli produced 407,000 vehicles in 2023, accounting for 28% of Turkey's total output
- Tofas produced 282,000 Fiat vehicles in Bursa in 2023, up 15% from previous year
- Toyota Turkey in Sakarya manufactured 226,000 Corolla vehicles in 2023
- Hyundai Assan in Izmit produced 189,000 i10 and i20 models in 2023
- Renault Oyak in Bursa output 248,000 vehicles including Clio in 2023
- Mercedes-Benz Türk bus production hit 8,500 units in 2023 at Hosdere plant
- BMC Truck and Bus produced 12,300 heavy vehicles in 2023
- Otokar produced 6,200 buses and military vehicles in Sakarya in 2023
- In Q1 2024, Turkey auto production was 348,000 units, down 1.2% YoY
- Engine production in Turkey reached 1.8 million units in 2023
- Gearbox manufacturing output was 1.65 million units in 2023 across Turkish plants
- Turkish auto parts production value hit €35 billion in 2023
- Capacity utilization in Turkish auto sector averaged 75% in 2023
- In 2022, passenger car production was 1,086,000 units, commercial 308,000
- Karsan produced 4,500 electric buses in 2023
- Temsa bus production reached 2,800 units in 2023 post-restructuring
- Isuzu Turkey light commercial vehicle output 45,000 in 2023
- Anadol PIVOT produced 18,000 pickups in 2023
- Turkish EV production started with 5,000 TOGG units in 2023
- Diesel engine production 1.2 million units in 2023
- Aluminum die-cast parts production 450,000 tons in 2023
- Plastic components for autos 1.1 million tons output in 2023
- Seat manufacturing 2.5 million units in Turkey 2023
- Battery production for hybrids reached 150,000 units in 2023
- Tire production 120 million units in 2023 by Turkish firms
- Wire harness production 45 million units in 2023
- Glass for vehicles 18 million m² produced in 2023
Production Statistics Interpretation
Despite comfortably holding the rank of 13th largest global auto producer, Turkey’s automotive engine is a study in stark contrast: a powerhouse of parts, engines, and million-unit outputs from its major plants is curiously idling at a 25% underutilization, revealing an industry with immense torque still searching for its full gear.
Sales and Domestic Market
- In 2023, Turkey domestic auto sales totaled 1,025,634 units, up 59% YoY
- Passenger car sales in Turkey 2023: 870,000 units
- Light commercial vehicle sales 155,634 units in Turkey 2023
- Fiat Egea topped sales with 142,000 units sold in Turkey 2023
- Renault Clio sold 102,000 units in domestic market 2023
- Ford models total sales 148,000 units in Turkey 2023
- Toyota Corolla sales 95,000 units in 2023 Turkey
- Hyundai i20 domestic sales 78,000 units 2023
- Volkswagen Passat sales 45,000 units in 2023
- Market share Fiat 15.2% in Turkey auto sales 2023
- Renault 12.8% market share in passenger cars 2023 Turkey
- Ford 14.4% share in LCV sales Turkey 2023
- In Q1 2024, Turkey auto sales 248,000 units, down 14% YoY
- EV sales in Turkey 2023: 35,000 units, up 300% YoY
- Hybrid vehicle sales 42,000 units in 2023 Turkey
- Diesel vehicle sales share dropped to 45% in 2023 from 55% in 2022
- SUV segment sales 420,000 units, 48% of total PC sales 2023
- Sedan sales 320,000 units in Turkey 2023
- Average vehicle price in Turkey rose 150% in 2023 to TL 1.2 million
- Dealer network: 1,200 auto dealerships in Turkey as of 2023
- Used car sales 8.5 million transactions in 2023 Turkey
- Fleet sales 180,000 units to corporate buyers in 2023
- Online sales platforms handled 15% of new car sales in 2023
Sales and Domestic Market Interpretation
Despite a market that is simultaneously surging in volume yet straining under astronomical prices, Turkey's car buyers in 2023 showed a clear, pragmatic preference for affordable sedans and SUVs while cautiously dipping a toe into the electric future, all while keeping the used market roaring to compensate.
Sources & References
- Reference 1OSDosd.org.trVisit source
- Reference 2OICAoica.netVisit source
- Reference 3FORDOTOSANfordotosan.com.trVisit source
- Reference 4TOFAStofas.com.trVisit source
- Reference 5TOYOTAtoyota.com.trVisit source
- Reference 6HYUNDAIhyundai.com.trVisit source
- Reference 7MEDIAmedia.renaultgroup.comVisit source
- Reference 8MERCEDES-BENZ-TRKmercedes-benz-trk.com.trVisit source
- Reference 9BMCbmc.com.trVisit source
- Reference 10OTOKARotokar.com.trVisit source
- Reference 11TUIKtuik.gov.trVisit source
- Reference 12STATISTAstatista.comVisit source
- Reference 13TCMBtcmb.gov.trVisit source
- Reference 14KARSANkarsan.comVisit source
- Reference 15TEMSAtemsa.comVisit source
- Reference 16ISUZUisuzu.com.trVisit source
- Reference 17ANADOLanadol.com.trVisit source
- Reference 18TOGGtogg.com.trVisit source
- Reference 19ARDIAardia.org.trVisit source
- Reference 20PAGYABpagyab.org.trVisit source
- Reference 21OTDERotder.org.trVisit source
- Reference 22TAIBtaib.org.trVisit source
- Reference 23TAYOYUNtayoyun.org.trVisit source
- Reference 24OTKotk.org.trVisit source
- Reference 25CAMSISDcamsisd.org.trVisit source
- Reference 26ODEode.org.trVisit source
- Reference 27FORDford.com.trVisit source
- Reference 28VWvw.com.trVisit source
- Reference 29OTOMOotomo.org.trVisit source
- Reference 30SAHIBINDENsahibinden.comVisit source
- Reference 31DIGITURKdigiturk.com.trVisit source
- Reference 32UKTRADEINFOuktradeinfo.comVisit source
- Reference 33ISTATistat.itVisit source
- Reference 34INECinec.esVisit source
- Reference 35CENSUScensus.govVisit source
- Reference 36ECec.europa.euVisit source
- Reference 37MERCEDES-BENZ-TRKmercedes-benz-trk.comVisit source
- Reference 38CUSTOMScustoms.gov.ruVisit source
- Reference 39GTBgtb.gov.trVisit source
- Reference 40AFTASaftas.orgVisit source
- Reference 41TRADEtrade.gov.trVisit source
- Reference 42TURKSTATturkstat.gov.trVisit source
- Reference 43KIZLARSORUYORkizlarsoruyor.com.trVisit source
- Reference 44MMKmmk.org.trVisit source
- Reference 45MESLEKImesleki.gov.trVisit source
- Reference 46TUBITAKtubitak.gov.trVisit source
- Reference 47ILOilo.orgVisit source
- Reference 48MEGEBmegeb.gov.trVisit source
- Reference 49CSGBcsgb.gov.trVisit source
- Reference 50SGKsgk.gov.trVisit source
- Reference 51ISGisg.gov.trVisit source
- Reference 52KOSGEBkosgeb.gov.trVisit source
- Reference 53FLEXWORKflexwork.org.trVisit source
- Reference 54WORLDBANKworldbank.orgVisit source
- Reference 55INVESTinvest.gov.trVisit source
- Reference 56SANAYIsanayi.gov.trVisit source
- Reference 57TPEtpe.gov.trVisit source
- Reference 58CSISDcsisd.orgVisit source
- Reference 59DIJITALDONUSUMdijitaldonusum.gov.trVisit source
- Reference 60OTIBotib.org.trVisit source
- Reference 61TICARETticaret.gov.trVisit source
- Reference 62TBVtbv.com.trVisit source
- Reference 63SANAYI40sanayi40.gov.trVisit source