Chinese Auto Brands Lead Japanese In Western Europe; VW Suffers
Chinese brands edged out Japanese names in Western Europe during the second quarter for the first time, while VW brand led local losers in the first half.
- Chinese auto brands outsold Japanese brands in Western Europe for the first time ever in Q2 2026, according to registration data.
- Volkswagen brand recorded the largest sales decline among Western European automakers in the first half of 2026, losing two percentage points of market share.
- Chinese brands collectively held an estimated 5–6% market share in Western Europe as of mid-2026, up from under 2% in 2022.