Industry Statistics and Trends
Market size and recent performance (2015-2030)
Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 1.7 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $4.3tr in 2025.
Trends and Insights
Developing economies have driven growth
- Emerging markets remain the strongest demand engine for dealers as rising incomes and urbanization expand first‑time ownership and multi‑car households, and those structural shifts compound when governments add scrappage incentives, localized financing, and road investments, which together unlock access. Because product fit varies by region, localized trims, warranties, and service packages reinforce trust and sustain loyalty over time.
- Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Source: IBISWorld
Industry outlook (2025-2030)
Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.
Trends and Insights
Consumer preferences will continue to shift to larger, more luxurious vehicles
- Buyer preferences will continue to migrate toward light trucks, particularly compact and midsize SUVs and crossovers, as urbanizing households seek space, versatility and perceived safety across mature and emerging markets. This shift will extend through South and Southeast Asia, where SUVs will increasingly displace MPVs and domestically built nameplates will win first‑time buyers. Dealers will tune inventory and accessories accordingly.
Biggest companies in the Global Car & Automobile Sales
| Company | Market Share (%)
2025 | Revenue ($m)
2025 | Profit ($m)
2025 | Profit Margin (%)
2025 |
|---|
There are no companies that hold a market share exceeding 5% in the Global Car & Automobile Sales industry.
Products & Services Segmentation
Source: IBISWorld
Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Passenger cars, Utility vehicles and Pickups. Passenger cars is the largest segment of the Global Car & Automobile Sales.
Trends and Insights
Everyday mobility, affordability and efficiency shape demand for passenger cars
- Passenger cars are personal vehicles designed for daily commuting and family travel, balancing comfort, practicality and cost to fit urban and suburban life. They span compact to midsize body styles and are accessed through dealers, financing and increasingly digital channels that streamline comparison, selection and aftersales support across regions with different rules and tastes.
- More insights available in the full report
Table of Contents
About this industry
Industry definition
The Global Car and Automobile Sales industry retails new and used motor vehicles mainly through dealerships, commission agents and car auctions. Products sold in this industry include passenger cars, SUVs, light trucks, heavy trucks, buses, recreational vehicles and specialty vehicles, such as ambulances and fire trucks. Retail sales of motorcycles, mopeds and bicycles are not included in this industry.
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in the Global Car & Automobile Sales industry include Passenger cars, Utility vehicles, Pickups and Vans/Minivans.Companies
Companies covered in the Global Car & Automobile Sales industry include .Purchase this report to view all major companies in this industry.
Related Terms
Related terms covered in the Global Car & Automobile Sales industry include cash for clunkers, scrappage program, suv, pickup truck, light commercial vehicle, heavy trucks, 4s stores and hypermiling.Performance
Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.
Analyst insights
Omnichannel processes define retail and compress cycle times across regions. Marketplace visibility and VIN‑level transparency shift negotiation to upfront pricing, rewarding...
In this chapter (4)
- Current Performance
- Outlook
- Volatility
- Life Cycle
Key metrics
- Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
- Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
- Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
- Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business
Charts
- Revenue, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Employees, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Businesses, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Profit, including historical (2015-2025)
- Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
- Industry Life Cycle
Detailed analysis
- Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
- Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
- Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
- How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.
Products and Markets
Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.
Analyst insight
SUVs and crossovers (CUVs) have gained popularity across most markets, replacing demand for MPVs and sedans. Pickup trucks remain popular in specific markets, like North Amer...
In this chapter
- Products & Services
- Major Markets
Key metrics
- Largest market segment and value in 2025
- Product innovation level
Charts
- Products & services segmentation in 2025
- Major market segmentation in 2025
Detailed analysis
- Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
- Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
- Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
- Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
Geographic Breakdown
Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.
Analyst insights
China dominates the global car and automobile sales industry. The country’s large population and increasing income levels have bolstered vehicle demand. Other developing econ...
In this chapter (1)
- Business Locations
Charts
- Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
- Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2025
Tables
- Number and share of establishments in each region in 2025
- Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2025
- Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2025
- Number and share of employees in each region in 2025
Detailed analysis
- Business Locations Charts
- Share of global output by region in 2025
- Share of population compared to output in each region in 2025
- Data tables
- Share of global output by region in 2025
- Detailed analysis
- Geographic spread of the industry across Global, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
- Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage
Competitive Forces
Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.
Analyst insights
Car and automobile dealers must balance price, service and product range to attract buyers. Companies must swiftly adapt to changing consumer preferences and adjust to market...
In this chapter (4)
- Concentration
- Barriers to Entry
- Substitutes
- Buyer & Supplier Analysis
Key metrics
- Industry concentration level
- Industry competition level and trend
- Barriers to entry level and trend
- Substitutes level and trend
- Buyer power level and trend
- Supplier power level and trend
Charts
- Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2020-2025
- Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart
Detailed analysis
- Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
- Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
- Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
- Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
- Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
- Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
- Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
- Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
- Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.
Companies
There are no companies that hold a market share exceeding 5% in the Global Car & Automobile Sales industry.
Analyst insights
No single car dealer dominates global car sales. The massive scale of the industry and high fragmentation prevent companies from gaining ground on a national or international...
External Environment
Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.
Analyst insights
Licensing, franchising and environmental laws regulate global car and automobile sales. These regulations influence the operation and international sales strategies of automo...
In this chapter
- External Drivers
- Regulation & Policy
- Assistance
Key metrics
- Regulation & policy level and trend
- Assistance level and trend
Charts
- Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2015-2030)
- Assistance historical data and forecast (2015-2030)
Detailed analysis
- Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
- Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
- Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.
Financial Benchmarks
View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time.
Analyst insights
Companies must heavily invest in inventories to appeal to a wide range of consumer preferences. Strong inventory turnover is critical for maintaining healthy returns.
In this chapter
- Cost Structure
- Financial Ratios
- Key Ratios
Key metrics
- Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
- Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
- Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
- Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio
Charts
- Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
- Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
- Investment vs. share of economy
Data tables
- Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2015-2030)
- Revenue per Employee (2015-2030)
- Revenue per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- Employees per Establishment (2015-2030)
- Employees per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- Average Wage (2015-2030)
- Wages/Revenue (2015-2030)
- Establishments per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- IVA/Revenue (2015-2030)
- Imports/Demand (2015-2030)
- Exports/Revenue (2015-2030)
Detailed analysis
- Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability
Key Statistics
Industry Data
Data Tables
Including values and annual change:
- Revenue (2015-2030)
- IVA (2015-2030)
- Establishments (2015-2030)
- Enterprises (2015-2030)
- Employment (2015-2030)
- Exports (2015-2030)
- Imports (2015-2030)
- Wages (2015-2030)
Top Questions Answered
Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.
What is the market size of the Global Car & Automobile Sales industry in 2025?
The market size of the Global Car & Automobile Sales industry is $4.3tr in 2025.
How many businesses are there in the Global Car & Automobile Sales industry in 2025?
There are 471k businesses in the Global Car & Automobile Sales industry, which has grown at a CAGR of 2.2 % between 2020 and 2025.
How may import tariffs affect the Global Car & Automobile Sales industry?
The Global Car & Automobile Sales industry is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
How may export tariffs affect the Global Car & Automobile Sales industry?
The Global Car & Automobile Sales industry is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
Has the Global Car & Automobile Sales industry grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Global Car & Automobile Sales industry has been declining at a CAGR of 1.7 % between 2020 and 2025.
What is the forecast growth of the Global Car & Automobile Sales industry over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Global Car & Automobile Sales industry is expected to grow.
What does the Global Car & Automobile Sales industry include?
Passenger cars and Utility vehicles are part of the Global Car & Automobile Sales industry.
How competitive is the Global Car & Automobile Sales industry?
The level of competition is high and steady in the Global Car & Automobile Sales industry.
Methodology
How are IBISWorld reports created?
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Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.
IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.
What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?
Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.
Key data sources globally include:
- United Nations Comtrade
- Organization for Economic Cooperation & Development
- World Bank
Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.
These sources include:
- Industry and trade associations
- Industry federations or regulators
- Major industry players annual or quarterly filings
Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.
How does IBISWorld forecast its data?
IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.
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