Chinese carmakers see their sales fall in Turkish market
ISTANBUL
Chinese carmakers are competing to increase their shares in sales in the Turkish market at a time when they face additional customs duties and measures that make the import of Chinese cars more difficult.
Combined sales of Chinese brands declined by 18.8 percent in the first two months of 2025 to 10,335 units, according to data from the Automotive Distributors’ and Mobility Association (ODMD) earlier this week.
Chinese carmakers’ share in the Turkish market declined from 8.68 percent in January-February last year to 7.83 percent in the same period of 2025.
Türkiye imposed additional tariffs on imports of vehicles from China, which took effect in July 2024. Before the tariff came into force, Chinese brands sold more than 9,000 vehicles in the country in June last year. In February 2025, their sales were only 5,970 units.
BYD, Chery and SAIC (MG) are the three largest Chinese players in the Turkish auto market, accounting for more than 90 percent of all Chinese cars sold.
SAIC suffered the most from additional tariffs as its sales plunged nearly 87 percent annually in January-February to 318 units, while Chery saw its sales decline around 52 percent to 4,630 units.
However, sales of BYD, which enjoyed exemptions from tariffs and import measures by signing a deal last year for a $1 billion investment in Türkiye, soared 1,324 percent year-on-year to 5,341 in the first two months of 2025.
Sales of another Chinese carmaker Skywell were down 41 percent to 34, and Leapmotor’s sales plunged 74 percent to 10. Hongqi sold only 2 vehicles in January-February.
