IBISWorld Platform
Answer any industry question in minutes with our entire database at your fingertips.
Global Car & Automobile Sales Industry Data and Analysis
Strong growth in developing economies, like the BRICS and ASEAN member nations, has driven revenue for global car dealers despite slowdowns in established economies, like North America and Europe. Developed economies focus largely on value-added car purchases, while emerging markets focus primarily on volume. The transition to SUVs and crossovers with more safety and entertainment features has driven growth; in particular, these models’ surging adoption rates have created numerous growth opportunities in developing economies. Even so, elevated interest rates across many key markets and mixed global consumer sentiment have somewhat constrained post‑pandemic growth. Overall, revenue has expanded at an expected CAGR of 2.2% to $4.3 trillion through the current period, including 1.8% growth in 2025, with profit supported by disciplined pricing and a balanced new‑used‑service mix.
Access this data your way
The Global Car & Automobile Sales Industry analysis is available in multiple formats to fit seamlessly into your workflow.
API Data Delivery
Feed trusted, human-driven industry intelligence straight into your platform.
Integrations
Streamline your workflow with IBISWorld’s intelligence built into your toolkit.
What's included in this industry analysis
IBISWorld's research coverage on the Global Car & Automobile Sales industry includes market sizing, forecasting, data and analysis from 2015-2030. The most recent publication was released November 2025.
About this industry
What's this industry report about?
The Global Car & Automobile Sales industry operates under the industry code F4111-GL. 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. 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.
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in Global Car & Automobile Sales industry include Passenger cars, Utility vehicles and Pickups.
What companies are included in this industry?
The Global Car & Automobile Sales industry is highly fragmented with no companies holding a market share greater than 5%.
Performance
What's included in the Performance chapter?
The Performance chapter covers detailed analysis, datasets, detailed current performance, sources of volatility and an outlook with forecasts for the Global Car & Automobile Sales industry.
Questions answered in this chapter include what's driving current industry performance, what influences industry volatility, how do successful businesses overcome volatility, what's driving the industry outlook. This analysis is supported with data and statistics on industry revenues, costs, profits, businesses and employees.
Products & Markets
What's included in the Products and Markets chapter?
The Products and Markets chapter covers detailed products and service segmentation and analysis of major markets for the for the Global Car & Automobile Sales industry.
Questions answered in this chapter include how are the industry's products and services performing, what are innovations in industry products and services, what products or services do successful businesses offer and what's influencing demand from the industry's markets. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by product and service segmentation and major markets.
Geographic Breakdown
What's included in the Geographic Breakdown chapter?
The Geographic Breakdown chapter covers detailed analysis and datasets on regional performance of the Global Car & Automobile Sales industry.
Questions answered in this chapter include where are industry businesses located and how do businesses use location to their advantage. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by location.
Competitive Forces
What's included in the Competitive Forces chapter?
The Competitive Forces chapter covers the concentration, barriers to entry and supplier and buyer profiles in the Global Car & Automobile Sales industry. This includes data and statistics on industry market share concentration, barriers to entry, substitute products and buyer & supplier power.
Questions answered in this chapter include what impacts the industry's market share concentration, how do successful businesses handle concentration, what challenges do potential industry entrants face, how can potential entrants overcome barriers to entry, what are substitutes for industry services, how do successful businesses compete with substitutes and what power do buyers and suppliers have over the industry and how do successful businesses manage buyer & supplier power.
Companies
What's included in the Companies chapter?
The Companies chapter covers Key Takeaways, Market Share and Companies in the Global Car & Automobile Sales industry. This includes data and analysis on companies operating in the industry that hold a market share greater than 5%.
Questions answered in this chapter include what companies have a meaningful market share and how each company is performing.
External Environment
What's included in the External Environment chapter?
The External Environment chapter covers Key Takeaways, External Drivers, Regulation & Policy and Assistance in the Global Car & Automobile Sales industry. This includes data and statistics on factors impacting industry revenue such as economic indicators, regulation, policy and assistance programs.
Questions answered in this chapter include what demographic and macroeconomic factors impact the industry, what regulations impact the industry, what assistance is available to this industry.
Financial Benchmarks
What's included in the Financial Benchmarks chapter?
The Financial Benchmarks chapter covers Key Takeaways, Cost Structure, Financial Ratios, Valuation Multiples and Key Ratios in the Global Car & Automobile Sales industry. This includes financial data and statistics on industry performance including key cost inputs, profitability, key financial ratios and enterprise value multiples.
Questions answered in this chapter include what trends impact industry costs and how financial ratios have changed overtime.
Industry Data
What's included in the Industry Data chapter?
The Industry Data chapter includes 10 years of historical data with 5 years of forecast data covering statistics like revenue, industry value add, establishments, enterprises, employment and wages in the Global Car & Automobile Sales industry.
Trusted by industry professionals
More than 6,000 businesses use IBISWorld to shape local and global economies
We were able to supplement our reports with IBISWorld’s information from both a qualitative and quantitative standpoint. All of our reporting now features some level of IBISWorld integration.
IBISWorld delivers the crisp business knowledge we need to drive our business. Whether it be serving up our major clients, winning new business or educating on industry issues, IBISWorld brings real value.
IBISWorld has revolutionised business information — which has proved commercially invaluable to exporters, investors and public policy professionals in Australia and overseas.
When you’re able to speak to clients and be knowledgeable about what they do and the state that they operate in, they’re going to trust you a lot more.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the market size of the Global Car & Automobile Sales industry in 2026?
The market size of the Global Car & Automobile Sales industry is $4.3tr in 2026.
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.
Cut through the noise with intelligence you can trust
