- Ford slips behind Chinese rival in 2025 global sales race standings
- Two Chinese car brands are now among the world’s 10 largest.
- Toyota holds global lead for sixth straight year 11.32 million sold
In an industry that rarely pauses to take stock of its own momentum, the biggest changes often register only when the numbers land in black and white. BYD’s extraordinary growth cooled slightly in 2025, yet it still delivered more cars than in any previous year, securing its place as the world’s sixth largest car manufacturer.
While that alone is impressive, it is who it passed that truly gives the moment weight. For the first time, the Chinese brand outsold Ford globally, a scenario that would have seemed far fetched only a few years ago.
Read: BYD Got In America Through The Back Door, Now It Wants The Front One Too
Last year, BYD sold 4.6 million vehicles worldwide. That marked a 7.7 percent increase over the previous year and lifted it from seventh to sixth place among the largest carmakers. Ford, by contrast, saw sales fall 2 percent to 4.4 million. The timing is awkward for Dearborn, particularly as General Motors, its longstanding rival, posted a 6.8 percent increase to 6.18 million vehicles.
Although Ford recorded gains in the United States, it continued to lose ground in Europe and especially in China. Domestic manufacturers such as BYD, Xiaomi, and Geely have been steadily taking share with competitively priced, technology focused EVs. At the same time, Ford has been working through a complex electric transition, booking $19.5 billion in charges as it reshapes its strategy.
Export Growth Accelerates
As reported by Bloomberg, China remains BYD’s largest and most important market. However, it also increased exports to 1.05 million vehicles, driven by expansion into markets including Europe, South America, and Asia. That figure is expected to climb further this year, potentially reaching 1.3 million units.
International growth will be important for BYD, as demand for its EVs and PHEVs is cooling in China. In fact, recent sales data reveal that it sold just 205,518 vehicles locally in January, down significantly from the 300,538 it sold in January 2025. BYD reported a drop in EV sales from 125,377 to 83,249, while PHEV deliveries dropped from 171,069 to 122,269.
Global Car Sales 2025
This fall was likely triggered, at least in part, by the Chinese government reinstating a 5 percent purchase tax on new energy vehicles, which had been scrapped more than a decade ago.
As we recently reported, Toyota strengthened its position as the world’s largest car manufacturer for the sixth consecutive year. The group sold 11.32 million vehicles in total, including Lexus, Hino, and Daihatsu, keeping it ahead of Volkswagen, whose sales slipped 0.5 percent to 8.98 million.
Hyundai Kia ranked third in 2025 with 7.28 million vehicles sold, followed by General Motors at 6.18 million and Stellantis at 5.48 million.
