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This article presents General Motors’ (NYSE: GM) vehicle sales by country, specifically focusing on the U.S., China, and Brazil markets. These countries are selected due to their significant vehicle volumes, which play a crucial role in GM’s global sales strategy.
The vehicle sales statistics presented here are based on GM’s total vehicle sales data extracted from the annual reports. This data encompasses the company’s retail volumes, fleet sales, and vehicles used by dealers in their businesses.
More information about GM’s total vehicle sales is available here: GM’s total vehicle sales.
For other key statistics of General Motors, you may find more resources on this page: GM key stats.
Please use the table of contents to navigate this page.
Table Of Contents
Definitions And Overview
O2. What Is Driving GM’s Sales Decline in China?
Insight & Summary of Observed Trends
Z1. Insight & Summary of GM’s Car Sales Breakdown By Country
Car Sales Results
A1. Sales breakdown by country
A2. Sales mix by country
A3. Sales growth by country
Reference, Credits, and Disclosure
S1. References and Credits
S2. Disclosure
Definitions
To help readers understand the content better, the following terms and glossaries have been provided.
Total Vehicle Sales: Per the latest annual report, General Motors defines its total vehicle sales as:
- retail sales (i.e., sales to consumers who purchase new vehicles from dealers or distributors);
- fleet sales (i.e., sales to large and small businesses, governments and daily rental car companies); and
- certain vehicles used by dealers in their business.
Total vehicle sales data includes all sales by joint ventures on a total vehicle basis, not based on the percentage ownership interest in the joint venture. Certain joint venture agreements in China allow for the contractual right to report vehicle sales of non-GM trademarked vehicles by those joint ventures, which are included in the total vehicle sales it reports for China.
While total vehicle sales data does not correlate directly to the revenue it recognizes during a particular period, GM believes it is indicative of the underlying demand for its vehicles.
Total vehicle sales data represents management’s good faith estimate based on sales reported by dealers, distributors and joint ventures; commercially available data sources such as registration and insurance data; and internal estimates and forecasts when other data is unavailable.
What Is Driving GM’s Sales Decline in China?
The decline in GM’s vehicle sales in China can be attributed to several factors:
- Rise of Domestic Brands: Chinese domestic brands, such as BYD and Xiaomi, have gained significant market share by offering advanced and affordable electric vehicles (EVs). These brands have created a brutal price war, making it difficult for foreign automakers like GM to compete on price.
- Government Subsidies: The Chinese government has heavily subsidized the EV industry, leading to a surge in domestic EV production and sales. This has resulted in a highly competitive market where foreign brands struggle to keep up.
- Economic Factors: The Chinese economy has faced challenges, including trade tensions with the U.S. and a general economic slowdown. These factors have impacted consumer spending and demand for vehicles.
- Regulatory Changes: China has implemented stricter regulations for both EVs and internal combustion engine vehicles, adding to the challenges faced by foreign automakers.
- Operational Issues: GM has faced operational setbacks in China, including factory closures and cost-cutting measures. These actions have affected production volumes and sales performance.
Despite these challenges, GM has seen some improvement in its sales momentum in China, particularly in the fourth quarter of 2024. However, the overall trend has been a decline in sales over recent years.
Insight & Summary of GM’s Car Sales Breakdown By Country
The following analysis consolidates the trends observed across GM’s vehicle sales in the U.S., China and Brazil, as well as in the U.K. and Germany for the 2014–2025 period.
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GM has aggressively restructured its global volume footprint, transforming from a volume-chasing multinational into a highly concentrated, margin-focused North American enterprise.
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China, which previously overshadowed the U.S. by moving over 4 million units at its peak (capturing up to 45.9% of the global mix), has seen a catastrophic volume collapse, bleeding down to 1.88 million units by 2025.
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Conversely, the U.S. market has re-emerged as the definitive core, recovering steadily post-pandemic to secure a commanding 46.1% of the total sales mix.
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Operations in Brazil remain a volatile, low-single-digit contributor heavily exposed to emerging market cycles.
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The hard cessation of U.K. and German retail volumes after 2016 structurally underpins GM’s strategic exit from Europe (via the Opel/Vauxhall sale), emphasizing a disciplined rejection of unprofitable scale in favor of defending high-margin domestic fortresses.
The table below combines GM’s vehicle sales in the U.S., China, and Brazil, as well as in the U.K. and Germany into a single view for the latest three fiscal years.
GM's Vehicle Sales by Country — Averages
| Metric | 3-Year Average (FY2023–FY2025) |
|---|---|
| GM's Vehicle Sales by Country (3-Year Average (FY2023–FY2025)) | |
| United States | 2,718 thousand vehicles |
| China | 1,939 thousand vehicles |
| Brazil | 306 thousand vehicles |
| United Kingdom | n.a. |
| Germany | n.a. |
| Worldwide Retail Volume | 6,125 thousand vehicles |
| GM's Mix of Vehicle Sales by Country (3-Year Average (FY2023–FY2025)) | |
| United States | 44.4% |
| China | 31.6% |
| Brazil | 5.0% |
| United Kingdom | n.a. |
| Germany | n.a. |
| Total U.S., China, and Brazil | 81.0% |
| GM's Growth of Vehicle Sales by Country (3-Year Average (FY2023–FY2025)) | |
| United States | 7.9% |
| China | -6.4% |
| Brazil | -1.2% |
| Worldwide Retail Volume | 1.4% |
All sections cover FY2023–FY2025. Sales averages rounded to nearest whole unit; mix and growth averages rounded to one decimal place. United Kingdom and Germany are disclosed only for fiscal years 2014 through 2016 in this dataset and are not available (n.a.) from fiscal year 2017 onward, so both have zero valid data points within the FY2023–FY2025 averaging window. Total U.S., China, and Brazil is a partial subtotal and does not sum to 100%. Section 3 (growth) excludes United Kingdom and Germany.
Sales breakdown by country
View data as table
GM Car Sales (Retail) Breakdown by Country — All Metrics by Fiscal Year
| Fiscal Year | United States | China | Brazil | United Kingdom | Germany | Worldwide Retail Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 2,935 thousand vehicles | 3,540 thousand vehicles | 579 thousand vehicles | 305 thousand vehicles | 237 thousand vehicles | 9,932 thousand vehicles |
| 2015 | 3,082 thousand vehicles | 3,730 thousand vehicles | 388 thousand vehicles | 312 thousand vehicles | 244 thousand vehicles | 9,959 thousand vehicles |
| 2016 | 3,043 thousand vehicles | 3,914 thousand vehicles | 346 thousand vehicles | 289 thousand vehicles | 260 thousand vehicles | 10,008 thousand vehicles |
| 2017 | 3,002 thousand vehicles | 4,041 thousand vehicles | 394 thousand vehicles | n.a. | n.a. | 9,600 thousand vehicles |
| 2018 | 2,954 thousand vehicles | 3,645 thousand vehicles | 434 thousand vehicles | n.a. | n.a. | 8,386 thousand vehicles |
| 2019 | 2,887 thousand vehicles | 3,094 thousand vehicles | 476 thousand vehicles | n.a. | n.a. | 7,718 thousand vehicles |
| 2020 | 2,547 thousand vehicles | 2,901 thousand vehicles | 338 thousand vehicles | n.a. | n.a. | 6,826 thousand vehicles |
| 2021 | 2,218 thousand vehicles | 2,892 thousand vehicles | 242 thousand vehicles | n.a. | n.a. | 6,296 thousand vehicles |
| 2022 | 2,274 thousand vehicles | 2,303 thousand vehicles | 291 thousand vehicles | n.a. | n.a. | 5,941 thousand vehicles |
| 2023 | 2,595 thousand vehicles | 2,099 thousand vehicles | 328 thousand vehicles | n.a. | n.a. | 6,189 thousand vehicles |
| 2024 | 2,705 thousand vehicles | 1,839 thousand vehicles | 315 thousand vehicles | n.a. | n.a. | 6,003 thousand vehicles |
| 2025 | 2,853 thousand vehicles | 1,880 thousand vehicles | 276 thousand vehicles | n.a. | n.a. | 6,184 thousand vehicles |
How GM measures its vehicle sales is available here: total vehicle sales.
General Motors sold nearly 290,000 vehicles in the UK and 260,000 vehicles in Germany in fiscal year 2016 before exiting these markets. These were the latest sales figures for GM in these countries.
For your information, GM has not provided a breakdown of vehicle sales data for the UK and Germany after 2016.
GM's Vehicle Sales by Country — Averages (FY2023–FY2025)
| Metric | 3-Year Average (FY2023–FY2025) |
|---|---|
| United States | 2,718 thousand vehicles |
| China | 1,939 thousand vehicles |
| Brazil | 306 thousand vehicles |
| United Kingdom | n.a. |
| Germany | n.a. |
| Worldwide Retail Volume | 6,125 thousand vehicles |
Sales averages rounded to nearest whole unit. United Kingdom and Germany are disclosed only for fiscal years 2014 through 2016 in this dataset and are not available (n.a.) from fiscal year 2017 onward, so both have zero valid data points within the FY2023–FY2025 averaging window.
Sales mix by country
View data as table
GM Car Sales (Retail) Mix by Country — All Metrics by Fiscal Year
| Fiscal Year | United States | China | Brazil | United Kingdom | Germany | Total U.S., China, and Brazil |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 29.6% | 35.6% | 5.8% | 3.1% | 2.4% | 71.0% |
| 2015 | 30.9% | 37.5% | 3.9% | 3.1% | 2.5% | 72.3% |
| 2016 | 30.4% | 39.1% | 3.5% | 2.9% | 2.6% | 73.0% |
| 2017 | 31.3% | 42.1% | 4.1% | n.a. | n.a. | 77.5% |
| 2018 | 35.2% | 43.5% | 5.2% | n.a. | n.a. | 83.9% |
| 2019 | 37.4% | 40.1% | 6.2% | n.a. | n.a. | 83.7% |
| 2020 | 37.3% | 42.5% | 5.0% | n.a. | n.a. | 84.8% |
| 2021 | 35.2% | 45.9% | 3.8% | n.a. | n.a. | 85.0% |
| 2022 | 38.3% | 38.8% | 4.9% | n.a. | n.a. | 81.9% |
| 2023 | 41.9% | 33.9% | 5.3% | n.a. | n.a. | 81.1% |
| 2024 | 45.1% | 30.6% | 5.2% | n.a. | n.a. | 80.9% |
| 2025 | 46.1% | 30.4% | 4.5% | n.a. | n.a. | 81.0% |
How GM measures its vehicle sales is available here: total vehicle sales.
GM's Mix of Vehicle Sales by Country — Averages (FY2023–FY2025)
| Metric | 3-Year Average (FY2023–FY2025) |
|---|---|
| United States | 44.4% |
| China | 31.6% |
| Brazil | 5.0% |
| United Kingdom | n.a. |
| Germany | n.a. |
| Total U.S., China, and Brazil | 81.0% |
Mix rounded to one decimal place. United Kingdom and Germany are disclosed only for fiscal years 2014 through 2016 in this dataset and are not available (n.a.) from fiscal year 2017 onward, so both have zero valid data points within the FY2023–FY2025 averaging window. Total U.S., China, and Brazil is a partial subtotal and does not sum to 100%.
Sales growth by country
View data as table
GM Car Sales (Retail) Growth by Country — All Metrics by Fiscal Year
| Fiscal Year | United States | China | Brazil | Worldwide Retail Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 5.0% | 5.4% | -33.0% | 0.3% |
| 2016 | -1.3% | 4.9% | -10.8% | 0.5% |
| 2017 | -1.3% | 3.2% | 13.9% | -4.1% |
| 2018 | -1.6% | -9.8% | 10.2% | -12.6% |
| 2019 | -2.3% | -15.1% | 9.7% | -8.0% |
| 2020 | -11.8% | -6.2% | -29.0% | -11.6% |
| 2021 | -12.9% | -0.3% | -28.4% | -7.8% |
| 2022 | 2.5% | -20.4% | 20.2% | -5.6% |
| 2023 | 14.1% | -8.9% | 12.7% | 4.2% |
| 2024 | 4.2% | -12.4% | -4.0% | -3.0% |
| 2025 | 5.5% | 2.2% | -12.4% | 3.0% |
How GM measures its vehicle sales is available here: total vehicle sales.
GM's Growth of Vehicle Sales by Country — Averages (FY2023–FY2025)
| Metric | 3-Year Average (FY2023–FY2025) |
|---|---|
| United States | 7.9% |
| China | -6.4% |
| Brazil | -1.2% |
| Worldwide Retail Volume | 1.4% |
Growth rounded to one decimal place. United Kingdom and Germany are excluded from this section.
Credits and References
1. All sales figures presented were obtained and referenced from General Motors’ annual reports and vehicle sales releases published on the company’s investor relations page: GM News Releases.
2. Flickr Images.
Disclosure
We may utilize the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to produce some of the text in this article. However, the data is directly obtained from original sources and meticulously cross-checked by our editors multiple times to ensure its accuracy and reliability.
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