Vehicle production in Brazil – cars, buses and trucks – totaled 254.5 thousand units in October. The number represents 2.7% more than in October 2025. In comparison with September, there was a drop of 5.1%.
Year-to-date, 2.420 million vehicles were produced, around 180 thousand more units than in the same period last year.
The data was released this Wednesday (11) by the National Association of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (Anfavea).
Sales
According to the balance sheet, sales in the domestic market increased 1.8% in October this year compared to the same month in 2025, reaching 265.5 thousand vehicles.
Compared to the previous month, there was a 5.6% drop in sales. Year-to-date, the increase was 16.1%, with 2.522 million units sold.
Anfavea found that this result was driven mainly by cars and light commercial vehicles.
Registrations in these categories increased by 17.3%, from 2.057 million to 2.412 million units. The truck and bus segment fell 4.4% (109.4 thousand units).
The entity, however, is concerned about exports that have fallen and imports that have increased. This increased the trade imbalance and led to a deficit of 157.6 thousand units in the first ten months of 2026, after the surplus recorded in the same period of 2025.
In October, vehicle shipments abroad totaled 29.1 thousand units, a drop of 28.3% compared to October 2025. In relation to September, the reduction was 26.9%. Year-to-date, the drop reached 23.5%, with 363.1 thousand remittances.
According to Anfavea, the performance reflects the loss of share of manufacturers installed in Brazil in neighboring markets, especially for products from Asia and Mexico. “Argentina, historically the main destination for Brazilian exports, is also facing a downturn in the domestic market, which directly affects national shipments.”
In October, 56.7 thousand vehicles were imported, an increase of 22.3% compared to the same month in 2025. Compared to September, the volume was practically stable, with a decrease of 0.8%. Between January and October, imports reached 520.7 thousand units, an increase of 29.5%.
According to Anfavea, this was due to the change in the composition of imports, with Chinese models being twice as many as Argentine models in Brazilian registrations (288 thousand against 143 thousand). This scenario reverses Argentina's leadership, which remained the main source of imported vehicles until mid-2025.
The president of Anfavea, Igor Calvet, warned of the fact that the sector is witnessing an important change in the dynamics of foreign trade, with Chinese vehicles taking the lead among the origins of Brazilian imports, with double the volume coming from Argentina.
"Argentina is a free trade partner country with whom we exchange products in a two-way street. Even with an Import Tax of 35%, we are still the producing country that imposes the least limits on imported vehicles, which has prevented our industry from benefiting from the good results of the domestic market."
Sustainability
According to Anfavea, the Sustainable Car Program and the expansion of electrified vehicles have driven the growth in sales of cars and light commercial vehicles.
According to the data, since the beginning of the Sustainable Car Program, in July 2025, 671 thousand units of covered models have been registered.
In the first ten months of 2026, there were 412.8 thousand, an increase of 22.3% over the same period of the previous year. This volume represents 17.1% of light vehicle registrations. “The result shows the attractiveness of the entry segment, whose models included will also be exempt from the Selective Tax”, says the entity.
Regarding electrified vehicles, 495.7 thousand units were sold in the year to date – an increase of 125.7% over the same period in 2025, which represents 20.5% of new light vehicle registrations, compared to 10.7% last year.
The balance shows that 100% electric models already account for 7.4% of light vehicle sales in the year to date.
Fall among the heavyweights
The heavy vehicle segment continues to face difficulties, with truck sales recording a drop of 4.1% in the year to October, as well as production, which fell 4.7% in the same period.
