Brazil Chinese Car Imports Surge 147% to Top World Rankings

Brazil has become the world's largest importer of Chinese vehicles in early 2026, with purchases reaching US$5.2 billion in the first five months, a 146.9% year-on-year jump that pushed it past Russia and Belgium. The surge is driven by a stockpiling rush ahead of a steep tariff increase on imported electric and hybrid

Brazil overtook Russia and Belgium in the first five months of this year to become the world’s largest importer of Chinese cars, buying US$5.2 billion worth of vehicles as brands raced to land shipments before a tariff increase took effect in July. The figure, drawn from Chinese customs data, is up 146.9 per cent from