Chinese brands have outsold their Japanese rivals in Europe over a full quarter for the first time, according to market researcher Dataforce. In September, Chinese makers took 12.7% of European sales, while Japanese manufacturers, including Toyota, took 11.9%.
What do the new figures show?
Chinese carmakers have now beaten Japanese brands in Europe across a full quarter. The data comes from Dataforce, a research firm that tracks vehicle registrations.
In September, registrations of Chinese-branded cars roughly doubled compared with a year earlier. As a result, they made up 12.7% of total sales across the region. Japanese manufacturers, a group that includes Toyota, accounted for 11.9%.
That gap of less than a percentage point looks small on paper. However, it carries real symbolic weight. Japan’s carmakers have long been the most established Asian brands in Europe. Being overtaken by a much younger group of rivals therefore marks a clear shift in the region’s pecking order.
Which cars are driving the surge?
Interestingly, hybrids led the rise in Chinese registrations, according to Dataforce. That detail is important for anyone following the move to electric driving. Chinese brands are often linked with battery cars in the public mind. Yet their European momentum currently rests heavily on models that pair a combustion engine with electric power.
BYD and Chery Automobile are two of the brands gaining ground quickly. BYD has built its global reputation on batteries and plug-in vehicles. Meanwhile, Chery has made rapid progress in the region with several of its brands.
BYD’s presence at the 2026 Paris Motor Show underlined the point. Visitors looked over its line-up at the show on 13 October, shortly before the figures appeared.
Still, the figures released so far don’t break sales down by model or powertrain. So it isn’t yet clear how much of the Chinese total comes from plug-in hybrids, conventional hybrids or fully electric cars.
How quickly has China caught up?
Speed is the most striking part of the story. Five years ago, Chinese brands accounted for barely 1% of European sales. Now they hold more than twelve times that share.
By contrast, Japan’s automakers spent decades building their position in Europe. Their place in the market grew steadily, one model generation after another. China’s brands have covered similar ground in a small fraction of that time. Unsurprisingly, the pace of the surge has caught much of the industry off guard.
Where does this leave European and Japanese brands?
It’s worth keeping the figures in proportion. European manufacturers such as Volkswagen and Renault still dominate the region. Together, Chinese and Japanese brands made up just under a quarter of September’s market. The large majority of sales therefore still goes to other makers, led by the European groups.
Even so, the trend adds pressure on established players. For Japanese brands, losing their spot as Europe’s leading Asian group raises questions about their product and pricing plans. For European makers, a doubling of Chinese registrations in a single year signals tougher competition ahead.
Moreover, the shift comes at a sensitive moment for the whole industry. Carmakers are juggling the costs of electrification with the need to keep showroom prices within reach. Any brand that can offer electrified cars at competitive prices stands to gain.
What should car buyers watch next?
For drivers, more competition usually means more choice. A growing Chinese presence gives shoppers extra options, particularly among hybrids. In turn, rival brands may need to sharpen their own offers to keep customers.
Next, it’ll be worth watching whether the lead holds in the coming months. One quarter is a milestone, though it isn’t yet a settled trend. Further Dataforce releases should show whether Chinese makers keep pulling ahead or whether Japanese brands win back ground.
Finally, the mix of powertrains deserves close attention. If hybrids keep leading Chinese growth, this story is as much about affordable electrified cars as about pure EVs. Either way, Europe’s car market already looks very different from the one of five years ago.
