As of about 12:45 PM IST, Tuesday 3 November 2026. Figures are attributed to the sources that published them; anything not independently confirmed is flagged.
The global league table of carmakers has been reshuffled for the first time in seven years, according to The Korea Herald, which compiled third-quarter (July to September) sales figures. Hyundai Motor Group climbed to third place, and China's BYD entered the top five for the first time, overtaking the Renault-Nissan Alliance.
The Q3 2026 top five
- Toyota Group: 2.74 million vehicles
- Volkswagen Group: 1.89 million
- Hyundai Motor Group: 1.76 million
- BYD: 1.32 million
- General Motors: 1.03 million, up 5.2%, helped by pickups and large SUVs despite weaker US EV sales
The Korea Herald reported that Renault-Nissan's quarterly sales fell 11.1% year on year, with Nissan's China sales down 61.6%. The figures are as compiled by the newspaper; companies define group sales slightly differently.
China is the swing factor
- Volkswagen: deliveries in China fell 38.5% to 406,000 in the quarter, compared with a drop of about 4% outside China, the Korea Herald said.
- Toyota: recorded its eighth straight monthly sales decline in China, with September down 19.7%.
- BYD: quarterly volume rose 18.7%, and exports jumped 137% to 551,000, about 42% of its total, as overseas growth offset tougher competition at home.
Inside Hyundai's climb
Kia's sales rose 6.9% to 829,000, while Hyundai Motor's fell 10.1% to 931,000, hurt by strike-related production disruption at home and weaker sales in Europe and China. That left the group about 125,000 vehicles behind Volkswagen, according to the Korea Herald. Separately, Aju Press reported that production at Hyundai's Genesis line was halted for a second day on 3 November.
Volkswagen's cost squeeze
The rankings land as Volkswagen tightens spending after a loss-making third quarter. EV.com, citing Handelsblatt and Reuters, reported that Volkswagen has paused development of the electric ID. Golf "until we can securely allocate the necessary investments". The car was already pushed back from 2028 to the end of the decade. Brand chief Thomas Schaefer was quoted as saying, "We simply cannot afford this work right now." Volkswagen described the pause as temporary.
What to watch
- Whether BYD can hold its top-five spot through the fourth quarter as its export push continues.
- Further production disruption at Hyundai's domestic plants.
- More cost cuts from legacy carmakers losing ground in China.
Related reading on HorizonDesk
- China EV October deliveries: BYD exports, Xpeng hits 50,000
- Volkswagen posts 5.9 billion euro Q3 operating loss
- Ford Q3 2026 earnings beat as Model e loses $4 billion
