- VW Group global sales fell 4 percent in Q1, landing at just over 2 million units.
- The US dropped 20.5 percent, with tariffs and regulatory shifts taking the blame.
- China shed nearly 100,000 units year over year, down 14.8 percent from Q1 2025.
Global car demand has proven uneven this year, with regional pressures shaping very different outcomes for major automakers. Like many other car manufacturers, the Volkswagen Group has had a difficult start to 2026. Company sales slipped 4 percent in the first quarter, and EVs fell even further, despite a generally positive outlook across Europe.
The world’s second-largest automaker ended the quarter having sold 2,048,900 vehicles, down 4 percent from the 2,133,600 it sold in Q1 2025. This drop was largely due to a 14.8 percent collapse in China, from 644,100 units to 548,700.
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Similarly, sales were down 13.3 percent in North America from 237,200 units to 205,500. The drop was led by the United States, where sales fell 20.5 percent, blamed on the current tariff situation, “as well as changes in regulations.” Sales were also down 8 percent in Asia-Pacific to 70,200 and declined 5.3 percent in the Middle East and Africa to 92,800.
VW Q1 2026 Sales
Region Q1-26 Q1-25 Diff. Western Europe 848,500 814,000 +4.2% Central and Eastern Europe 135,300 125,800 +7.6% North America 205,500 237,200 -13.3% South America 147,900 138,200 +7.0% China 548,700 644,100 -14.8% Rest of Asia-Pacific 70,200 76,300 -8.0% Middle East/Africa 92,800 98,000 -5.3% World 2,048,900 2,133,600 -4.0%
Bucking the trend was a 4.2 percent increase in sales in Western Europe, rising from 814,000 to 848,500. Sales in Central and Eastern Europe also climbed 7.6 percent to 135,300, while sales in South America increased 7 percent to 147,900.
“The first quarter of 2026 was once again characterized by very challenging economic and geopolitical conditions. The worldwide automotive market declined overall through the end of March,” VW’s Marco Schubert said of the results.
Just three brands from the VW Group reported sales rises in the first quarter. The first was Skoda, whose sales rose 14 percent to 271,900, up from 238,600 in the first quarter of 2025. Additionally, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles sales rose 10.1 percent to 88,900, while MAN truck sales climbed 14.5 percent to 23,600.
VW Brand Sales
Brand Q1-26 Q1-25 Diff. Brand Group Core 1,554,400 1,600,300 -2.9% Volkswagen Passenger Cars 1,048,300 1,134,200 -7.6% Škoda 271,900 238,600 +14.0% SEAT/CUPRA 145,300 146,700 -1.0% Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles 88,900 80,800 +10.1% Brand Group Progressive 364,900 388,800 -6.1% Audi 360,100 383,400 -6.1% Bentley 2,200 2,400 -9.9% Lamborghini 2,600 3,000 -11.7% Brand Group Sport Luxury 61,000 71,500 -14.7% Porsche 61,000 71,500 -14.7% Brand Group Trucks / TRATON 68,600 73,100 -6.1% Scania 20,900 22,200 -5.7% MAN 23,600 20,600 +14.5% International 13,300 16,900 -21.1% Volkswagen Truck & Bus 10,800 13,400 -19.6% Volkswagen Group (total) 2,048,900 2,133,600 -4.0%