In 2002, vehicle sales were about five times higher in the U.S. than in China. Due to a combination of declining sales in the U.S. and rising sales in China, vehicle sales in China exceeded vehicle sales in the U.S. for the first time in 2009. Just one year later, vehicle sales in China were 18.2 million, which topped the U.S. sales record of 17.4 million in 2005.
Vehicle Sales in the U.S. and China, 2002-2011
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Note: Vehicle sales include light and heavy vehicles.
Supporting Information
| Year | U.S. | China |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 17.1 | 3.2 |
| 2003 | 17.0 | 4.4 |
| 2004 | 17.3 | 5.1 |
| 2005 | 17.4 | 5.8 |
| 2006 | 17.0 | 7.1 |
| 2007 | 16.5 | 8.8 |
| 2008 | 13.5 | 9.3 |
| 2009 | 10.6 | 13.6 |
| 2010 | 11.8 | 18.1 |
| 2011 | 13.0 | 18.5 |
| Source: Ward's Auto Info Bank | ||