Despite global challenges, Turkiye's automotive industry achieves its highest-ever January export figure of $3 billion.
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| Turkiye’s automotive sector sees record exports in January, surpassing $3 billion and driving steady growth in 2025. Image: ChicHue |
Ankara, Turkiye --- February 6, 2025:
Turkiye's automotive sector has started the year on a high note, setting a new record for January exports, reaching $3 billion (TL 107.66 billion). This marks an 8% increase compared to the same month in 2024, according to a report released Thursday.
Despite global economic uncertainties and challenges in Europe, its primary market, Turkiye's strong production capabilities and geopolitical advantages played a significant role in driving the sector’s robust performance in January. The automotive industry, the country's leading export sector, saw its share in total exports rise to 14.2%.
Overall, Turkiye's exports in January grew by 5.8% year-over-year, totaling $21.16 billion, as revealed by data from the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM) and Anadolu Agency (AA).
The automotive sector’s stellar performance builds on steady growth following the pandemic. In 2024, the sector's sales exceeded $37 billion, a 6% increase compared to the previous year. The January export performance marks a significant leap from previous years: $2.3 billion in 2019, $2.4 billion in 2020, $2.27 billion in 2021, $2.2 billion in 2022, and $2.7 billion in 2023.
The main automotive industry was the largest contributor to this figure, with exports worth $1.7 billion. The automotive supply industry followed closely, contributing $1.3 billion. Other vehicle manufacturing, mineral fuels, and the defense and aerospace industry also made smaller contributions.
Germany was the top importer of Turkiye's automotive goods in January, receiving $462.2 million, followed by the United Kingdom ($346.5 million), France ($327.3 million), Spain ($255.6 million), and Italy ($231.4 million). Spain saw the largest growth in export value, with an increase of $84.9 million compared to the previous year.
Provincially, Kocaeli led the way with $903.4 million in automotive exports. Istanbul followed with $641.6 million, while Bursa ranked third with $585.4 million. Other significant contributors included Sakarya ($385.4 million) and Ankara ($102.4 million).
The Turkiye automotive sector's performance reflects both resilience and competitiveness on the global stage, with strong export growth and expanding market share across key European markets.