BYD reaches fourth position among the best-selling car brands in Brazil, surpassing Hyundai
For the first time in the history of the Brazilian automotive market, a Chinese manufacturer established itself among the four largest. BYD managed to surpass Hyundai in sales volume during the first half of the year, consolidating itself as the fourth most sold brand in the country, according to data released by the National Federation of Vehicle Distribution (Fenabrave).
In the last six months, the Chinese automaker registered the sale of 99,028 units, while the South Korean company registered 96,723 vehicles. The difference of just 2,305 cars was enough for BYD to overtake Hyundai in this period. See the performance of the main brands in the ranking:
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The ten biggest brands by sales in the first half of 2026
- 1°) Fiat: 270,941 units
- 2°) Volkswagen: 224,923 units
- 3°) General Motors: 140,706 units
- 4°) BYD: 99,028 units
- 5th) Hyundai: 96,723 units
- 6°) Toyota: 78,969 units
- 7°) Renault: 63,873 units
- 8°) Jeep: 56,418 units
- 9°) Honda: 53,540 units
- 10°) Caoa Chery: 37,013 units
With this result, BYD not only left Hyundai behind in sales in the first half of 2026, but also other major manufacturers such as Jeep, Renault, Honda, Toyota and Caoa Chery. However, there is still a considerable gap in relation to General Motors, which occupies third place with 140,706 registrations in the same period.
BYD’s significant growth in Brazil is largely attributed to the start of its national production in Camaçari, Bahia, from July of the previous year. In the first half of 2025, the Chinese brand occupied ninth position, with 47 thousand vehicles sold. Exactly one year later, its sales more than doubled, highlighting the impact of localizing production.
Currently, the BYD model most sought after by Brazilian consumers is the Dolphin Mini. This electric hatchback accumulated 35 thousand units sold in the first half of the year, representing more than a third of the Chinese automaker’s total registrations.
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The intense competition for fourth position in the national automotive market
Historically, since the end of the 1970s, Brazilian consumers were accustomed to Fiat, Volkswagen, General Motors and Ford making up the group of the “big four” automakers. For around three decades, these manufacturers dominated sales of automobiles and light commercial vehicles in the country, with leadership alternating between them. However, this scenario began to change significantly from 2018 onwards.
2018 marked the last time that Ford was among the top four. Strategic decisions and the closure of its factories in São Bernardo do Campo (SP), in 2019, and Camaçari (BA), in 2021, led to a drop in sales of the traditional brand. With Ford’s departure, the coveted fourth place became the target of fierce competition between Renault, Toyota and Hyundai.
Renault was the first to take this position in 2019, but soon gave way to Hyundai in the following two years. In 2022 and 2023, Toyota reached fourth place at the end of the year, but the Korean manufacturer regained the position in 2024 and 2025. Now, the doubt hovers over whether BYD’s performance will be maintained at the end of 2026, or whether the market will see another year of Korean dominance over Chinese brands.
