UK: trade in motor vehicles

The UK reported a negative automotive trade balance in all the years recorded. In 2023, the country imported some 68.1 billion Great British pounds in automotive goods, compared to 47.1 billion Great British pounds in exports.

Economic contribution

The UK’s overall trade balance of goods was a negative 270.6 billion U.S. dollars in 2023. That same year, the motor industry contributed about 22 billion British pounds to the UK’s economy. This was an increase compared with 2021 when the motor industry was responsible for adding 14.1 billion British pounds to the country’s gross domestic product.

Production figures

In 2022, the UK produced roughly 775,000 million cars, a notable drop from nearly 859,600 million cars produced in 2021. Although the UK car production was declining for the past three years, the significant decrease in production that occurred in 2020 was mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Trade value of motor vehicles exported from and imported to the United Kingdom (UK) from 2014 to 2023 (in billion GBP)

Characteristic	Imports	Exports
2023	68.08	47.05
2022	56.68	38.57
2021	46.1	35.54
2020	44.87	32.41
2019	58.94	43.58
2018	57	44.4
2017	40.8	34.3
2016	39.8	31.5
2015	37.8	27
2014	33.3	27.3

Loading statistic...

Download

Source

Show detailed source information?

Already a member?

Sources

Use Ask Statista Research Service

Release date

October 2024

More information

Region

United Kingdom

Survey time period

2014 to 2023

Supplementary notes

This statistic is using original data from the Office for National Statistics and includes copyright material from © Crown, licensed under the Open Government License v3.0.

Automotive trade includes both passenger and commercial vehicles, as well as trailers, semi-trailers, parts, and components.
Vales prior to 2019 were taken from previous editions of the publication.

Citation formats