Colombian Auto Market in 2026 is thriving. YTD sales up to february grew by 19.1%, with Kia outpacing Renault and climbing into 1st. BYD ranked in 10th while also driving EV sector’s growth to 40.9%.
Economic Environment
Colombia’s economy is projected to grow by about 2.6% in 2026, but income levels remain relatively low and inequality persists. Environmental pressures continue to increase, although more slowly than economic growth, indicating partial decoupling. Greenhouse gas emissions, energy demand, and material consumption are all rising, with transport and agriculture as key contributors. The country remains heavily dependent on fossil fuel exports, creating economic risks as global demand shifts toward cleaner energy. Climate change impacts are intensifying, with greater exposure to extreme events, while adaptation frameworks and monitoring systems have improved but remain uneven across regions.
Colombia has set ambitious climate targets, including a 51% emissions reduction by 2030 and net-zero by 2050, though current policies are insufficient to meet these goals. Deforestation reduction has shown progress but remains volatile and critical for achieving both climate and biodiversity objectives. Overall, advancing sustainable growth will require stronger mitigation measures, better-targeted adaptation financing, economic diversification, and more consistent policy implementation.
Automotive Industry Trend and Outlook
Colombia’s vehicle market is performing well in Q1, with YTD sales up to February up by 19.1% to 37,351.
Brand-wise, Kia -up 1 spot- surged into 1st with a 14.8% share (+28.2%), followed by Renault -down 1 spot- into 2nd (+9.6%). Mazda -up 2 spots- fell into 3rd (+13.9%).
Toyota -down 1 spot- ranked 4th (+7.5%), followed by Chevrolet -down 1 spot- in 5th (+6.9%), Suzuki -up 3 spots- in 6th (+47.7%) and Nissan -down 1 spot- in 7th (+0.7%). Hyundai -up 1 spot- ranked 8th (+13%), followed by Volkswagen -down 1 spot- in 9th (+19.4%) and BYD in 10th (+30.1%).
For what concerns the best selling models, the Kia Picanto climbed 5 spots and became new leader, up by 46.2% and with a 4.3% share. The Renault Duster surged 2 spots and followed in 2nd with 4.2% (+29.9%). The Kia K3 closed the podium with 3.8%, falling by 2 spots despite still growing 12.1%.
EV Market Trend and Outlook
Colombia’s EV sector continues to develop, growing by 40.9% up to February 2026 to a 6.7% share. Despite the positive trend, however, uncertainty related to future of EV after May’s presidential elections remains a key issue that could prevent the segment’s expansion.
BYD was still the leader, up by 20.7% and with a 58.5% share. Chery ranked 2nd with an 8.4% share while Deepal closed the podium with 8.1%.
Medium-Term Market Trend
Colombia’s automotive market reached a historic peak in 2014 with 318,625 units sold, before entering a prolonged decline to 220,581 by 2019 as saturation weighed on demand. The shock of COVID-19 in 2020 drove sales down to just 85,282 units, followed by a strong recovery in 2021 (200,914 units) and a modest increase in 2022 (208,160). However, economic headwinds in 2023 pushed sales back down to 144,633 units. The market rebounded in 2024, rising 7.7% to 201,219 units, and accelerated further in 2025 to 254,215 units (+26.3%), signaling renewed momentum.
At the same time, the EV segment has shifted from a marginal niche to a fast-growing market. Gaining traction from 2022 onward thanks to policy support and infrastructure improvements, EV sales rose 113.9% to 8,408 units in 2024 and surged another 112.7% to 17,884 in 2025, reflecting a rapid and sustained transition toward cleaner mobility even amid broader market volatility.
Tables with sales figures
In the tables below we report sales for all Brands and top 10 Manufacturer Groups.
