Switzerland Car Market in 2026 is struggling. Q1 sales grew by 0.6%, with Volkswagen becoming the new leader as BMW dropped into 2nd. Skoda secured 3rd while also displacing Tesla as EV’s best seller.
Economic Environment
In 2026, Switzerland’s growth forecast has been slightly lowered by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, with GDP now expected to rise by 1% instead of the previously estimated 1.1%, reflecting weaker economic momentum. This rate remains below the country’s historical average growth of 1.8%, while the 2027 forecast is unchanged at 1.7%. When adjusted for the impact of major international sports organizations based in Switzerland, GDP is projected to grow by 1.3% in 2026 and 1.4% in 2027.
The downgrade is largely attributed to the economic consequences of the Middle East conflict, which has driven up global energy prices. Higher energy costs are expected to push inflation slightly higher in 2026 to 0.4%, compared to earlier estimates of 0.2%, and dampen private consumption. Despite these pressures, moderate recovery is anticipated in 2027 as global demand improves, particularly in Europe led by Germany. The labor market is also expected to weaken somewhat, with unemployment rising to 3% in 2026 before easing to 2.8% in 2027.
Automotive Industry Trend and Outlook
After starting the year on a negative note, the Swiss car market turned positive again in march. Overall, Q1 sales in 2026 amounted to 52,957 units, growing by 0.6%.
Brand-wise, Volkswagen -up 1 spot- became the new leader with a 11.2% share (+22.1%), followed by BMW -down 1 spot- in 2nd with 9.4% (-0.7%) and Skoda in 3rd with 9.3% (+5.5%)
Audi -up 1 spot- ranked 4th (-0.3%), followed by Mercedes -down 1 spot- in 5th (-10.4%), Toyota in 6th (+17.9%) and Volvo -up 3 spots- in 7th (+15.9%).
Dacia -up 1 spot- ranked 8th (-0.7%), followed by Renault -down 1 spot- in 9th (-18.6%). Hyundai -down 3 spots- closed the top 10 (-35.7%).
Looking at specific models, reported in the dedicated article, the Toyota Yaris became the new best-selling model while growing 28.6%. The Volkswagen Golf followed in 2nd surging 4 spots and 35.3%.
EV Market Trend and Outlook
Swiss EV sector sees renewed momentum, despite contraction in the broader car market. Q1 sales grew by 21% to a share of 17.3%, as lower upfront prices reinforced the shift to EVs already driven by fuel costs.
Skoda became the new leader, up by 100.8% and 2 spots with a share of 16.7%. Tesla dropped in 2nd, losing 20.5% and with a share of 10.7%. BYD ranked 3rd, surging 19 spots and securing 8.7% of the market.
Medium-Term Market Trend
Switzerland’s car market reached its high point in 2015, with 323,783 vehicles sold, reflecting strong demand at the time. From there, volumes gradually declined until 2018, when sales dropped to 299,656 units, as the market matured and stricter emissions standards began influencing buyer behavior. After a short-lived recovery, the shock of the COVID-19 pandemic caused a steep contraction, cutting sales by roughly a quarter and leaving the market struggling to regain its previous levels.
Although there was some improvement in the following years, overall performance remained subdued. Sales fell to a low of 225,867 units in 2022, rebounded by 11.6% in 2023, and then slipped again in 2024 to 239,294 vehicles, reflecting ongoing economic uncertainty, weaker consumer sentiment, and persistent supply chain disruptions. In 2025, the market showed only modest stabilization, with total car sales reaching 231,421 units, still well below pre-pandemic figures.
Electric vehicles followed a different trajectory, benefiting early on from incentives and high purchasing power among Swiss consumers. Registrations grew steadily from 2014 through 2020 and continued expanding to a peak around 2023, before momentum slowed. In 2024, EV sales declined by 12.5% to 46,141 units, largely due to the phase-out of tax advantages, a shortage of lower-cost models, and gaps in charging infrastructure, especially for apartment dwellers. This cooling trend persisted into 2025, when EV registrations totaled 35,719 units, indicating that structural barriers and policy changes had begun to weigh more heavily on adoption
Tables with sales figures
In the tables below we report sales for all Brands, top 10 Manufacturers Groups and top 10 Models.
