Uzbekistan Auto Industry Grows Amid Shift in Model Preferences

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Uzbekistan’s automotive industry continues to expand, with production of passenger and commercial vehicles increasing in January–April 2026 compared to the same period last year, according to data from the National Statistics Committee.

Overall production growth

Passenger car production rose from 135,367 units to 148,859 units, marking a 10.0% increase.

Truck production showed even stronger growth, rising from 1,432 to 1,867 units (+30.4%). Special-purpose vehicles also increased significantly, from 12,983 to 18,038 units (+38.9%).

Model-level performance: mixed dynamics

The performance across individual models shows uneven trends.

The strongest growth was recorded by BYD, with output increasing from 4,267 to 7,011 units (+64.3%), the highest growth rate among all brands. Haval also showed strong expansion, rising from 2,634 to 3,425 units (+30.0%).

The Cobalt model remained the production leader, increasing from 44,747 to 53,802 units (+20.2%). Tracker output grew slightly from 14,092 to 14,518 units (+3.0%), while KIA production rose from 8,680 to 8,882 units (+2.3%).

In contrast, several models recorded declines. Onix production fell from 15,236 to 12,259 units (−19.5%), Chery decreased from 2,773 to 2,572 units (−7.3%), and Damas dropped from 29,955 to 28,352 units (−5.4%).

Structural shift: rising share of Chinese brands

Combined production of Chinese brands — BYD, Haval, and Chery — increased from 9,674 to 13,008 units (+34.5%). Their share in total passenger car production rose from 7.1% to 8.7%.

The sharp growth of BYD reflects increasing demand for electric and hybrid vehicles in the Uzbek market, indicating a gradual shift in consumer preferences toward electrification and new energy technologies.