Compared to the same period in 2025, January sales recorded a decrease of 0.4%, but pickup trucks and passenger cars increased
According to Anfavea’s balance sheet, 170.5 thousand light and heavy vehicles were sold in the first month of the year, or 0.4% less than January 2025. The result represented a small drop, although January 2026 had one less business day over the same month last year. Automobiles grew 1.4% and light commercial vehicles (basically pickup trucks) advanced a little more, 3%. In a year of national elections, the commercialization of these two segments (95% of the total) is more difficult to predict, although the entity that represents the automobile industry intends to make quarterly reviews.
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Average daily sales, 8,100 units, rose almost 4% compared to January 2025, a result slightly above what both Anfavea (2.6% more) and Fenabrave (3% more) forecast for 2026. Thus, over the next few months there should be an accommodation. Inventory levels rose from 37 days in December to 57 days in January. However, domestically manufactured vehicles have only 29 days of inventory, while imported ones have no less than 172 days.
It is easy to explain this huge difference. When crossing import records with registrations, the distortion appears due to a single company, BYD. Last year, it imported thousands of electric cars on state-of-the-art ro-ro ships to take advantage of the import tax lower than the 35% in force since January 1995. Belatedly, the Federal Government realized the maneuver and stayed at that. The benefit, however, is already over. However, his achievements will extend throughout 2026.
Despite the Mercosur agreements, Argentina (13,400 vehicles) lost for the first time to China (16,400 units) as the main foreign supplier to the Brazilian market last January. The neighbor to the South receives many more cars from Brazil than it sends here. In the case of China, no Brazilian car goes there, obviously, but doors remain open here for 14 Chinese brands. This situation of imbalance begins to improve this year, but with an extremely low local content index. GWM took the lead, but BYD will change the scenario in 2026 (at first with semi-disassembled imported units).
In January, this was the breakdown of sales: gasoline, 3.8%; electric, 5.1%; hybrid, 6.7%; plug-in hybrid, 5.1%; diesel, 11.7%; flex, 67.7%.
It may seem strange, but last year alone 664.4 thousand drivers had the IPVA protested in a notary’s office, after not paying on time, which resulted in the negative CPF. Information is from IEPTB – Institute of Studies of Protest of Titles of Brazil. Since 2012, more than 4.6 million debts of this tax have ended up protested only in notary offices in the city of São Paulo.
In addition to the exorbitant amount, part of these pending issues could already be resolved. About 350,000 debts (more than R$ 1 billion) have been settled, but remain registered in the city’s registry offices. The explanation ranges from forgetfulness to avoiding paying new regularization fees that are not at all modest, in addition to the delay of five working days.
Another threat involves the National Driver’s License (CNH). Three years ago, the Superior Court of Justice (STJ) understood that the suspension or seizure of the CNH can be adopted as an exceptional coercive measure in order to encourage the discharge of debts of any nature, provided that strict criteria of proportionality and reasonableness are observed.
However, the judge must respect fundamental rights such as health and financial security. If the driver proves that the CNH helps him in his livelihood, for example, he will be spared. According to I.A.’s response, the STJ’s decision applies to civil debts and, more frequently, in high-value cases in which the debtor hides assets.
Curiosities: Contran released, a fortnight ago, a practical exam with automatic transmission cars (electric vehicles don’t even have a gearbox, for example). Goal test was also waived. Modern automobiles have cameras that greatly facilitate parking maneuvers and the trend is for their adoption to increase as they fall in price. Until that happens, get ready to see many newcomers behind the wheel struggle to park and even hear nervous honks…
