Chinese brands, led by Shenzhen-based BYD, sold 13.4 million new vehicles last year, while American brands sold about 11.9 million, the data showed.
Japanese brands led with 23.59 million sales.
"Negligence from legacy automakers, which has resulted in consistently high car prices, has inadvertently driven consumers toward more affordable Chinese alternatives," Jato senior analyst Felipe Munoz said in the report.
Brands from China have made particular inroads in emerging economies, where Jato said one in five new car sales were made last year amid increased global demand.
That is more than the total sales in the U.S. or Europe during the year," said Munoz.
Persons:
Felipe Munoz, Jato, Munoz
Organizations:
Automotive, Jato Dynamics, Brands
Locations:
Lianyungang Port, Jiangsu Province, China, U.S, Shenzhen, Europe