Saudi Arabia’s new‑vehicle market closed 2025 with 841,894 units sold, reflecting a modest yet meaningful +0.4% year‑on‑year increase. While this overall growth appears flat at first glance, the real momentum of the market becomes clear when we examine how buyers shifted across key segments. From value‑driven sedans to family‑oriented SUVs, consumer demand in 2025 was shaped by practicality, affordability, and availability. This following deep dive takes a closer look at which models gained traction and provides a segment‑by‑segment breakdown - revealing how passenger cars, SUVs, pick-ups, EVs and other segments contributed to the year’s performance. It details not only what Saudis bought in 2025, but also why certain segments and nameplates stood out in an otherwise steady market. Top-Performing Automobile Brands in 2025: The Saudi automotive market in 2025 showed limited change in brand leadership, with top‑performing brands maintaining their positions from the prior year. Performance differences were driven less by structural shifts and more by execution and scale, as leading brands gradually consolidated share through strong distribution, competitive pricing, and alignment with high‑volume segments. · Toyota: Led the market with 244,709 units (+4.3% YoY), steadily expanding share on the back of wide sedan and SUV demand. · Hyundai: Ranked second with 136,000 units (+3.8% YoY), delivering stable volume through high‑demand mainstream passenger cars and compact SUVs. · KIA: Held third place with 66,792 units (+4.8% YoY), supported by consistent demand for competitively priced core models. · Ford: Recorded 48,730 units (+11.3% YoY), the fastest growth among top brands, moving ahead of Nissan in 2025. · Nissan: Sold 47,750 units (+3.2% YoY), maintaining volume but slipping to fifth as competitors grew faster. Chinese Brands’ Demand Normalized:
Changan: Posted 25,090 units (−11.3% YoY) as sales normalized after a strong 2024.
MG: Recorded 26,700 units (−7.7% YoY), remaining a volume player despite lower demand.
Geely: Fell sharply to 15,798 units (−43.2% YoY), reflecting a significant pullback versus last year.
Market Composition: Sedans, SUVs, and Emerging Segments:
In 2025, passenger cars and SUVs together accounted for 81% of total new vehicle sales in Saudi Arabia. All remaining segments, including pick-ups, LCVs, MPVs, EVs, trucks, and buses, collectively contributed less than one-fifth of total market volume, underscoring the continued dominance of mass-market categories. Despite a whopping 43.4% growth in sales volume from 2024, EVs contributed to only 0.1% of total market sales.
· Passenger cars remained the largest segment in 2025, contributing 45.0% of total sales (378,575 units, +2.3% YoY). Growth came mainly from Segment‑A (represented by models such as the Swift Dzire Suzuki) and Segment‑E (represented by models such as the Ford Taurus), while the mid‑segments grew marginally.
· SUVs made up 36.0% of the market with 302,681 units (+3.4% YoY). Performance varied by size. Larger models such as SUV‑E (represented by models such as the Haval H9) and SUV‑A (represented by models such as the Raize Toyota) showed solid growth, whereas SUV‑B (represented by models such as the Urban Cruiser Toyota), experienced a decline. SUV‑C/D/E/F categories grew moderately, contributing to the segment’s overall uplift.[KK1]
· Pick‑ups declined, totaling 68,853 units (−5% YoY), contributing only 8.1% to the total market sales.
· Electric vehicles (EVs) saw strong growth of +43% YOY, reaching 1,111 units, but still accounted for just 0.1% of the market share, reflecting early-stage adoption. While HEVs continued to see stronger traction.
Conclusion:
2025’s model and segment landscape paint a clear picture: Saudi consumers continue to reward value, practicality, and modern features, while established players maintain leadership through reliability and availability. As the market evolves further, these buying patterns will shape 2026’s competition, especially in SUVs.