2020 (Full Year) Global: Mercedes-Benz and Smart Sales Worldwide

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In 2020, global Mercedes-Benz and Smart car sales were lower in most regions and countries worldwide but up in China. GLC was the top-selling model.

In 2020, global Mercedes-Benz and Smart car sales were lower in most regions and countries worldwide but up in China. GLC was the top-selling model.
Mercedes-Benz S-Class © Daimler AG

In full-year 2020, Mercedes-Benz delivered 2,164,187 cars worldwide (-7.5%) but claimed to have maintained its leading global position compared with its core competitors. Overall, the largest markets for Mercedes-Benz were China, Germany, and the USA, followed by Great Britain and South Korea. The GLC was the top-selling Mercedes-Benz model worldwide. Electrified car sales (xEV in Mercedes speak) more than doubled to over 160,000 plug-in hybrids and all-electric vehicles worldwide.

Mercedes-Benz Global Sales by Brands and Division in 2020

In full-year 2020, Daimler sold the following Mercedes-Benz branded cars, Smart brand and commercial vans worldwide:

Jan. – Dec. 2020Change in %
Mercedes-Benz*2,164,187-7.5
smart38,391-67.1
Mercedes-Benz Cars2,202,578-10.3
Mercedes-Benz Vans (commercial models)325,771-8.9
Mercedes-Benz Cars & Vans2,528,349

*Including the V-Class and the X-Class

Mercedes-Benz Cars Sales by Region and Country in 2020

Mercedes-Benz branded car sales in major regions and countries in the world were as follows in 2020:

Jan. – Dec. 2020Change in %
Europe784,183-16.4
– thereof Germany286,108-10.1
Asia-Pacific1,024,3154.7
– thereof China774,38211.7
North America317,592-14.7
– thereof USA274,916-13

Mercedes-Benz benefited from the ongoing recovery in many markets in the second half of 2020:

1,024,315 units were sold in the Asia-Pacific region (4.7% more than in 2019). The main sales driver was China, with an unprecedented recovery: due to double-digit growth of 11.7%, a new sales record with 774,382 units was achieved making China by far the most important single-country market for Mercedes-Benz cars.

In the Europe region, Mercedes-Benz delivered 784,183 passenger cars in 2020 (-16.4%). In Germany, Mercedes-Benz sold a total of 286,108 cars (‑10.1%), as the second-largest car brand in Germany in 2020.

Sales in the North America region totaled 317,592 units (-14.7%). Mercedes-Benz delivered 274,916 cars in the USA in 2020 (-13.0%).

Overall, the largest markets for Mercedes-Benz were China, Germany, and the USA, followed by Great Britain and South Korea.

Top-Selling Mercedes-Benz Models Worldwide in 2020

In 2020, Mercedes-Benz delivered approximately 691,000 compact cars (A-Class, A-Class Saloon, B-Class, CLA Coupé, CLA Shooting Brake, GLA and GLB) worldwide (+3.6%). Sales of SUVs (GLA, GLB, GLC, GLC Coupé, EQC, GLE, GLE Coupé, GLS and G-Class) were about 885,000 vehicles (+12.9%). The GLE (+32.3%) and GLS (+21.1%) in particular enjoyed high customer demand.

The global best-selling model of Mercedes-Benz in 2020 was the GLC with approximately 320,000 units.

In 2020, the S-Class was again the best-selling luxury sedan worldwide with about 60,000 units (-17.2%). The new S‑Class, presented by Mercedes-Benz in September, met with a very strong positive customer response: More than 40,000 orders have been received worldwide, already exceeding the order intake after the sales start of its predecessor.

The Mercedes-AMG sports and high-performance brand sold 125,129 vehicles worldwide (-5.3%). A new sales record and a growth of 1.5% was achieved in the USA, the brand’s largest market. Furthermore, a new record was also achieved in the important growth market of China (+32.3%). The USA, Germany, China, Japan and Australia were AMG’s largest markets.

A total of 38,391 vehicles of the smart brand were handed over to customers (-67.1%). The largest market for smart was Germany: There, strong demand for all-electric models was significantly boosted by the German government subsidy, which led to doubled electric smart deliveries (+104.9%). 

Mercedes-Benz commercial van sales were down 8.9% despite robust sales during the final quarter of 2020. Globally, 325.771 Sprinter vans, Vitos, Vito Tourers, and Citans were sold in the full year 2020. The launch of the eVito in additional markets and the market launch of the eSprinter more than tripled sales of electric vehicles to almost 6,200 electric vans worldwide.

Mercedes-Benz Electric Car Sales Worldwide in 2020

Mercedes-Benz is accelerating its journey towards CO2 neutrality. Significant progress was made in 2020, with a steep increase in xEV deliveries: More than 160,000 plug-in hybrids and all-electric vehicles were sold by Mercedes-Benz Cars worldwide (+228.8%), including about 87,000 units in the fourth quarter.

At Mercedes-Benz Cars, the xEV share increased from 2% in 2019 to 7.4% last year. Sales of plug-in hybrids almost quadrupled to more than 115,000 units. Approximately 20,000 EQC were handed over to customers worldwide. The EQV achieved sales of about 1,700 vehicles.

Deliveries of the all-electric smart models totaled approximately 27,000 units, a strong double-digit increase (+45.6%) compared with the previous sales record in 2019 (18,400 units).

Mercedes-Benz Meeting European CO2 Target in 2020

Mercedes-Benz expects to have met CO2 targets for Europe in 2020 due to strong electrified car sales towards the end of the year. The German motoring press reported that many manufacturers delayed deliveries of big-engined cars during the final weeks of 2020, so the first quarter registrations emissions data may make for interesting reading.

“We more than tripled sales of our plug-in hybrids and all-electric cars. Demand for these vehicles increased sharply, especially towards the end of the year. Our internal forecasts for 2020 indicate that we will have achieved the European CO2 targets for passenger cars last year. We will continue to push forward with our ’Electric first’ strategy and the further expansion of our electric model initiative. Based on our current knowledge, we expect to meet the CO2 targets in Europe again in 2021,” said Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG.

Mercedes-Benz Outlook for 2021

2021 stands above all for the acceleration of electrification at Mercedes-Benz Cars. A total of four new Mercedes-EQ models will be presented: the EQA, EQB, EQE and EQS.

The Mercedes-Benz plug-in hybrid family, currently consisting of more than 20 model variants, will be renewed with electrified derivatives of the C-Class and the S-Class.

For 2021, Mercedes-Benz Cars expects to increase the xEV share to approximately 13%.

Global Worldwide Car Sales by Brand in 2020 (Full Year)

→→ Latest global sales by brands

Global worldwide car sales by brand in 2020 (Full Year):

“Sales” as reported by brands generally refer to deliveries and not necessarily sales to the customer and final registration. Terms and definitions may vary.

About the author:

Henk Bekker

Henk Bekker is a freelance writer with over 20 years of experience in online writing. His best-selling cars website has been reporting car sales statistics since 2008 with classic car auction prices focusing on the most expensive automobiles sold at public auctions in the past decade. He also owns the travel websites European-Traveler.com and Lake Geneva Switzerland. Henk holds an MBA from Edinburgh Business School and an MSc in Finance from the University of London.