The main automotive industry production in Türkiye increased by 8.6% in 2023 annually and reached 1.47 million units, posting the highest figure since 2019, official data showed Sunday.

Total production, including heavy commercial vehicles, reached its historical peak with 1.75 million units in 2017, then decreased to 1.33 million units in 2021. Production has exceeded 1.4 million units in the last two years.

Automobile production rose 17.5% year-over-year in 2023 as automakers in Türkiye produced approximately 953,000 cars last year, according to the Automotive Manufacturers Association (OSD) data.

Including heavy commercial vehicles, the total production surged by 55.2% compared to the previous year, with 1.28 million units.

Meanwhile, the exports recovered by 5% compared to the previous year, with 1.02 million units.

Considering only December, main industrial production dropped by 16.2% to 119,314 units. Automobile production decreased by 18.3% to 76,416 units.

According to the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM) data, total automotive industry exports maintained their top place in the sectoral export rankings, with a share of 16% in 2023.