TYRE MARKET WATCH
OE
Repl
Repl ≥ 18''
May ’26 vs May ‘25
OE
Repl
Repl ≥ 18''
May ’26 vs May ‘25
May Car Tyre Market Highlights
Global car tyre demand in May was slightly negative, with the High Value segment continuing to outperform the Standard market.
Original Equipment demand declined mid-single digit globally (-5% YoY, -3% YtD), reflecting weak performance across regions:
- sluggish performance in China (-1% YoY, -5% YtD), affected by reduced government incentives for local EV sales,
- a low-single digit decline in North America (-3% YoY, -2% YtD), in line with the weak car production,
- weak demand in Europe (-10% YoY, -3% YtD), partly driven by fewer working days compared to May 2025
Replacement market remained broadly flat at global level (flat YoY, -1% YtD), with divergent regional dynamics:
- positive demand in China (+4% YoY, +5% YtD), supported by the early stages of the replacement cycle for electric vehicles sold in recent years
- stable market in Europe (flat both YoY and YtD), while the ≥18’’ segment continued to expand at a double-digit pace (+12% YoY, +13% YtD), driven by increasing EV penetration and positive momentum in All-Season tyre sales
- continued weakness in North America, across both total rims (-3% YoY, -5% YtD) and the ≥18’’ segment (-3% YoY, -4% YtD), reflecting a weaker consumer sentiment and reduced miles driven