Tyres Europe has published its Q1 2026 Quarterly Replacement Tyre Market Review, prepared by Astutus Research. This is what the data shows, and what it means for the rest of the year.

Consumer Tyres Return to Growth — Just

After a weak 2025, Europe's consumer replacement tyre market (passenger car, SUV and light commercial vehicles) edged back into positive territory in Q1 2026, rising 1% year-on-year to 58.1 million units. It's a modest number, but the direction of travel matters.

The recovery isn't uniform, though. The detail beneath that headline tells a different story:

• All Season tyres jumped 5%, continuing a multi-year trend as drivers favour the convenience and safety of a single tyre for year-round use.
• Summer tyres slipped 1%, losing further ground to All Season alternatives.
• Winter tyres fell sharply, down 14%, reflecting unusually mild conditions across much of Europe in the quarter.

The All Season segment is clearly not a temporary trend. It's reshaping how European consumers think about tyres.

Import Flows Are Being Redrawn — Fast

The import data tells a stark story.

Having jumped 26% in Q1 2025, PCLT (passenger car and light truck) tyre imports into EU27+UK fell nearly 22% in January–February 2026. Chinese-origin tyres drove most of the decline, falling 45%, with China's share dropping from 74% to 52%. An ongoing EU anti-dumping investigation had prompted heavy pre-buying of Chinese tyres throughout 2025, with concerns that duties could be back-dated. That pre-buying window is now closed.

ASEAN-origin tyres moved quickly to fill the gap, with their import share tripling from 7% to 21%, led by Thailand (+147%) and Vietnam (+165%). Cambodia added 0.4 million units from near zero. For truck and bus tyres, Thailand and Vietnam now hold over 63% of the EU27+UK import market between them.

This is a structural reorientation, not a one-quarter blip. The full report has the detail.

The Middle East Conflict Is a Lasting Headwind

Beyond Q1, the report flags a real risk: the Middle East conflict's impact on European miles driven.

Higher fuel prices began to bite from March, but the effect is expected to outlast the conflict itself. Futures markets point to a peak impact on oil prices this quarter, easing through to Q4, with a lingering tail into 2027. Embedded inflation and supply-chain disruption will continue to weigh on consumer spending and, by extension, on how much Europeans drive.

For the replacement tyre industry this matters directly: fewer miles driven means longer intervals between replacements, and in periods of economic pressure motorists tend to stretch those intervals further still.

The disruption hit early in the year, before the peak summer driving season, which limits the aggregate annual impact. But Q2 and beyond will bear watching.

Other Segments: Mixed Picture

Outside consumer tyres, the picture is varied:

• Truck & Bus tyres edged up 1%, supported by improving freight sentiment, though the Middle East uncertainty adds a cautionary note.
• Agricultural tyres declined 11%, with farm investment remaining subdued.
• Moto & Scooter tyres outperformed, rising 6%.

Sustainability: Stability at the Surface, Divergence Underneath

Europe generated around 4.4 million tonnes of used tyres in 2025, essentially flat year-on-year (+0.5%). But the headline masks significant regional divergence: Southern European markets (Spain, Portugal, Greece) and parts of Central Europe are growing materially faster, while larger Northern European markets including the UK, Germany and France saw little or no growth.

A decline in retreading has also increased the proportion classified as end-of-life tyres, adding pressure on recovery and recycling infrastructure.

This Quarterly Update has been prepared for Tyres Europe by Astutus Research, an independent provider of market intelligence focused on the tyre industry, mobility and tyre recovery & recycling. For further information contact info@astutusresearch.com or visit www.astutusresearch.com

Tyres Europe (formerly ETRMA) has published its Q4 2025 market update, closing out a year that confirmed several structural shifts in Europe’s replacement tyre market rather than delivering any late-cycle rebound.

Weakness persisted longer than expected

Replacement tyre demand remained soft in Q4 and across the full year. Consumer volumes declined again, reflecting continued macro pressure, limited growth in miles driven, and increasing import penetration. The hoped-for recovery in the second half of the year failed to materialise.

Seasonality continues to re-balance

Summer tyres recorded the steepest declines, while all-season products continued to gain share. Winter tyres finished the year slightly lower, with Q4 demand affected by milder weather compared with late 2024. The result is a market where mix matters as much as headline volume.

Freight and agriculture remain under strain

Truck and bus volumes fell again in Q4 and over the full year, consistent with subdued freight activity and industrial output, alongside rising imports. Agricultural tyres were broadly flat in the quarter but ended 2025 lower overall, pointing to sustained caution in farm investment. Moto & Scooter was once again the exception, finishing the year in growth despite a flat Q4.

The full PDF below provides the detailed segment-level breakdown, charts, and context behind these trends.

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The latest monthly release of Tire Trade Europe shows European PCLT tyre imports (EU + UK) hitting a new all-time high in September. But the headline number masks a much more uneven picture beneath the surface.

Compared with the same month a year ago, most origins actually shipped fewer tyres into Europe. The record total is instead driven by strong growth from just three sources.

• China recorded by far the largest increase, with shipments rising by just over one million tyres versus September 2024.
• ‍Serbia added another 289,000 tyres, extending the steady expansion seen across recent quarters.
• ‍Vietnam, although smaller in scale, more than doubled its volumes year-on-year — the most pronounced proportional rise among major origins.

These shifts appear closely linked to the current policy environment. The EU’s anti-dumping investigation into PCLT tyres from China is expected to publish its initial findings by 21 January. Because any duties could be applied retroactively to goods received after late October, importers have had a clear incentive to front-load shipments ahead of the decision.

The result is a temporary surge in imports, likely to be followed by a downturn once the industry gains clarity on the tariff rate.

Overall, Europe’s new record reflects a market shaped not just by demand, but by divergent country dynamics and strategic timing around regulatory uncertainty — patterns that come through clearly in this month’s Tire Trade Europe dataset.

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Tyres Europe has released its first quarterly market update since rebranding from ETRMA, offering a clear snapshot of replacement tyre demand across Europe in Q3 2025.

Markets remained relatively stable in the third quarter, but overall volumes are still weak compared with 2024. Consumer tyre sales were flat year-on-year, with a continued shift from summer tyres toward all-season and winter products, while the Truck & Bus segment saw another quarter of decline amid subdued freight activity and rising imports.

Agricultural tyres remain well below pre-Covid levels, and Moto & Scooter was the only category showing steady growth.

The full PDF below provides the detailed breakdown by segment and more.

New analysis from Astutus Research shows that light Vehicle Kilometres Travelled (VKMT) in Europe accelerated in the second quarter of 2025, rising by 1.8% year-on-year, compared with just 0.8% in Q1. The findings are published in the VKMT in Europe 2025 Q2 report.

Growth was led by Central Europe, where VKMT is now 8.5% above 2019 levels, supported by both car and light commercial vehicle (LCV) travel. In contrast, Western Europe car mileage remains below pre-pandemic benchmarks, with full recovery not expected until 2026.

“The latest data suggest steady growth in mobility through 2025, but uncertainty remains.” said Simon Hodson, Research Director at Astutus Research. “Shifts in working patterns, the rise of public transport, and potential tariff pressures will all shape the trajectory of vehicle travel over the next 12 months.”

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Report Availability

The VKMT in Europe 2025 Q2 report includes an interactive Power BI dashboard, a downloadable Excel dataset, and a PDF analysis covering VKMT growth, regional differences, updated economic forecasts, and emerging trends in rail transport.

About Astutus Research

Astutus Research is a specialist provider of data, insight and forecasts for the tire industry and the broader aftersales segment. We cover the complete tire lifecycle: from production and distribution to usage, disposal and recycling. Our mission is to help clients make smarter decisions with exclusive research covering customers, competitors, and market dynamics.

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European tyre markets faced headwinds in Q2 2025, with consumer demand turning negative for the first time in recent quarters. Consumer tyres fell 4% whilst truck and agricultural segments continued their decline at 5% each. Only motorcycles and scooters showed resilience with 2% growth. First-half performance confirms challenging economic conditions are impacting market confidence.

Access the complete ETRMA Q2 2025 report below for detailed analysis of mobility trends and electric vehicle developments.

New analysis from Astutus Research reveals that total annual Vehicle Kilometres Travelled (VKMT) by European light vehicles will exceed pre-pandemic levels for the first time in 2025, with VKMT projected to surpass 2019 figures by 1.3%. Central Europe is identified as the key driver of this recovery, showing robust growth compared to a more subdued performance in Western Europe.

The findings, published in the VKMT in Europe 2025 Q1 report, highlight significant disparities in vehicle travel recovery patterns across the continent.

Central Europe is forecast to see total VKMT rise 8.5% above 2019 levels by the end of 2025, positioning the region as a focal point for automotive sector growth and investment.

In contrast, Western Europe continues to face challenges, particularly with passenger car VKMT still 0.8%below pre-pandemic levels. A complete recovery in this segment is now not expected until 2026.

“This divergence is more than just a post-COVID hangover,” said Simon Hodson, Research Director at Astutus Research. “Central Europe’s freight-led recovery reflects the area’s strengths in manufacturing and logistics. Meanwhile, changing commuting habits continue to weigh on car mileage in Western Europe. For OEMs and suppliers, these shifting patterns offer clear signals about where opportunities lie.”

Report Availability

The VKMT in Europe 2025 Q1 report includes an interactive Power BI dashboard, a downloadable Excel dataset, and a PDF analysis covering VKMT growth, regional differences, updated economic forecasts, and emerging trends in rail transport.

About Astutus Research

Astutus Research is a specialist provider of data, insight and forecasts for the tire industry and the broader aftersales segment. We cover the complete tire lifecycle: from production and distribution to usage, disposal and recycling. Our mission is to help clients make smarter decisions with exclusive research covering customers, competitors, and market dynamics.

European tyre markets began 2025 with mixed results as consumer demand continued its recovery trajectory whilst commercial segments faced further challenges. Q1 data shows consumer tyres declining just 3% compared to the strong Q1 2024, with All Seasons tyres driving growth at 14%. However, truck and bus segments dropped 4%, highlighting ongoing economic uncertainties.

Download the full ETRMA Q1 2025 report below for comprehensive market analysis, import data, and passenger mobility trends.