German car brands still top in the world

German car brands continue to enjoy an exceptionally strong image of quality worldwide. This is shown by a recent international YouGov study, which was conducted in 16 countries in October 2025. 73% of respondents attest to the good quality of German car manufacturers - the highest value of all nine car manufacturer nations surveyed. This confirms that German brands are synonymous with technical precision, durability and engineering skill.

In Europe in particular, confidence in German cars is unbroken. In Denmark (80 percent), Italy (79 percent), the UK (77 percent) and France (76 percent), German brands are the most highly regarded. In their own country, 74 percent of respondents also regard domestic manufacturers as being of high quality. This puts German car brands well ahead of the competition both nationally and internationally.

US manufacturers fared much less well. Only 23 percent of German respondents attest to their good quality, while 19 percent rate them as poor. The quality of British brands is rated similarly critically, with only 30% of Germans giving them a positive quality rating. These figures underline the fact that trust in American and British vehicles in Germany is at a low level.

While German brands continue to stand for premium quality, Japanese manufacturers dominate in terms of value for money. Globally, 53 percent of respondents see Japanese car manufacturers in the lead in this category. German brands came in second place here with 45%, but are clearly lagging behind, particularly in their home market. In Germany, 43 percent of those surveyed consider Japanese brands to be particularly good value for money while offering high quality. South Korean manufacturers follow with 33%, while only 24% of Germans consider their own brands to offer good value for money. This is a clear indication that although buyers are proud of the quality, they are increasingly moaning about the high prices.

There is a growing interest in Chinese car brands, which are increasingly gaining in profile. In Germany, 41 percent of respondents rate Chinese vehicles as attractively priced, while 25 percent ascribe good quality to them. Nevertheless, skepticism remains high: 15 percent consider the quality to be poor and 39 percent cannot give a clear assessment. This picture reflects the transition in which the perception of Chinese manufacturers currently finds itself between curiosity and reservation.

"It is particularly interesting to look at Chinese car brands," explains Philipp Schneider, Head of Marketing DACH at YouGov. "Although a majority cannot make any statements about the quality of the cars, probably due to a lack of experience and points of contact, a quarter of Germans already attribute good quality to Chinese car brands, and two out of five Germans also rate the pricing as attractive."

In contrast, the automotive nations of India, Mexico and Brazil are lagging behind in international comparison. Here, there is not only a lack of brand awareness, but also a lack of trust. The majority of German respondents are unable to assess quality or value for money or rate them negatively - a sign that these manufacturers still need to make a name for themselves before they end up in European garages.

The data comes from online interviews conducted between September 17 and October 15, 2025 as part of YouGov Surveys. In total, around 17,500 people aged 18 and over were surveyed in 16 markets worldwide, with sample sizes of between 954 and 2026 participants per country. The results are representative of the respective populations aged 18 and over. (aum)