Automotive Liftgate Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, 2021-2031

The Global Automotive Liftgate Market is projected to expand from USD 3.94 Billion in 2025 to USD 6.41 Billion by 2031, achieving a compound annual growth rate of 8.45%. This sector involves the engineering and supply of rear access panels that hinge at the roofline and open upwards, acting as the primary entry point for cargo in hatchbacks, crossovers, and SUVs. The market's growth is fundamentally anchored by a sustained consumer shift toward utility vehicles, which universally require this configuration rather than traditional trunk lids. Furthermore, the electrification of automotive platforms contributes to value growth, as manufacturers increasingly standardize powered actuation systems to handle the aerodynamic requirements and heavier materials inherent in electric vehicle designs.

However, the rising cost complexity associated with integrating anti-pinch sensors and electronic control units for automated operations presents a significant barrier to broader market expansion. These financial constraints often limit the inclusion of powered liftgate systems to premium models, thereby restricting revenue potential in entry-level segments and price-sensitive regions. The prevalence of the body styles fueling this demand is evident in data from the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, which indicated that utility vehicles comprised 65% of total domestic passenger vehicle sales in the fiscal year ending 2025. This statistic emphasizes the critical dependence of modern automotive volume on architectures that utilize liftgate hardware.

Market Drivers

The escalating global demand for crossovers and SUVs serves as the primary structural force driving the Global Automotive Liftgate Market. Unlike traditional sedans that employ simple trunk lids, utility vehicles require substantial, top-hinged liftgates to provide access to their expanded cargo areas. This shift in body style preference compels manufacturers to incorporate complex strut and hinge mechanisms across a broader portion of their portfolios, directly increasing the volume of liftgate hardware required per vehicle. Illustrating the dominance of this segment, Kelley Blue Book reported in March 2025 that the compact SUV category alone represented 18% of all new vehicle sales in the United States during February 2025, highlighting the segment's essential role in sustaining component demand.

Concurrently, the rapid adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) is accelerating market value by standardizing advanced powered actuation systems. Automakers are increasingly equipping EVs with power liftgates to manage heavier tailgate materials and align with the premium positioning of electrified models. Additionally, the pursuit of aerodynamic efficiency facilitates the use of flush-fitting, automated rear panels that reduce drag, necessitating higher-value electronic integration. This trend is substantially reshaping industry volume; the International Energy Agency (IEA) noted in April 2025 that global electric car sales surpassed 17 million units in 2024. Providing broader context on the market scale, the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) reported in March 2025 that total global car sales reached 74.6 million units in 2024.

Market Challenges

The substantial financial burden of integrating electronic control units and anti-pinch sensors constitutes a major impediment to the Global Automotive Liftgate Market. As manufacturers strive to automate rear access panels, the requirement for these safety-critical components significantly inflates the bill of materials. This cost escalation renders it economically unviable to equip budget-friendly and entry-level vehicle segments with powered liftgate systems. Consequently, the technology remains largely confined to premium trim levels, preventing widespread standardization across affordable fleet architectures and limiting the total addressable market for suppliers.

These elevated input costs directly correlate with stagnant adoption rates in price-sensitive regions where consumers cannot absorb higher vehicle prices. The resulting pressure on manufacturing margins forces automakers to either limit production volumes or reduce feature content to maintain profitability. Highlighting the severity of these constraints, the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association reported a 6.2% decline in regional passenger car production in 2024, attributed primarily to inflationary pressures and elevated manufacturing costs. This data underscores how high component expenses contribute to broader production slowdowns, thereby hindering the volume expansion necessary for the liftgate market to reach its full revenue potential.

Market Trends

Automakers are increasingly transitioning from traditional steel rear panels to lightweight composite and thermoplastic materials to enhance fuel efficiency and extend electric vehicle range. This shift enables manufacturers to integrate complex aerodynamic features, such as lighting and spoilers, directly into the liftgate assembly, a feat that is difficult to achieve with stamped metal. The structural adoption of these advanced exterior systems is reflected in supplier performance; for instance, OPmobility reported in an October 2024 press release regarding strong Q3 revenue that the company outperformed the global automotive production market by 9.5 percentage points, driven largely by high order volumes in its exterior and module divisions.

Simultaneously, the integration of motion-sensing and hands-free technologies is transforming the user experience by facilitating touchless cargo access. While early iterations depended on inconsistent foot-kick sensors, the market is evolving toward sophisticated proximity-based systems that use smartphone connectivity to detect the driver's approach. This technology eliminates the need for physical gestures, significantly improving convenience for users carrying heavy loads. Illustrating this advancement, Tesla's release notes for the 'Spring Software Update 2024.14.3' in May 2024 announced a hands-free trunk feature for specific models that automatically actuates the liftgate by detecting the stationary presence of an authorized phone key behind the vehicle.

Key Players Profiled in the Automotive Liftgate Market

• Faurecia SE
• Magna International Inc.
• Plastic Omnium SE
• Huf Hulsbeck & First GmbH & Co.KG
• Continental AG
• STMicroelectronics N.V.
• Autoease Technology
• Brose Fahrzeugteile SE & Co. KG
• Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd.
• Stabilus SE
• Johnson Electric Holdings Limited

Report Scope

In this report, the Global Automotive Liftgate Market has been segmented into the following categories:

Automotive Liftgate Market, by Vehicle Type:

• Passenger Car
• Light Commercial Vehicle

Automotive Liftgate Market, by Type:

• Manual
• Automatic

Automotive Liftgate Market, by Material Type:

• Metal
• Composite

Automotive Liftgate Market, by Region:

• North America
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• South America
• Middle East & Africa

Competitive Landscape

Company Profiles: Detailed analysis of the major companies present in the Global Automotive Liftgate Market.

Available Customization

The analyst offers customization according to your specific needs. The following customization options are available for the report:

• Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players (up to five).

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