Daihatsu Tanto sales implode -93.6% year-on-year.

Japanese new vehicle sales continue to struggle in March at -21.1% to 451,444, leading to a Q1 tally off -18.1% to 1,131,140. In particular, kei car sales are down -23.6% to 148,228 for the month. Sales continue to be hampered by the safety test falsification scandal at Daihatsu which completely shut down production at the start of the year. Daihatsu sales are down -78.1% to 3.3% share vs. 12.4% over the Full Year 2023. For their part Toyota sales (-36%) are impacted by a test data rigging scandal at an affiliated diesel engine supplier. Mitsubishi (+26.8%), Suzuki (+22.1%) and Honda (+1.7%) all defy the market with year-on-year upticks. Among foreign manufacturers, Porsche (+18.6%), Audi (+17.9%) and BMW (+12.2%) stand out.

Looking at the regular cars ranking, the Toyota Corolla/Cross (-12%) falls slower than the market to hold onto the lead above the Toyota Yaris/Cross (-20.8%). In fact the Top 4 is unchanged with the Nissan Note (-21.3%) and Toyota Prius (+14.8%) in tow, the latter boosted by a new generation. The Honda StepWGN (+178.4%), Nissan Serena (+77.4%) and Honda Vezel (+53.7%) completely ignore the surrounding gloom with fantastic year-on-year lifts. Among recent launches, the Honda ZR-V ranks #18, the Lexus LBX #26 and the Honda WR-V, new for the month, lands directly at #29.

In the kei car aisle, the Honda N-BOX (-26.8%) remains by far the best-seller, also snapping the #1 overall vehicle spot, all this despite a daunting loss. In contrast the Suzuki Spacia (+36%), Hustler (+100.6%) and Wagon R (+26.2%) all surge. The Mitsubishi Delica Mini/eK (+172.9%), Suzuki Jimny (+15%), Nissan Dayz (+12.1%) and Suzuki Alto (+8.7%) also impress below.

The Mini lineup (-10.6%) stays atop the foreign models Q1 ranking, followed by the VW Golf (+78.5%) retiring to its previous glory. 3 Mercedes models follow: the GLC, GLB (+35.7%) and C-Class (-45.6%) following very different trajectories. Below the BMW 2 Series (+73.8%) and Audi A3 (+27.3%), both in excellent shape, the Land Rover Defender 110 (+38.7%) manages its first ever Top 10 finish at #8. The Mercedes G-Class (+18.7%) continues to post fantastic scores while the Porsche 911 scores its first Top 20 finish at #19.

Previous month: Japan February 2024: Daihatsu down -82%, overall sales off -19.2%

One year ago: Japan March 2023: Lexus (+204.9%) superstar again, sales up 11.6%

Full March 2024 Top 51 All brands, Top 50 regular cars, Top 33 All kei cars and Q1 2024 Top 20 foreign models below.

Japan March 2024 – brands:

PosBrandMar-24%/23Feb2024%/23PosFY231Toyota125,16227.7%– 36.0%1326,85428.9%– 29.8%112Suzuki82,97218.4%+ 22.1%2205,10718.1%+ 13.2%223Honda73,32216.2%+ 1.7%3183,86416.3%+ 10.1%344Nissan59,23213.1%– 1.8%4147,84813.1%+ 2.5%455Mazda16,1163.6%– 33.5%539,4563.5%– 31.1%666Mitsubishi15,0813.3%+ 26.8%635,2113.1%+ 24.6%787Daihatsu14,7783.3%– 78.1%744,8314.0%– 74.6%538Subaru10,8102.4%– 12.5%926,6612.4%– 6.6%879Lexus9,1902.0%– 25.5%823,8572.1%– 15.2%9910Isuzu6,7231.5%– 27.9%1016,1021.4%– 15.6%101011Mercedes5,8831.3%+ 2.1%1113,4291.2%+ 2.3%111112Hino4,6781.0%– 6.4%1210,4460.9%– 4.4%121213BMW4,2790.9%+ 12.2%167,6470.7%– 9.4%141414Mitsubishi Fuso3,7610.8%– 9.0%138,2940.7%– 4.9%131315Audi3,1570.7%+ 17.9%156,3040.6%– 4.1%161616Volkswagen2,8260.6%– 5.5%147,0010.6%+ 5.4%151517Mini1,9780.4%– 20.6%174,1260.4%– 10.6%171718Volvo1,9630.4%+ 3.8%183,5250.3%– 16.9%181819UD Trucks1,3510.3%+ 9.0%202,5720.2%– 3.9%192020Land Rover1,1670.3%+ 6.9%212,4940.2%+ 22.4%212121Jeep1,0930.2%– 18.9%222,1980.2%– 25.5%221922Porsche9510.2%+ 18.6%192,5300.2%+ 22.5%202323Renault8860.2%– 25.9%231,9630.2%– 22.4%232424Peugeot7210.2%– 34.6%241,5100.1%– 40.1%242225Fiat5010.1%+ 3.5%251,0590.1%– 4.4%252626Citroen4060.1%– 52.4%268090.1%– 53.6%262527BYD3670.1%+ 130.8%277670.1%+ 204.4%272928Abarth2130.0%+ 37.4%294120.0%+ 41.6%283029Alfa Romeo1600.0%– 39.4%333030.0%– 37.7%312830Maserati1490.0%+ 12.0%313380.0%+ 28.5%302731Ferrari1470.0%+ 0.7%283520.0%+ 3.5%293132Chevrolet930.0%– 14.7%361670.0%– 24.8%353333Lamborghini780.0%+ 34.5%341870.0%+ 18.4%343634Hyundai710.0%+ 18.3%302550.0%+ 57.4%323835Cadillac630.0%– 17.1%391300.0%– 35.3%373736Jaguar620.0%+ 10.7%322050.0%+ 1.0%333537DS610.0%+ 45.2%381330.0%– 26.5%363238Bentley600.0%+ 76.5%351270.0%+ 25.7%383439Scania520.0%+ 8.3%421020.0%+ 20.0%404040Alpina510.0%+ 131.8%371250.0%+ 177.8%394141Rolls-Royce340.0%+ 70.0%41890.0%+ 43.5%414342Lotus310.0%+ 3000.0%43780.0%+ 1200.0%434543Aston Martin300.0%– 49.2%40840.0%– 28.2%423944Ford190.0%– 29.6%44400.0%– 48.7%454245McLaren180.0%+ 63.6%46420.0%+ 7.7%444646Dodge100.0%– 67.7%45300.0%– 61.5%464447GMC20.0%+ 100.0%4740.0%+ 0.0%474748Morgan20.0%+ 100.0% –40.0%– 55.6%484849Smart10.0%n/a –10.0%n/a516050Buick10.0%+ 0.0% –10.0%– 80.0%525451Unimog10.0%n/a –10.0%– 66.7%5353  –Others 6810.2%+ 10.6% –1,4200.1%– 3.3%  – –

Japan March 2024 – regular cars:

PosModelMar-24/23Feb2024/23PosFY231Toyota Corolla/Cross18,831– 12.0%146,156– 8.8%122Toyota Yaris/Cross17,677– 20.8%242,228– 20.1%213Nissan Note12,731– 21.3%331,243– 15.0%344Toyota Prius11,316+ 14.8%429,056+ 40.0%465Honda Freed9,532– 21.8%722,190– 11.5%8106Nissan Serena9,490+ 77.4%822,512+ 68.0%7117Toyota Sienta9,082– 36.6%527,505– 25.9%538Honda Vezel8,855+ 53.7%623,833+ 82.6%6149Honda StepWGN8,497+ 178.4%1019,686+ 117.4%91910Toyota Harrier7,560– 31.4%1219,093– 19.6%101211Toyota Noah7,457– 32.1%918,700– 29.1%11712Toyota Crown7,432+ 40.1%1418,089+ 35.2%122013Honda Fit7,362– 19.1%1318,079– 2.9%131514Toyota Voxy7,059– 35.4%1117,929– 32.4%14815Suzuki Solio6,639+ 0.5%1516,169– 0.4%161816Toyota Alphard6,465– 5.0%1617,542– 3.4%151717Nissan X-Trail5,272+ 49.2%1712,589+ 64.2%182418Honda ZR-V4,925n/a1912,499n/a19n/a19Toyota Aqua4,848– 55.7%1812,863– 51.0%17920Suzuki Swift4,362+ 29.9%2010,604+ 39.4%202521Subaru Levorg3,373+ 122.5%248,931+ 121.6%213622Subaru Impreza3,340– 30.1%227,912+ 0.1%232223Suzuki Jimny Wagon3,330+ 40.1%217,862+ 13.2%242624Toyota Vellfire3,162+ 1706.9%258,487+ 1807.2%22n/a25Toyota RAV43,130– 56.9%237,833– 57.9%252126Lexus LBX2,411new265,165new29n/a27Mitsubishi Delica D52,384+ 4.4%305,239– 3.6%283328Mazda CX-52,296– 47.6%314,913– 30.0%312829Honda WR-V2,185new –2,185newn/a –30Subaru Forester1,980+ 1.5%294,872– 19.3%323031Nissan Kicks1,972+ 6.5%284,934+ 31.2%303532Honda Civic1,953– 13.3%274,636+ 1.9%334133Toyota Raize1,874– 71.8%395,278– 68.0%271334Toyota Land Cruiser W1,861– 76.7%326,761– 61.5%261635Mazda CX-301,715– 30.5%343,944– 37.6%363236Suzuki Xbee1,614– 8.3%363,908– 9.7%374037Mazda31,521– 13.3%403,372– 23.9%413838Mazda CX-31,378+ 70.8%33n/an/an/an/a39Mazda MX-5 (Roadster)1,348+ 36.6%353,659+ 38.4%39n/a40Honda Odyssey1,301+ 0.0%373,503n/a40n/a41Mazda21,251– 53.4%383,985– 36.9%353142Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross1,129– 18.8%44n/an/an/a5043Lexus NX350H1,121– 75.8%413,717– 62.1%382344Honda Accord962+ 60.3%n/an/an/an/an/a45Lexus RX500H924– 8.5%492,097– 2.3%n/a4746Toyota 86867– 38.9%462,289– 28.0%434647Mazda CX-60848– 80.3%48n/an/an/a2948Lexus RX350834+ 14.2%472,332+ 51.2%42n/a49Mitsubishi Outlander809– 45.4%452,099– 45.5%n/a3950Mitsubishi Delica D2698+ 9.1%n/an/an/an/an/a

Japan March 2024 – kei cars:

PosModelMar-24/23Feb2024/23PosFY231Honda N-BOX20,360– 26.8%154,348– 19.2%112Suzuki Spacia17,869+ 36.0%244,251+ 33.6%233Suzuki Hustler10,618+ 100.6%327,819+ 53.8%354Suzuki WagonR9,758+ 26.2%523,344+ 5.2%565Nissan Roox8,905– 12.6%423,730– 13.0%476Mitsubishi Delica Mini/eK8,172+ 172.9%719,351+ 158.2%7117Suzuki Alto8,130+ 8.7%619,483+ 0.4%688Nissan Dayz6,256+ 12.1%816,537+ 68.0%8139Suzuki Jimny4,437+ 15.0%910,666+ 9.8%91210Honda N-WGN3,336– 40.0%109,135– 32.1%101411Nissan Sakura3,228+ 11.8%118,151– 27.3%111512Daihatsu Mira3,060– 53.7%147,346– 55.9%13913Mazda Flair Wagon1,984+ 70.4%154,807+ 39.1%151814Suzuki Every Wagon1,585– 21.1%174,087– 33.2%171715Honda N-ONE1,567– 30.5%134,840– 4.6%141616Mazda Flair Crossover999+ 175.2%192,326+ 63.9%192217Daihatsu Tanto982– 93.6%127,794– 81.6%12218Toyota Pixis794– 21.1%241,393– 44.7%211919Daihatsu Move670– 94.7%164,488– 86.3%16420Nissan NV100 Clipper Rio562+ 12.4%201,742+ 14.8%202321Daihatsu Taft537– 92.7%183,502– 80.8%181022Mazda Flair  418– 5.0%231,044– 11.5%232723Mazda Carol406– 24.1%211,087– 11.0%222424Mitsubishi eK Cross EV291– 81.2%22880– 74.7%242125Subaru Pleo203– 23.1%27350– 48.7%252826Mazda Scrum Wagon97+ 10.2%25300– 9.4%263127Mitsubishi Town Box57+ 32.6%28135+ 7.1%283228Subaru Chiffon28– 92.2%26209– 81.4%272529Toyota C+POD22– 56.0%2986– 12.2%313330Daihatsu Copen7– 98.8%30123– 92.4%292631Toyota Copen GR Sport5– 97.5%3199– 77.0%303032Daihatsu Cast1– 99.9% –2– 100.0%322033Honda S6600n/a –1– 66.7%3334

Japan Q1 2024 – foreign models:

PosModelQ1 2024/23Q4FY231Mini4,126– 10.6%112VW Golf2,899+ 78.5%223Mercedes GLC1,797n/a3134Mercedes GLB1,748+ 35.7%585Mercedes C-Class1,724– 45.6%436BMW 2 Series1,615+ 73.8%11127Audi A31,551+ 27.3%1098Land Rover Defender 1101,418+ 38.7%16189Audi Q31,390+ 6.0%151910BMW 1 Series1,293+ 0.6%n/an/a11VW T-Roc1,241– 10.1%7412Volvo S/V/XC601,236– 33.9%14713Mercedes G-Class1,220+ 18.7%121114Mercedes E-Class1,118n/an/an/a15VW T-Cross1,058– 45.5%8516Volvo XC401,011– 40.2%191017VW Polo952– 3.4%91418Mercedes GLA932n/a171719Porsche 911788n/an/an/a20Audi Q2765n/an/an/a

Source: JADA, JMVA, JAIA