Daihatsu sales are back up 102.2% year-on-year.

New vehicle sales in Japan rally back up 12.4% year-on-year in January to 376,255. Year-ago volumes were disrupted by Daihatsu being hit by a safety test falsification scandal which paused shipments in late December 2023 and completely shut down production for the entire month of January. As a result Daihatsu, which was down -62.6% in January 2024, is now up 102.2% this month to 10.9% share. Toyota (+14.3%) is up to 32% share vs. 30.7% over the Full Year 2024 and Suzuki is up 8.1% in second place. Honda (-5.7%) and Nissan (-3.3%) both struggle (not a good look for the merger negotiations, if they are still happening) whereas Isuzu (+30.2%), Mazda (+24.5%) and Mitsubishi (+14.3%) all progress significantly. Mercedes (+3.5%) leads foreign manufacturers ahead of Volkswagen (+51.7%), BMW (+7.8%) and Audi (+14.6%).

Over in the regular cars ranking, the Toyota Yaris/Cross (+34.8%) lodges a 5th consecutive month at #1, distancing last year’s leader the Toyota Corolla/Cross (+12.5%). The Toyota Alphard (+45.6%) is in great shape again and repeats at #3. The Toyota Sienta (-2.1%) ensures the Top 4 is unchanged on December. The Nissan Note (-2.5%) and Prius (-3.8%) are weak below, unlike the Toyota Raize (+193.8%), Toyota Aqua (+59.4%) and Honda Freed (+49.5%) in the remainder of the Top 10. The three recent launches in the Top 50, the Honda WR-V (#21), Suzuki Fronx (#37) and Mazda CX-80 (#38) all fall vs. their December ranking.

Looking at kei cars, the Honda N-BOX (-6%) stays on top despite skidding and as the Suzuki Spacia (+31.5%) catches up. Devastated a year ago, the Daihatsu Tanto (+147%), Move (+215.9%), Taft (+158.2%) and Mira (+74.1%) recover this month. The Suzuki Jimny (+73.1%) also impresses.

Previous post: Japan Full Year 2024: Toyota Corolla/Cross edges into #1, sales off -7.5%

One year ago: Japan January 2024: Market (-12.4%) held back by Daihatsu (-62.6%), Lexus LBX in Top 50

Full January 2025 Top 54 All brands, Top 50 regular cars and Top 30 All kei cars below.

Japan January 2025 – brands:

PosBrandJan-25%/23DecFY241Toyota120,23432.0%+ 14.3%112Suzuki61,30516.3%+ 8.1%223Honda50,33513.4%– 5.7%334Daihatsu40,93110.9%+ 102.2%455Nissan39,69010.5%– 3.3%546Mazda13,0413.5%+ 24.5%667Mitsubishi10,2352.7%+ 14.3%778Subaru8,2242.2%– 4.8%889Lexus6,2911.7%– 13.1%11910Isuzu5,3451.4%+ 30.2%91011Mercedes3,4660.9%+ 3.5%101112Hino3,1260.8%+ 22.7%141213Volkswagen2,6090.7%+ 51.7%161514Mitsubishi Fuso1,7800.5%– 11.7%131415BMW1,6570.4%+ 7.8%121316Audi1,3090.3%+ 14.6%171617Mini9120.2%– 15.2%151718UD Trucks8590.2%+ 67.4%191919Porsche7890.2%+ 3.5%222120Land Rover7810.2%+ 24.6%212221Volvo6620.2%+ 11.4%181822Jeep5980.2%+ 35.0%202023Peugeot3340.1%+ 10.2%232324Fiat2500.1%– 1.6%242525Renault2280.1%– 48.6%272426Citroen1770.0%+ 19.6%262627Abarth1030.0%+ 24.1%282828Alfa Romeo670.0%– 10.7%303129Ferrari670.0%– 9.5%292930BYD530.0%– 75.6%252731Lamborghini480.0%+ 6.7%323232Hyundai410.0%– 42.3%353333DS390.0%+ 18.2%433934Maserati350.0%– 62.4%313035Scania340.0%+ 17.2%403836Lotus330.0%+ 22.2%454337Rolls-Royce330.0%+ 0.0%394238Cadillac310.0%+ 3.3%374039McLaren280.0%+ 86.7%424440Aston Martin260.0%– 10.3%413741Jaguar230.0%– 68.9%343542Chevrolet190.0%– 34.5%363443Bentley110.0%– 42.1%333644Ford100.0%+ 25.0%444545Alpina90.0%– 71.0%384146Dodge30.0%– 66.7%464647Lancia20.0%n/a –5048Buick10.0%n/a –5249Chrysler10.0%n/a505150GMC10.0%+ 0.0%484751MG10.0%n/a515352Morgan10.0%– 50.0%474853Pontiac10.0%n/a494954Unimog10.0%n/a –54  –Others 3650.1%+ 6.4% –  –

Japan January 2025 – regular cars:

PosModelJan-25/23DecFY241Toyota Yaris/Cross16,257+ 34.8%122Toyota Corolla/Cross14,042+ 12.5%213Toyota Alphard9,866+ 45.6%384Toyota Sienta9,601– 2.1%435Nissan Note8,290– 2.5%746Toyota Prius8,226– 3.8%567Honda Freed7,708+ 40.5%658Toyota Raize6,793+ 193.8%13209Nissan Serena6,691+ 4.1%9710Toyota Aqua6,377+ 59.4%81411Toyota Voxy6,278+ 25.4%101012Toyota Roomy6,258+ 92.9%211213Toyota Noah6,116+ 17.3%121114Suzuki Solio5,744+ 27.7%201815Honda Vezel5,269– 29.4%11916Toyota Crown5,227+ 3.7%151517Toyota Harrier5,112– 12.1%171318Toyota Land Cruiser W5,046+ 48.6%141919Honda StepWGN3,751– 27.8%191720Honda Fit3,624– 28.2%161621Honda WR-V3,063new182722Toyota Vellfire2,706– 16.4%262323Subaru Impreza2,544+ 19.8%242524Suzuki Swift2,391– 24.4%222225Mazda CX-52,349+ 117.1%333426Lexus NX350H2,270+ 46.0%343527Suzuki Jimny Wagon2,181+ 15.8%232828Honda ZR-V2,173– 41.9%252129Toyota RAV42,129– 6.2%502630Nissan X-Trail2,128– 31.2%302431Mazda22,127+ 31.5%283132Mitsubishi Delica D52,086+ 60.1%293333Honda Civic1,863+ 102.9%313634Subaru Forester1,744+ 33.0%272935Lexus LBX1,603+ 88.8%383236Daihatsu Rocky1,589+ 176.3%364237Suzuki Fronx1,388new32n/a38Mazda CX-801,258new37n/a39Mitsubishi Outlander1,220+ 119.4%354540Mazda CX-301,154+ 29.2%413841Nissan Kicks1,137– 13.5%463742Subaru Legacy1,085+ 102.0%42n/a43Mazda31,073+ 34.1%434144Subaru Levorg943– 72.1%403045Suzuki Xbee916– 16.4%393946Toyota JPN Taxi904– 9.4%444647Honda Odyssey821– 19.4%454048Lexus LM500H735+ 377.3%n/an/a49Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross730+ 60.1%474850Toyota 86726– 0.3%4844

Japan January 2025 – kei cars:

PosModelJan-25/23DecFY241Honda N-BOX16,394– 6.0%112Suzuki Spacia14,885+ 31.5%223Daihatsu Tanto11,977+ 147.0%334Daihatsu Move8,247+ 215.9%5115Suzuki Hustler7,724– 5.9%446Nissan Roox6,613– 4.8%767Suzuki WagonR5,692– 4.9%658Daihatsu Taft5,255+ 158.2%10139Suzuki Alto4,913– 6.0%8710Daihatsu Mira4,570+ 74.1%111011Nissan Dayz4,370– 5.9%13912Suzuki Jimny4,283+ 73.1%121213Mitsubishi Delica Mini/eK4,079– 21.1%9814Nissan Sakura2,289– 1.1%151515Honda N-WGN2,014– 29.0%141416Suzuki Every Wagon1,635+ 6.4%161617Mazda Flair Wagon1,382+ 5.2%171818Honda N-ONE987– 37.6%181719Mazda Flair Crossover709+ 14.0%191920Nissan Clipper Rio649+ 17.1%202021Toyota Pixis546+ 29.1%222122Subaru Chiffon535+ 305.3%212323Daihatsu Copen403+ 299.0%272524Mazda Flair  314– 2.8%252425Mazda Carol304– 15.3%232226Mitsubishi eK Cross EV260– 5.1%262627Subaru Pleo223+ 123.0%242728Mazda Scrum Wagon110+ 13.4%282829Mitsubishi Town Box37– 7.5%293030Toyota Copen GR Sport37– 56.5%3129

Source: JADA, JMVA, JAIA