Nissan Leaf sales are up 206.5% thanks to the new generation.

New vehicle sales in Japan drop -2.3% year-on-year in January to 367,748 units. Toyota (-3.5%) drops slightly faster than the market but still manages a strong 31.5% share vs. 29.7% in December. Suzuki (-0.7%) and Honda (-1.8%) are stable above a very dynamic Daihatsu (+10.6%). The Top 11 brands are in the exact same order as the Full Year 2025 ranking. Among them, Lexus (+12%) and Isuzu (+1.1%) are the only ones in positive. Mercedes (-12.6%) – still by far the most popular foreign brand, Nissan (-11.1%) and Mazda (-10.6%) suffer, while Mitsubishi (-3.4%) and Subaru (-5.3%) resist better. Just below, Volkswagen (-41.4%) implodes. BYD (+239.6%) and Porsche (+23.7%) shine but only account for 0.05% and 0.3% share respectively.

Looking at the regular cars charts, the Toyota Yaris/Cross (-31.2%) sinks to just under 11,200 sales, meaning the Toyota Sienta (+5.7%) is the true best-seller once again when Yaris and Yaris Cross sales are separated. The Toyota Raize (+36%) excels at #3, distancing the Toyota Corolla/Cross (-34.4%) and Alphard (-20.3%) both in trouble. Toyota monopolises the Top 7 with the Roomy (+22.9%) and Voxy (+14.5%) in tow and both in excellent shape. The Honda Freed (-7.4%) is the best of the rest at #8. Outstanding performance of the Suzuki Jimny Wagon (+189.9%) inside the Top 10 for the very first time. The Toyota bZ4X is up 6504% to #28 and the Nissan Leaf up 206.5% to #37.

As for kei cars, the Honda N-BOX (+0.9%) is stable and dominates again ahead of the Suzuki Spacia (-5.6%). The Daihatsu Move (+27.7%) overtakes the Daihatsu Tanto (-14.3%) for third place with the Nissan Roox (+41.1%) rounding out the Top 5 like last month and boosted by a new generation. Excellent performance also by the Mitsubishi Delica Mini/eK (+31.5%).

Previous post: Japan Full Year 2025: Honda N-BOX and Toyota Sienta top market up 3.3%

One year ago: Japan January 2025: Sales up 12.4% on low year-ago volumes

Full January 2026 Top 46 All brands, Top 50 regular cars and Top 31 All kei cars below.

Japan January 2026 – brands:

PosBrandJan-26%/25Dec1Toyota116,00731.5%– 3.5%12Suzuki60,86316.6%– 0.7%23Honda49,41113.4%– 1.8%34Daihatsu45,25112.3%+ 10.6%45Nissan35,2969.6%– 11.1%56Mazda11,6573.2%– 10.6%67Mitsubishi9,8832.7%– 3.4%78Subaru7,7912.1%– 5.3%89Lexus7,0481.9%+ 12.0%1010Isuzu5,4041.5%+ 1.1%911Mercedes3,0310.8%– 12.6%1112Hino2,6230.7%– 16.1%1513Mitsubishi Fuso2,5970.7%+ 45.9%1214Volkswagen1,5280.4%– 41.4%1415BMW1,3830.4%– 16.5%1316Audi1,0680.3%– 18.4%1617Porsche9760.3%+ 23.7%2418UD Trucks8700.2%+ 1.3%1919Mini8490.2%– 6.9%1720Volvo6760.2%+ 2.1%1821Land Rover4070.1%– 47.9%2222Peugeot3440.1%+ 3.0%2123Jeep3130.1%– 47.7%2024Renault1930.1%– 15.4%2725BYD1800.0%+ 239.6%2626Fiat1400.0%– 44.0%2527Citroen1320.0%– 25.4%2328Alfa Romeo1280.0%+ 91.0%2829Ferrari1100.0%+ 64.2%3030Hyundai800.0%+ 95.1%2931Alpina560.0%+ 522.2%3632Rolls-Royce510.0%+ 54.5%3133Chevrolet390.0%+ 105.3%4034Lamborghini380.0%– 20.8%3335Maserati350.0%+ 0.0%3236Aston Martin310.0%+ 19.2%3737Scania300.0%– 11.8%3438Abarth200.0%– 80.6%3839McLaren190.0%– 32.1%4340Bentley180.0%+ 63.6%3541Cadillac140.0%– 54.8%4142Ford140.0%+ 40.0%4243DS120.0%– 69.2%3944Lotus80.0%– 75.8%4445Dodge40.0%+ 33.3%4546Lancia30.0%+ 50.0%46 –Others 1,1170.3%+ 206.0% –

Japan January 2026 – regular cars:

PosModelJan-26/25Dec1Toyota Yaris/Cross11,192– 31.2%12Toyota Sienta10,145+ 5.7%23Toyota Raize9,239+ 36.0%34Toyota Corolla/Cross9,218– 34.4%45Toyota Alphard7,860– 20.3%76Toyota Roomy7,694+ 22.9%57Toyota Voxy7,190+ 14.5%98Honda Freed7,135– 7.4%69Toyota Noah6,439+ 5.3%810Suzuki Jimny Wagon6,322+ 189.9%1411Nissan Serena6,263– 6.4%1012Honda Vezel6,028+ 14.4%1213Nissan Note5,714– 31.1%1114Toyota Aqua5,268– 17.4%1615Honda StepWGN5,205+ 38.8%1316Toyota Harrier4,678– 8.5%1517Suzuki Solio4,456– 22.4%1718Toyota Land Cruiser W4,385– 13.1%2119Toyota Crown4,329– 17.2%1920Toyota Prius4,103– 50.1%2021Honda Fit3,435– 5.2%1822Toyota Vellfire3,317+ 22.6%2523Subaru Impreza2,577+ 1.3%2424Mazda CX-52,499+ 6.4%2225Suzuki Xbee2,205+ 140.7%2626Mitsubishi Delica D52,073– 0.6%4327Honda WR-V1,688– 44.9%3028Toyota bZ4X1,651+ 6504.0%4029Nissan X-Trail1,621– 23.8%3530Honda Civic1,589– 14.7%3631Daihatsu Rocky1,573– 1.0%2732Suzuki Swift1,559– 34.8%2933Lexus LBX1,557– 2.9%3134Subaru Forester1,546– 11.4%2335Toyota RAV41,546– 27.4%4236Mazda21,386– 34.8%2837Nissan Leaf1,376+ 206.5%4938Lexus NX350H1,327– 41.5%3439Subaru Levorg1,067+ 13.1%3240Suzuki Fronx1,044– 24.8%3941Mazda CX-301,042– 9.7%3342Toyota JPN Taxi914+ 1.1%4643Honda ZR-V882– 59.4%4144Mazda MX-5 (Roadster)840+ 38.4%n/a45Mitsubishi Outlander823– 32.5%n/a46Lexus RX350808+ 7980.0%n/a47Mazda CX-60798+ 474.1%n/a48Lexus RX500H749+ 6141.7%4849Honda Odyssey738– 10.1%n/a50Nissan Kicks685– 39.8%45

Japan January 2026 – kei cars:

PosModelJan-26/25Dec1Honda N-BOX16,534+ 0.9%12Suzuki Spacia14,048– 5.6%23Daihatsu Move10,533+ 27.7%44Daihatsu Tanto10,263– 14.3%35Nissan Roox9,328+ 41.1%56Suzuki Hustler7,130– 7.7%67Mitsubishi Delica Mini/eK5,362+ 31.5%78Suzuki WagonR4,958– 12.9%89Daihatsu Mira4,256– 6.9%910Suzuki Alto3,838– 21.9%1011Daihatsu Taft3,749– 28.7%1212Nissan Dayz3,407– 22.0%1113Suzuki Jimny2,812– 35.8%1314Honda N-WGN1,965– 2.4%1415Suzuki Every Wagon1,674+ 2.4%1616Honda N-ONE1,390+ 40.8%1517Mazda Flair Wagon1,303– 5.7%1718Subaru Stella764new1819Daihatsu Copen713+ 76.9%2120Nissan Sakura670– 70.7%2021Toyota Pixis619+ 13.4%1922Nissan Clipper Rio474– 27.0%2223Mazda Flair Crossover473– 33.3%2324Mazda Carol437+ 43.8%2425Mazda Flair  409+ 30.3%2626Subaru Chiffon205– 61.7%2527Subaru Pleo177– 20.6%2728Mitsubishi eK Cross EV94– 63.8%3029Toyota Copen GR Sport84+ 127.0%2930Mazda Scrum Wagon73– 33.6%2831Mitsubishi Town Box37+ 0.0%31

Source: JADA, JMVA, JAIA