It looks like a kei car, but it’s not.

The Japanese new vehicle market is up 2.8% year-on-year in May to 332,997 units. This means the YTD tally is now in positive at +0.4% to 1,960,306. Toyota (+12.6%) continues to evolve much better than its home market and delivers a 33.6% share, well above the 31.7% it commands YTD. The Top 6 brands are unchanged on last month, with Honda (+4.3%) and Daihatsu (+0.5%) faring best but Nissan (-6.4%) and Mazda (-9.4%) in trouble. There are no additional gainers in the Top 10, showing that Toyota is doing much of the heavy lifting this month. Mercedes (-10.2%) is the best-selling foreign carmaker at #11 ahead of Volkswagen (-9.8%) at #14 and BMW (-18.6%) at #15, all struggling.

Over in the regular car charts, the Toyota Yaris/Cross (-11.5%) retains the lead above the Toyota Corolla/Cross (+48.2%) up four spots on April to deliver the biggest YoY gain in the Top 10. Toyota places 10 models inside the Top 10, with the RAV4 (+159.3%), Sienta (+25.6%), Alphard (+21.2%) and Raize (+8.6%) showing off, the Roomy, Voxy and Noah all up 4.3% but the Aqua (-2.2%) receding. The Honda Freed (-1.5%) is the odd one out at #6. Below, the Toyota bZ4X (+4527.3%) hits a record ranking at #25. The new Honda Super-ONE lands directly at #31 for its first week in market (it launched on May 21), it is a widebody version of the N-One kei car.

Looking at kei cars, the Honda N-BOX (+2.1%) reclaims the top spot off the Suzuki Spacia (-8.1%) with the Daihatsu Move (+59.7%) surging to #3, overtaking the Daihatsu Tanto (-14.5%). The Nissan Roox (+51.3%) is also very impressive, passing the Suzuki Hustler (+0.1%).

Previous month: Japan April 2026: Toyota hits highest share in at least 12 years, Land Cruiser up to record #7

One year ago: Japan May 2025: Toyota Raize up to #2, sales up 3.7%

Full May 2026 Top 50 All brands, Top 50 regular cars and Top 32 All kei cars below.

Japan May 2026 – brands:

PosBrandMay-26%/25Apr2026%/25PosFY251Toyota112,01633.6%+ 12.6%1622,00131.7%+ 2.8%112Suzuki54,44116.3%– 1.9%2308,42615.7%– 2.1%223Honda43,09112.9%+ 4.3%3262,70013.4%– 2.9%334Daihatsu38,19311.5%+ 0.5%4235,24612.0%+ 11.0%445Nissan25,9697.8%– 6.4%5179,9609.2%– 3.0%556Mazda8,9792.7%– 9.4%662,7903.2%– 10.1%667Mitsubishi8,1272.4%– 5.0%855,1932.8%+ 10.6%778Subaru7,2802.2%– 3.9%742,0872.1%– 10.6%889Lexus6,3521.9%– 10.2%933,7751.7%– 7.3%9910Isuzu4,4041.3%– 10.4%1030,7351.6%+ 0.5%101011Mercedes3,6731.1%– 10.2%1318,5520.9%– 8.5%111112Mitsubishi Fuso2,7850.8%+ 13.9%1115,2580.8%+ 24.6%131413Hino2,6960.8%+ 9.7%1215,6170.8%– 2.6%121314Volkswagen2,2200.7%– 9.8%1510,5350.5%– 26.4%151515BMW2,1320.6%– 18.6%1411,4930.6%– 18.8%141216Audi1,5350.5%– 26.5%177,7970.4%– 14.5%161617Mini1,2820.4%– 16.3%186,8550.3%– 11.3%171718Volvo8560.3%+ 3.9%194,7300.2%+ 3.3%191919UD Trucks7820.2%– 6.2%205,1480.3%– 0.9%181820Porsche6710.2%+ 11.6%164,7140.2%+ 1.6%202021Jeep6270.2%+ 5.4%222,7400.1%– 22.2%222122Peugeot5520.2%+ 44.5%232,4470.1%– 2.6%232323Land Rover4850.1%+ 20.9%213,1800.2%– 12.4%212224BYD3640.1%– 14.2%261,8500.1%+ 54.8%242525Fiat2770.1%– 8.9%271,2410.1%– 13.3%262426Citroen2260.1%+ 11.9%281,1550.1%– 2.0%272627Renault1640.0%+ 3.8%241,4060.1%+ 9.4%252728Alfa Romeo1370.0%+ 117.5%297630.0%+ 127.1%282829Ferrari1220.0%+ 24.5%256810.0%+ 23.8%292930Hyundai780.0%– 17.0%324310.0%+ 39.9%303031Lamborghini740.0%– 7.5%334150.0%+ 22.1%313132Alpina520.0%+ 4.0%302850.0%+ 90.0%323833Scania420.0%– 16.0%312470.0%+ 8.3%333434Maserati410.0%– 21.2%372260.0%– 28.7%343235Rolls-Royce400.0%– 11.1%341990.0%+ 16.4%353536Cadillac390.0%+ 11.4%391290.0%– 35.5%393637Bentley370.0%+ 12.1%411770.0%+ 1.1%373738Chevrolet360.0%+ 20.0%361950.0%+ 30.0%364139DS280.0%+ 64.7%381130.0%– 37.9%404040Aston Martin250.0%– 16.7%351700.0%+ 0.6%383941Ford190.0%+ 5.6%42860.0%+ 1.2%424342Abarth160.0%– 70.4%401010.0%– 77.3%413343Dodge60.0%– 57.1%45250.0%– 51.9%454644Lotus50.0%– 66.7%43360.0%– 69.2%444545McLaren30.0%– 85.0%44530.0%– 55.5%434246Buick20.0%+ 100.0% –30.0%+ 0.0%505047GMC20.0%n/a4680.0%+ 100.0%484848Lancia10.0%n/a –120.0%+ 100.0%474749MG10.0%n/a –20.0%– 60.0%524950Morgan10.0%– 66.7%4830.0%– 50.0%5151 –Others 2,0110.6%+ 178.1% –8,2890.4%+ 151.8% – –

Japan May 2026 – regular cars:

PosModelMay-26/25Apr2026/25PosFY251Toyota Yaris/Cross10,401– 11.5%159,629– 20.5%112Toyota Corolla/Cross9,799+ 48.2%651,379– 19.7%223Toyota Raize9,633+ 8.6%349,738+ 34.2%444Toyota Sienta9,314+ 25.6%451,075+ 5.3%335Toyota Roomy8,381+ 4.3%242,051+ 18.7%556Honda Freed6,622– 1.5%1041,009– 2.5%667Toyota Alphard6,454+ 21.2%835,300– 6.7%978Toyota Voxy5,985+ 4.3%539,869+ 23.8%799Toyota Noah5,912+ 4.3%935,580+ 4.8%8810Toyota Aqua5,090– 2.2%1229,057– 19.3%121211Toyota RAV44,947+ 159.3%1622,232+ 101.6%192512Honda StepWGN4,686+ 1.0%1126,185+ 11.9%151513Nissan Note4,303– 21.4%2029,911– 17.7%101014Suzuki Solio4,271+ 4.6%1423,387– 3.3%161715Suzuki Jimny Wagon4,230+ 34.7%1327,694+ 74.0%142116Toyota Prius4,201– 9.1%1821,909– 40.9%201417Nissan Serena4,184– 12.3%2229,055– 11.2%131118Toyota Land Cruiser W3,551+ 7.3%722,368+ 15.9%182019Honda Vezel3,480+ 0.6%1729,854+ 10.7%111320Honda Fit3,379+ 35.2%1521,278– 0.0%211921Toyota Crown3,342– 18.0%2118,780– 20.0%221622Toyota Harrier2,720– 27.2%1922,456– 16.7%171823Mitsubishi Delica D52,662+ 44.0%2315,120+ 39.6%232924Subaru Impreza2,358+ 9.5%2512,019– 11.0%262425Toyota bZ4X2,036+ 4527.3%3211,001n/a28n/a26Toyota Vellfire1,974– 4.4%2612,961– 0.4%242227Suzuki Xbee1,844+ 118.7%3010,449+ 132.6%303828Subaru Forester1,822– 2.5%2411,388– 1.1%272329Mazda CX-51,771+ 63.5%3312,320+ 14.7%252830Lexus NX350H1,753+ 6.0%377,917– 22.9%353331Honda Super-ONE1,736new –1,736newn/a –32Mazda21,710+ 1.2%2810,868+ 2.3%293033Daihatsu Rocky1,599+ 42.5%348,531+ 29.1%333734Toyota Hiace W1,512+ 97.9%27n/an/an/a4635Lexus LBX1,422– 9.9%357,507– 20.4%363136Nissan Leaf1,422+ 351.4%298,508+ 551.0%34n/a37Honda Civic1,234– 19.9%317,206– 27.0%383638Nissan X-Trail1,137– 17.6%399,280+ 0.9%313439Honda ZR-V1,053– 0.3%388,794– 14.4%323240Suzuki Fronx991– 47.8%415,337– 40.0%423541Subaru Levorg922– 8.5%425,467– 18.3%413942Mazda CX-30851+ 25.9%445,679– 5.3%404043Suzuki Swift837– 59.4%407,490– 36.8%372644Lexus RX350792+ 72.5%36n/an/an/an/a45Honda WR-V773– 48.2%466,227– 56.3%392746Mazda MX-5 (Roadster)739– 10.6%434,647n/a434347Mazda3675– 27.0%50n/an/an/a4148Daihatsu Thor635– 12.0%45n/an/an/an/a49Mitsubishi Delica D2494+ 7.9%n/an/an/an/an/a50Subaru Rex451+ 204.7%n/an/an/an/an/a

Japan May 2026 – kei cars:

PosModelMay-26/25Apr2026/25PosFY251Honda N-BOX13,850+ 2.1%282,892– 5.0%112Suzuki Spacia11,189– 8.1%169,263– 4.6%223Daihatsu Move8,647+ 59.7%453,623+ 40.7%344Daihatsu Tanto7,539– 14.5%351,932– 4.1%435Nissan Roox7,367+ 51.3%644,538+ 44.4%576Suzuki Hustler7,178+ 0.1%538,978+ 0.2%657Suzuki WagonR4,487– 19.8%727,053– 13.2%768Daihatsu Mira4,471+ 1.3%824,390– 1.2%9109Mitsubishi Delica Mini/eK3,747– 17.8%1026,718+ 16.7%8810Suzuki Alto3,592– 21.6%921,539– 15.1%10911Suzuki Every Wagon2,844+ 109.9%169,447+ 11.4%151512Daihatsu Taft2,734– 27.2%1118,327– 24.1%111213Suzuki Jimny2,391– 42.0%1213,166– 42.8%131114Nissan Dayz2,351– 15.4%1318,174– 5.1%121315Honda N-WGN1,541– 29.2%1410,215– 13.4%141416Honda N-ONE1,419+ 26.2%157,502+ 20.0%161617Mazda Flair Wagon832– 18.8%176,140– 6.2%171818Toyota Pixis691– 10.8%183,704+ 2.0%181919Daihatsu Copen429+ 64.4%193,114+ 83.5%192220Nissan Sakura303– 64.7%213,059– 59.9%201721Nissan Clipper Rio290– 16.9%222,633– 5.7%212122Mazda Flair Crossover269– 29.6%232,348– 19.4%232023Subaru Stella234+ 23300.0%202,392+ 239100.0%222524Subaru Chiffon229– 33.8%261,129– 50.1%262325Mazda Carol223– 27.4%251,611+ 6.8%242426Mazda Flair  187– 23.7%271,473+ 28.2%252627Toyota Copen GR Sport167+ 54.6%24674+ 64.0%283028Subaru Pleo102– 39.6%28858– 22.3%272729Mazda Scrum Wagon60– 30.2%29371– 29.3%302930Mitsubishi Town Box29– 17.1%31196– 25.2%313131Mitsubishi eK Cross EV20– 75.6%30459– 43.4%292832Honda Vamos1n/a –1n/a32 –

Sources: JADA, JMVA, JAIA