Daihatsu sales are back up 4-fold in February on devastated year-ago volumes

The Japanese new vehicle market continues to recover from year-ago production disruptions and gains 18.7% to 409,347 sales, leading to a year-to-date volume up 15.6% to 785,605. Daihatsu was the most affected brand at -82% a year ago and as a consequence surges 321.7% this month to 10.1% share. Toyota, also affected last year, bounces back up 31.7% to 31.1% of its home market. Suzuki (+3.2%) and Honda (+0.4%) are a lot more discreet and round out the podium. Nissan (-13.3%) and Mitsubishi (-7.5%) clearly underperform just as Mazda (+27.5%) and Subaru (+45%) impress. As usual there are no manufacturers inside the Top 10 with Mercedes (-14.5%) at #11 but in trouble. Volkswagen (+15.5%) follows ahead of BMW (+52%) in excellent shape. 

In the regular cars ranking, the Toyota Yaris/Cross (+22%) posts a 6th consecutive month at the top, distancing the Toyota Corolla/Cross (-4%). The Toyota Sienta (+22.3%) returns to the third place it held over the Full Year 2024, just as the Honda Freed (+22.9%) climbs three spots on last month to #4. Outstanding performances also by the Toyota Roomy (+659.5%), Raize (+632.1%), Aqua (+90%) and Alphard (+86.8%) as Toyota places 9 models inside the Top 11. The Mazda CX-60 (+227.3%) spectacularly returns inside the Top 50 at #31 and the Nissan Fairlady Z (+373.7%) breaks into it for the first time at #47.

As for kei cars, the Honda N-BOX (+13.8%) holds onto its traditional lead ahead of the Suzuki Spacia (+4.3%). The Daihatsu Tanto (+531.9%), Move (+577.5%), Taft (+470%) and Mira (+202.9%) all logically catch up on lost time but the Suzuki Alto (-0.9%), Hustler (-4.5%), Wagon R (-8.2%) and Nissan Roox (-10.6%) all underperform.

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

One year ago: Japan February 2024: Daihatsu down -82%, overall sales off -19.2%

Full February 2025 Top 51 All brands, Top 50 regular cars and Top 30 All kei cars below.

Japan February 2025 – brands:

PosBrandFeb-25%/24Jan2025%/24PosFY241Toyota127,10531.1%+ 31.7%1247,33931.5%+ 22.6%112Suzuki67,54816.5%+ 3.2%2128,85316.4%+ 5.5%223Honda57,39414.0%+ 0.4%3107,72913.7%– 2.5%334Daihatsu41,37410.1%+ 321.7%482,30510.5%+ 173.9%455Nissan41,22410.1%– 13.3%580,91410.3%– 8.7%546Mazda16,4064.0%+ 27.5%629,4473.7%+ 26.2%667Subaru10,4512.6%+ 45.0%818,6752.4%+ 17.8%888Mitsubishi10,3402.5%– 7.5%720,5752.6%+ 2.2%779Isuzu6,1841.5%+ 17.3%1011,5291.5%+ 22.9%101010Lexus6,1671.5%– 17.0%912,4581.6%– 15.1%9911Mercedes3,5900.9%– 14.5%117,0560.9%– 6.5%111112Hino3,3200.8%+ 3.1%126,4460.8%+ 11.8%121213Volkswagen2,8360.7%+ 15.5%135,4450.7%+ 30.4%131514BMW2,7830.7%+ 52.0%154,4400.6%+ 31.8%141315Mitsubishi Fuso2,2610.6%– 10.2%144,0410.5%– 10.9%151416Mini1,5490.4%+ 44.4%172,4610.3%+ 14.6%171717Audi1,4380.4%– 28.3%162,7470.3%– 12.7%161618Porsche1,0430.3%+ 27.7%191,8320.2%+ 16.0%182119UD Trucks9590.2%+ 35.5%181,8180.2%+ 48.9%191920Volvo9430.2%– 2.6%211,6050.2%+ 2.8%211821Land Rover8390.2%+ 19.9%201,6200.2%+ 22.1%202222Jeep7320.2%+ 10.6%221,3300.2%+ 20.4%222023Peugeot5310.1%+ 9.3%238650.1%+ 9.6%232324Fiat2730.1%– 10.2%245230.1%– 6.3%242525Renault2530.1%– 60.0%254810.1%– 55.3%252426BYD2210.1%+ 20.8%302740.0%– 31.5%272727Citroen1980.0%– 22.4%263750.0%– 6.9%262628Ferrari1190.0%– 9.2%291860.0%– 9.3%292929Abarth920.0%– 20.7%271950.0%– 2.0%282830Lamborghini700.0%+ 9.4%311180.0%+ 8.3%313231Alfa Romeo550.0%– 19.1%281220.0%– 14.7%303132Maserati500.0%– 47.9%34850.0%– 55.0%323033Cadillac470.0%+ 27.0%38780.0%+ 16.4%344034Hyundai400.0%– 64.6%32810.0%– 56.0%333335Bentley370.0%– 22.9%43480.0%– 28.4%423636Rolls-Royce360.0%+ 63.6%37690.0%+ 25.5%364237DS350.0%– 10.3%33740.0%+ 2.8%353938Scania350.0%+ 66.7%35690.0%+ 38.0%373839Chevrolet350.0%– 22.2%42540.0%– 27.0%403440Lotus320.0%+ 60.0%36650.0%+ 38.3%384341Aston Martin300.0%+ 20.0%40560.0%+ 3.7%393742McLaren240.0%+ 166.7%39520.0%+ 116.7%414443Jaguar240.0%– 65.2%41470.0%– 67.1%433544Alpina210.0%– 51.2%45300.0%– 59.5%444145Ford160.0%+ 23.1%44260.0%+ 23.8%454546Dodge140.0%+ 27.3%46170.0%– 15.0%464647Pontiac30.0%+ 200.0%5340.0%+ 300.0%474948GMC20.0%+ 100.0%5030.0%+ 50.0%484749Lancia10.0%n/a4730.0%n/a495050Buick10.0%n/a4820.0%n/a505251MG10.0%n/a5120.0%n/a5153  –Others 5650.1%+ 42.7%  –9300.1%+ 25.8%  –  –

Japan February 2025 – regular cars:

PosModelFeb-25/24Jan2025/24PosFY241Toyota Yaris/Cross15,245+ 22.0%131,502+ 3.6%122Toyota Corolla/Cross14,254– 4.0%228,296+ 0.6%213Toyota Sienta10,538+ 22.3%420,139+ 1.3%334Honda Freed8,815+ 22.9%716,523+ 5.0%555Nissan Note8,110– 19.0%516,400– 2.1%646Toyota Alphard8,034+ 86.8%317,900+ 12.9%487Toyota Raize7,995+ 632.1%814,788+ 17.5%8208Toyota Prius7,813– 15.0%616,039– 1.7%769Toyota Roomy7,800+ 659.5%1214,058+ 9.7%91210Toyota Aqua7,628+ 90.0%1014,005+ 7.5%101411Toyota Noah7,198+ 19.4%1313,314+ 2.2%121112Nissan Serena7,190+ 9.0%913,881+ 1.1%11713Toyota Voxy6,428+ 9.6%1112,706+ 2.1%131014Toyota Harrier6,328+ 10.7%1711,440– 0.1%141315Honda Vezel6,111– 18.7%1511,380– 6.1%15916Honda StepWGN5,604– 6.5%199,355– 4.2%181717Suzuki Solio5,469+ 8.7%1411,213+ 3.5%161818Toyota Crown4,742– 15.5%169,969– 1.6%171519Honda Fit4,275– 24.6%207,899– 4.9%201620Toyota Land Cruiser W3,586+ 138.3%188,632+ 6.8%191921Toyota Vellfire3,195+ 52.9%225,901+ 4.4%222322Subaru Impreza2,982+ 21.8%235,526+ 2.8%232523Honda WR-V2,966new216,029new212724Mazda CX-52,690+ 75.2%255,039+ 9.4%243425Subaru Forester2,611+ 65.1%344,355+ 6.6%302926Suzuki Swift2,572– 16.4%244,963– 4.8%252227Suzuki Jimny Wagon2,528– 4.6%274,709+ 0.7%262828Honda ZR-V2,467– 35.6%284,640– 13.9%272129Toyota RAV42,392– 1.7%294,521– 0.4%282630Mitsubishi Delica D52,309+ 48.8%324,395+ 8.9%293331Mazda CX-602,216+ 227.3%n/an/an/an/a5032Nissan X-Trail2,171– 48.6%304,299– 11.1%312433Mazda22,152+ 92.8%314,279+ 7.5%333134Lexus NX350H2,023+ 94.3%264,293+ 5.8%323535Lexus LBX1,824– 4.3%353,427+ 851.9%343236Mazda CX-301,620+ 21.3%402,774+ 3.0%383837Subaru Levorg1,605– 26.3%442,548– 19.7%403038Suzuki Fronx1,527new372,915new37n/a39Honda Civic1,483– 16.0%333,346+ 5.0%353640Daihatsu Rocky1,453+ 386.0%363,042+ 14.2%364241Mazda31,385+ 31.8%432,458+ 4.2%n/a4142Mazda CX-801,347new382,605new39n/a43Subaru Legacy1,264+ 219.2%422,349+ 151.8%n/an/a44Nissan Kicks1,112– 32.5%412,249– 4.5%n/a3745Suzuki Xbee1,064– 11.2%451,980– 2.4%n/a3946Honda Odyssey990– 16.4%471,811– 21.8%n/a4047Nissan Fairlady Z938+ 373.7%n/an/an/an/an/a48Lexus LM500H723+ 108.4%481,458n/an/an/a49Daihatsu Thor708+ 856.8%n/an/an/an/an/a50Toyota JPN Taxi691– 29.5%461,595– 6.7%n/a46

Japan February 2025 – kei cars:

PosModelFeb-25/24Jan2025/24PosFY241Honda N-BOX18,823+ 13.8%135,217+ 3.6%112Suzuki Spacia15,715+ 4.3%230,600+ 16.0%223Daihatsu Tanto12,404+ 531.9%324,381+ 257.9%334Suzuki Hustler8,589– 4.5%516,313– 5.2%545Daihatsu Move8,177+ 577.5%416,424+ 330.2%4116Nissan Roox7,049– 10.6%613,662– 7.8%667Suzuki WagonR6,981– 8.2%712,673– 6.7%758Suzuki Alto6,071– 0.9%910,984– 3.3%879Daihatsu Taft5,301+ 470.0%810,556+ 256.0%91310Daihatsu Mira5,031+ 202.9%109,601+ 124.0%101011Suzuki Jimny4,803+ 27.9%129,186+ 47.5%111212Mitsubishi Delica Mini/eK4,508– 25.0%138,587– 23.2%13813Nissan Dayz4,250– 24.6%118,620– 16.2%12914Honda N-WGN2,175– 26.6%154,189– 27.8%141415Nissan Sakura1,760– 32.5%144,049– 17.8%151516Suzuki Every Wagon1,733+ 79.6%163,368+ 34.6%161617Mazda Flair Wagon1,505– 0.3%172,887+ 2.3%171818Honda N-ONE1,203– 28.9%182,190– 33.1%181719Toyota Pixis744+ 322.7%211,290+ 115.4%212120Nissan Clipper Rio676+ 8.0%201,325+ 12.3%202021Mazda Flair Crossover637– 9.6%191,346+ 1.4%191922Subaru Chiffon550+ 1022.4%221,085+ 499.4%222323Mazda Carol338+ 5.0%25642– 5.7%242224Daihatsu Copen334+ 2126.7%23737+ 535.3%232525Mitsubishi eK Cross EV250– 20.6%26510– 13.4%262626Subaru Pleo235+ 400.0%27458+ 211.6%272727Mazda Flair  208– 31.4%24522– 16.6%252428Mazda Scrum Wagon131+ 23.6%28241+ 18.7%282829Toyota Copen GR Sport83+ 822.2%30120+ 27.7%292930Mitsubishi Town Box50+ 31.6%2987+ 11.5%3030

Sources: JADA, JMVA, JAIA