2020 (Full Year) Japan: Best-Selling Minicar (Kei) Brands and Models

2020 (full year sales): Daihatsu was the top mini-vehicle maker in Japan, Suzuki the best-selling minicar brand, and the Honda N-Box the top-selling Kei model.

Honda N-Box © Honda Japan

In full calendar year 2020, Daihatsu remained the largest producer of mini-vehicles in Japan but Suzuki became the best-selling mini passenger car brand. The Honda N-Box was again the top-selling Kei car model.

Japan Car Sales Statistics: 2023 — Q1; 2022 — Brands, Models, Minicars; 2021 — Brands, Models, Minicars; 2020 — Brands, Models, Minicars; 2019 — Brands, Models, Minicars

Mini Vehicle Sales in Japan in 2020 (Full Year)

Mini vehicle registrations in Japan in full calendar year 2020 was 10.1% lower than a year ago at 1,718,088 mini vehicles. The market for mini passenger cars also contracted by 10% to 1,331,149 kei cars.

Mini cars (kei-jidousya) in Japan are vehicles defined by amongst others being shorter than 3.4 m with a maximum height of 2 m and a maximum width of 1.48 m. The engine capacity is restricted to 0.66 l measured by the Japanese standard.

Best-Selling Mini Vehicle Brands in Japan in 2020 (Full Year)

The top-selling mini vehicle producers by brand in Japan in 2020 (January to December) according to Zenkeijkyo were:

	Mini Vehicles	四輪車総台数	Sales 2020	Sales 2019	% Change
	Total	合計	1,718,088	1,910,346	-10.1
1	Daihatsu	ダイハツ	536,292	615,240	-12.8
2	Suzuki	スズキ	523,604	573,986	-8.8
3	Honda	ホンダ	325,332	364,833	-10.8
4	Nissan	日産	202,255	200,129	1.1
5	Mitsubishi	三菱	42,736	56,559	-24.4
6	Mazda	マツダ	35,641	36,899	-3.4
7	Toyota	ト　ヨ　タ	31,373	36,432	-13.9
8	Subaru	スバル	20,767	26,186	-20.7
9	Others	その他	88	82	7.3
	Source: Zenkeijkyo

There were no changes in the rank order of the largest mini-vehicle producers in Japan in 2020 compared to a year ago. Nissan was the only carmaker to increase mini-vehicle sales in Japan in 2020. Mazda and Suzuki gained market share while Mitsubishi lost nearly a quarter of sales and Subaru more than a fifth.

Best-Selling Minicar Brands in Japan in 2020 (Full Year)

The top-selling mini passenger car producers by brand in Japan in 2020 (January to December) according to Zenkeijkyo were:

	Passenger Cars	四輪乗用車台数	Sales 2020	Sales 2019	% Change
	Total	合計	1,331,149	1,479,205	-10.0
1	Suzuki	スズキ	403,480	433,499	-6.9
2	Daihatsu	ダイハツ	394,893	464,148	-14.9
3	Honda	ホンダ	274,439	304,191	-9.8
4	Nissan	日産	163,918	161,894	1.3
5	Mitsubishi	三菱	33,746	45,595	-26.0
6	Mazda	マツダ	28,581	29,238	-2.2
7	Toyota	ト　ヨ　タ	19,687	24,669	-20.2
8	Subaru	スバル	12,320	15,892	-22.5
9	Others	その他	85	79	7.6
	Source: Zenkeijkyo

The only rank order change compared to sales in 2019 was that Suzuki outsold Daihatsu by nearly 10,000 mini cars compared to a deficit of 30,000 a year ago. Nissan was the only minicar producer to have increased mini passenger car sales in Japan in 2020 compared to a year ago. Mazda and Suzuki gained market share while Mitsubishi sales were down by more than a quarter while Toyota and Subaru mini car sales were down by more than a fifth.

Best-Selling Minicar Models in Japan in 2020 (Full Year)

The top-selling mini passenger car models in Japan in full-year 2020 were:

	Brand	Model	通称名	Sales 2020	Sales 2019	% 20/19
1	Honda	N-BOX	Ｎ-ＢＯＸ	195,984	253,500	-22.7
2	Suzuki	Spacia	スペーシア	139,851	166,389	-15.9
3	Daihatsu	Tanto	タント	129,680	175,292	-26.0
4	Daihatsu	Move	ムーヴ	104,133	122,835	-15.2
5	Nissan	Days	デイズ	87,029	157,439	-44.7
6	Suzuki	Hustler	ハスラー	80,114	57,840	38.5
7	Daihatsu	Mirror	ミラ	73,462	94,527	-22.3
8	Nissan	Roox	ルークス	72,820	New	New
9	Honda	N-WGN	Ｎ-ＷＧＮ	69,353	32,382	114.2
10	Suzuki	Wagon R	ワゴンＲ	66,061	90,046	-26.6
	Source: Zenkeijkyo

In 2020, the Honda N-Box remained Japan’s favorite mini car model for the fifth consecutive year. The N-box outsold the Toyota Yaris — Japan’s top-selling regular car model — by 44,000 vehicles. However, the N-Box and all five top-selling minicar models sold in lower numbers in 2020 than the broader market.

In contrast, the Honda N-WGN more than double sales while the Suzuki Hustler also sharply increased volume. The new Nissan Roox was launched early in the year

Japan Car Sales Statistics: 2023 — Q1; 2022 — Brands, Models, Minicars; 2021 — Brands, Models, Minicars; 2020 — Brands, Models, Minicars; 2019 — Brands, Models, Minicars