In full year 2024, Toyota was the largest car producer and best-selling car brand in Japan despite lower sales in a weak new vehicle market.
2024 (January to December): Toyota remained the best-selling vehicle manufacturer and largest car brand in Japan despite underperforming in a very weak market. Suzuki was again the second top-selling car brand but Honda and Nissan outsold Daihatsu which lost 40% of sales following a test scandal. The Japanese new vehicle market contracted by 7.5% to 4.4 million vehicles. The Toyota Corolla was the top-selling car model in Japan in 2024 and the Honda N-Box was the top-selling mini car.
Latest Japan Car Sales Statistics: 2024 — Brands, Models, Minicars; Data for 2023 – 2009.
Japan New Vehicle Market Analysis in 2024 (Full Year)
Total new motorized vehicle registrations in Japan in 2024 (January to December) contracted by 7.5% to 4,421,494 vehicles compared to 4,779,086 vehicles sold in 2023. This number includes passenger cars, mini cars, commercial vehicles, mini commercial vehicles, and buses.
The Japanese car market was shocked by the testing scandal at Daihatsu that came to light at the end of 2023. Daihatsu was immediately severely punished by the car-buying public (in addition to further measurements by the relevant authorities) and lost nearly half its annual sales in Japan in 2024. Toyota, owner of Daihatsu, was also blamed and had to take some models sharing the same components off the market.
Annual Car Sales Volume in Japan (2008 to 2024)
New vehicle registrations in Japan have been as follows in recent years:
| Year | Vehicle Sales | % Change |
| 2024 | 4,421,494 | -7.5 |
| 2023 | 4,779,086 | 13.8 |
| 2022 | 4,201,321 | -5.6 |
| 2021 | 4,448,340 | -3.3 |
| 2020 | 4,598,615 | -11.5 |
| 2019 | 5,195,216 | -1.5 |
| 2018 | 5,272,067 | 0.7 |
| 2017 | 5,234,166 | 5.3 |
| 2016 | 4,970,260 | -1.5 |
| 2015 | 5,046,511 | -9.3 |
| 2014 | 5,562,888 | 3.5 |
| 2013 | 5,375,513 | 0.1 |
| 2012 | 5,369,721 | 27.5 |
| 2011 | 4,210,220 | -15.1 |
| 2010 | 4,956,136 | 7.5 |
| 2009 | 4,609,255 | -9.3 |
| 2008 | 5,082,235 | |
| – | Source: JADA |
Best-Selling Car Brands in Japan in 2024 (Full Year)
The top-selling vehicle manufacturers in Japan during the full calendar year 2024 were as follows according to JADA statistics:
| – | Brand | Sales 2024 | Sales 2023 | % 24/23 |
| – | Total | 4,421,494 | 4,779,086 | -7.5 |
| 1 | Toyota | 1,355,581 | 1,578,105 | -14.1 |
| 2 | Suzuki | 721,785 | 650,567 | 10.9 |
| 3 | Honda | 668,414 | 594,285 | 12.5 |
| 4 | Nissan | 475,569 | 480,673 | -1.1 |
| 5 | Daihatsu | 366,635 | 594,507 | -38.3 |
| 6 | Mazda | 141,965 | 177,864 | -20.2 |
| 7 | Mitsubishi | 119,480 | 103,725 | 15.2 |
| 8 | Subaru | 103,522 | 106,002 | -2.3 |
| 9 | Lexus | 86,071 | 94,645 | -9.1 |
| 10 | Isuzu | 67,832 | 64,590 | 5.0 |
| 11 | Mercedes Benz | 53,195 | 51,238 | 3.8 |
| 12 | Hino | 41,859 | 37,756 | 10.9 |
| 13 | BMW | 35,240 | 34,501 | 2.1 |
| 14 | Mitsubishi Fuso | 34,853 | 37,685 | -7.5 |
| 15 | Volkswagen | 22,779 | 31,815 | -28.4 |
| 16 | Audi | 21,415 | 24,632 | -13.1 |
| 17 | Mini | 17,165 | 17,796 | -3.5 |
| 18 | Volvo | 12,842 | 13,882 | -7.5 |
| 19 | UD Trucks | 10,466 | 10,128 | 3.3 |
| 20 | Jeep | 9,633 | 11,535 | -16.5 |
| Source: JADA |
Best-Selling Car Brands in Japan in 2024 (Full Year)
Due to its dominant size, the weak performance of Toyota dragged down the total Japanese new car market in 2024. Sales were down by 14% allowing Suzuki and Honda to increase sales by more than a tenth.
Suzuki strengthened its position as Japan’s second-largest car maker while both Honda and Nissan moved ahead of Daihatsu.
Mazda was again a distant sixth despite sales contracting by a fifth. Strong sales moved Mitsubishi ahead of Subaru.
Lexus was again ninth despite weaker sales while Isuzu rounded out the top ten with stronger sales.
Mercedes-Benz was again the largest foreign car brand in Japan in 2024. BMW was again second. Volkswagen and Audi struggled with weaker sales.
Latest Japan Car Sales Statistics: 2024 — Brands, Models, Minicars; Data for 2023 – 2009.
