KATHMANDU: Suzuki Motor Corporation has overtaken Honda Motor Co. to become Japan’s second-largest automaker by global sales. Strong demand in India has helped Suzuki move up the rankings during the April-September 2026 period.
According to industry data cited by Japan Today, Suzuki recorded global sales of 1.82 million units during the first half of the fiscal year, marking a 19.9% increase compared to the same period last year. It ranked fourth a year ago.
Honda, meanwhile, recorded sales of 1.66 million units, down 4%. Its performance was affected by a sharp decline in China, where sales fell by around 50%. Nissan also faced difficulties in the Chinese market, with sales dropping by more than 40%.
Suzuki’s growth has largely been driven by strong demand in India, where it leads the passenger vehicle market through its subsidiary Maruti Suzuki.
Toyota retained its position as Japan’s largest automaker and the world’s largest carmaker by sales volume. However, its global sales, including Lexus, declined 4% to 5.05 million units during the period. Its production also fell 1.9% to 4.89 million units.
Toyota’s overseas sales declined 6.5% to 4.25 million units, while overseas production dropped 5.6% to 3.21 million units. Its sales in China fell 25.1% as local electric vehicle manufacturers continued to gain ground.
In contrast, Toyota recorded a 1.8% increase in North America, supported by demand for hybrid vehicles. Sales in Europe also grew 1.4%.
Among other Japanese automakers, Mazda recorded a 1.2% increase in global sales to 610,000 units. Daihatsu grew 0.5% to 490,000 units, while Subaru increased sales by 3.4% to 470,000 units.
Nissan recorded an 11.8% decline to 1.35 million units, while Mitsubishi Motors saw sales fall 7% to 350,000 units.
Overall, the eight major Japanese automakers sold 11.83 million vehicles globally, down 1.3% year-on-year. Their combined global production also declined 0.9% to 11.83 million units. However, domestic production in Japan increased by 2.4% to 3.97 million units.
The figures highlight the growing pressure on Japanese automakers in China, where local brands are gaining ground with competitive electric vehicles, while Suzuki continues to benefit from its strong position in India.
