The Japanese car market will grow by 3.3% in 2025
- 说明
The Japanese car market will grow by 3.3% in 2025
- The Japanese passenger car market is projected to grow by 3.3% in 2025, following a similar decline in 2024. However, for the past two decades, car sales in Japan have stagnated, and have even shown a downward trend since 2020. Japan's automotive market is indeed highly saturated, and younger generations are increasingly less interested in purchasing new cars, even Kei cars (small, specialized vehicles that benefit from incentives in Japan, particularly tax breaks). Since 2020, the Japanese car market has remained below 4 million units, compared to around 5 million units in the early 2000s and 4.5 million units in the early 2010s.
- By carmaker group, the Toyota group (Toyota, Lexus, Daihatsu) remains by far the leader of the Japanese market, with 45% market share, therefore almost one in two cars, ahead of Suzuki (specialist in Kei Cars with Daihatsu ) which occupies 16% of the market, Honda (15% of the market) which loses its second place to Suzuki, Nissan (9% of the market) which is gradually becoming a small carmaker in Japan, whereas it was still in second position until 2005.
- Behind them, Mazda (3% of the market), Mitsubishi (3% of the market), and Subaru (3% of the market) occupy a small portion of the Japanese market, their sales volume becoming increasingly marginal. Finally, imports traditionally represent 6% of the Japanese market, primarily from Europe (80%) and North America (15%).
What will be the best-selling models in Norway in 2025?
- 说明
What will be the best-selling models in Norway in 2025?
- Of the 144,359 passenger cars sold in Norway during the first 11 months of 2025, 137,796 were battery electric vehicles (BEVs), representing 95.5% of the Norwegian market. Norway is thus by far the only country approaching 100% sales of battery electric vehicles, and this well before 2035, the deadline initially set by the European Commission for all European countries. It is likely that by 2026, or at the latest by 2027, 100% of new cars sold in Norway will be fully electric. However, it should be noted that countries with small registrations (such as Nepal) can also have significant electrification rates.
- By group, the German Volkswagen Group is the market leader in Norway, with a 23% market share, ahead of Tesla (20%) and the Geely Group – including Volvo – (11%). These three producers are the only ones to exceed 10% of the market.
- By brand, the American electric car producer Tesla remains the leader in the Norwegian market, with a 20% market share, ahead of Volkswagen (13%) and Volvo (8%). They are followed by BMW (6%), Toyota (6%), Skoda (5%), Audi (4%), Ford (4%), and Mercedes (4%).
- By model, the Tesla Model Y remains by far the best-selling model in Norway (15.6% market share), ahead of the Volkswagen ID4 (4.6%), Tesla Model 3 (4.2%), Toyota BZ4X (3.8%), Volkswagen ID7 (3.8%) and Volkswagen ID3 (3.1%). It's worth noting that the 30 best-selling cars in Norway are all battery electric models. The first non-electric car appears in 31st place: the Toyota Yaris Cross hybrid.
Is the Ford plant in Valencia (Spain) under threat?
- 说明
Is the Ford plant in Valencia (Spain) under threat?
- After the end of production of the Ford Mondeo (2022), Galaxy /S-Max (2023), Transit Connect (2023), the Ford plant in Valencia (Spain) has been producing only the Ford Kuga SUV (C-segment) since 2024. The plant's production volume will not exceed 100,000 units in 2025, compared to 200,000 in 2020 and 350,000 in 2017.
- Furthermore, the carmaker's initial objective of producing electric vehicles at the Valence plant appears to be seriously jeopardized, following both the poor sales of the battery electric Ford Capri and Explorer and the decision to produce its future battery electric B-segment models in partnership with Renault at a Renault assembly plant in northern France. Given this situation, the future of the Ford plant in Valence is now in question.
- Kuga in a battery electric version at the Valencia site would still remain if Ford had not distanced itself from the Volkswagen group to produce new battery electric vehicles, because Ford does not seem able to design on its own a battery electric vehicle sold in mass profitably under its own brand.
- Given that the American producer has rather entered into a new strategy which consists of collaborating with Renault in addition to (or in replacement?) to Volkswagen, it would be entirely conceivable that Ford will launch new battery electric SUVs from the future Renault battery electric SUVs produced at the Spanish site of Palencia from 2028 , the year 2028 marking precisely the end of life of the Kuga which was born in 2020.
Do Chinese brands produce more than Japanese brands?
- 说明
Do Chinese brands produce more than Japanese brands?
- Automotive production (passenger cars and light utility vehicles ) by Asian brands, primarily Japanese, Chinese, and Korean, has been generally increasing since 2014, now representing 56% of global automotive production, compared to 55% in 2024, 54% in 2023, 51% in 2022, 50% in 2021, 49% in 2020, 48% in 2018, 47% in 2016, and 46% in 2014. These Japanese, Chinese, and Korean brands will exceed 50 million vehicles produced for the first time in 2025, whereas they produced fewer than 40 million in 2010. Note: Chinese brands are defined as brands of Chinese origin or under Chinese control. The same applies to Japanese and Korean brands.
- Japanese brands currently produce more vehicles than all Chinese brands combined, but the gap between Japanese and Chinese brands has been narrowing year by year since 2021, reaching only 4 million units in 2025, compared to 6 million in 2024, 10 million in 2023, 12 million in 2022, and 14 million in 2021. Furthermore, Japanese automotive production appears to have been declining since 2023, while Chinese production has been steadily increasing since 2020. It could therefore surpass Japanese production in 2027 or 2028. As for Korean production, it has remained stable for about ten years, albeit at a much lower level.
- It is interesting to note that Chinese brands also experienced a degree of stability between 2010 and 2020, contrary to popular belief. The significant growth these brands have seen only began in 2021, thanks to the substantial development of battery electric vehicles marketed by Chinese carmakers.
Malaysia produces between 700,000 and 800,000 light vehicles per year
- 说明
Malaysia produces between 700,000 and 800,000 light vehicles per year
- Malaysia is a Southeast Asian country with a population of nearly 35 million. Its automotive industry has a long history, dating back to 1967, although Ford had opened a car assembly plant in Singapore as early as 1926, when Singapore was part of Malaysia. Initially dominated by foreign brands, the Malaysian automotive industry established its own national brands in 1983 (Proton) and 1993 (Perodua). Proton produces mid-size cars, while Perodua produces small cars (including Japanese Daihatsu models). Proton was acquired in 2017 by the Chinese company Geely, which acquired a 49.9% stake, with the remaining 50.1% held by domestic companies.
- Malaysian production remained at the level of 500,000 to 600,000 vehicles per year for a long time (particularly between 2005 and 2021), but since 2022, Malaysia has been producing between 700,000 and 800,000 vehicles per year (thanks to a post-Covid recovery), with nearly 50% under the Perodua brand and 20% under the Proton brand. Foreign producers still account for 31% of national production, with the Japanese companies Toyota (13% of production) and Honda (10% of production) as the leaders. Chinese producers are beginning to establish a presence in the country, with Chery as the leading player.
- The Malaysian car market is practically at the same level as production, which means that Malaysia exports few vehicles (around 100,000 per year) and also imports few (around 50,000 per year). The motorization rate of 580 per 1,000 is among the highest in Southeast Asia. The car fleet is estimated at just over 20 million passenger cars.