Sales hit a record high, Toyota continues to dominate the global automotive market in 2025

Toyota Motor Corporation's global sales reached a historic high of 11.3 million units in 2025, marking the sixth consecutive year it has held the title of the world's best-selling automaker. This achievement highlights the Japanese automotive giant's continued dominance in the global market, particularly its competitive advantage in the hybrid vehicle segment. On January 29, Toyota's latest data revealed that the group's global sales increased by 4.6% compared to the previous year, covering sales of Toyota and Lexus brand vehicles, as well as the small car division Daihatsu and truck manufacturer Hino Motors. This growth was primarily driven by the U.S. and Japanese markets, which together accounted for more than two-fifths of the parent company's sales. In contrast, the second-ranked German Volkswagen Group reported a 0.5% decline in sales for 2025, falling slightly below 9 million units. Volkswagen is seeking to cut costs at home while facing fierce competition in the global market, further widening the sales gap between Toyota and Volkswagen. The data shows that sales of Toyota and Lexus brand vehicles under the parent company increased by 3.7% to 10.5 million units in 2025, also setting a historic high. This growth is mainly attributed to strong demand for hybrid vehicles in the U.S. market. The number of vehicles exported from Japan to the U.S. surged by 14.2% to approximately 615,000 units, with the RAV4 SUV being one of the most popular models. In terms of powertrain composition, gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles accounted for 42% of the parent company's global sales, while pure electric vehicles only made up 1.9%. This data underscores Toyota's strategic focus on hybrid technology and the company's relatively cautious approach to transitioning to pure electric vehicles. Analysts believe that the strong performance of hybrid vehicles has been a key factor in Toyota maintaining its market leadership, especially in markets like the U.S. where hybrid acceptance is higher. In the world's largest automotive market, China, despite facing intense competition, Toyota's sales still saw a slight increase of 0.2%, marking the first positive growth in four years. This performance indicates that Toyota's decline in the Chinese market has been initially curbed