Best-selling car models in Japan 2023
In 2023, Toyota's Yaris was the best-selling passenger car model in the new vehicle category within the Japanese automobile market, with a sales volume of almost 194.4 thousand units. Toyota Corolla ranked second, sales reaching around 154.9 thousand units.
Japanese consumer preferences
The best-selling car models as well as the car brands were of domestic origin. Not a single foreign brand made it into the top ten of the leading vehicle manufacturers in Japan. The top three foreign bestsellers were Mercedes Benz, BMW, and Volkswagen, indicating a preference of Japanese consumers for premium segment imports. Yet, Japanese consumers tend to invest in the vehicle technology of their home market. Foreign car brands are often seen as status symbols among consumers as the costs for purchase and maintenance of imported vehicles are comparably high.
Japan’s unique car market: mini cars
Besides the lower price of purchase, there is one other important reason for choosing domestic brands over vehicles produced by foreign carmakers - kei cars. The mini-sized vehicles are a somewhat unique feature of the Japanese automotive landscape. With their minimized exterior, kei cars are not only easier to navigate around the narrow road system of Japan's metropolitan areas, but they also provide an affordable alternative to regular-sized vehicles. In some years, such as in 2023, the best-selling kei car models surpassed the best-selling models of regular-sized passenger cars. The N-Box's popularity confirmed, yet again, the significance of mini vehicles for the Japanese car market.
Japanese consumer preferences
The best-selling car models as well as the car brands were of domestic origin. Not a single foreign brand made it into the top ten of the leading vehicle manufacturers in Japan. The top three foreign bestsellers were Mercedes Benz, BMW, and Volkswagen, indicating a preference of Japanese consumers for premium segment imports. Yet, Japanese consumers tend to invest in the vehicle technology of their home market. Foreign car brands are often seen as status symbols among consumers as the costs for purchase and maintenance of imported vehicles are comparably high.
Japan’s unique car market: mini cars
Besides the lower price of purchase, there is one other important reason for choosing domestic brands over vehicles produced by foreign carmakers - kei cars. The mini-sized vehicles are a somewhat unique feature of the Japanese automotive landscape. With their minimized exterior, kei cars are not only easier to navigate around the narrow road system of Japan's metropolitan areas, but they also provide an affordable alternative to regular-sized vehicles. In some years, such as in 2023, the best-selling kei car models surpassed the best-selling models of regular-sized passenger cars. The N-Box's popularity confirmed, yet again, the significance of mini vehicles for the Japanese car market.
