Suzuki overtakes Honda in Japanese automotive sales

Suzuki Motor Corp. has surpassed Honda Motor Co. to become the second largest Japanese automaker by global sales volume for the April to September period. This shift comes as several major Japanese manufacturers face challenges in international markets.

Suzuki recorded a 19.9 percent increase in global sales, reaching a record 1,824,006 units. This growth was primarily driven by strong performance in India, where the company holds approximately 40 percent of the passenger car market share.

In contrast, Honda saw its global sales decline by 4 percent to 1,661,569 units, impacted significantly by a 50 percent drop in sales within China. Toyota Motor Corp. remains the top Japanese automaker, though it reported a 4 percent decrease in sales to 5,059,014 units due to weakening demand in China. Nissan Motor Co. also experienced a significant decline, with sales in China falling by more than 40 percent amid rising competition from local manufacturers.