With over 10.5 million cars sold in 2025, Toyota, including Lexus, retained the global sales crown for the sixth consecutive year. Counting the subsidiary Daihatsu, the total climbs to around 11.2 million, further widening the gap to second-place Volkswagen Group, which sold nearly 8.7 million vehicles. While Toyota and the VW Group continue to compete at the top of the leaderboard, the rise of Chinese automakers can't be ignored. BYD ranked sixth globally last year after shipping 4.6 million cars, up 7.72 percent from 2024.
MG's owner, SAIC, isn't far behind. It finished 2025 in seventh place with 4.5 million vehicles sold, representing a 12.3 percent year-over-year increase. Volvo's parent company, Geely, delivered 4.12 million cars, a 26 percent jump that secured ninth place in the global rankings. Even though these three Chinese automakers are already in the top 10 and continue to grow at a pace that should concern long-established manufacturers, Toyota believes it still has the edge.
Toyota Australia's Vice President of National Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations, John Pappas, detailed the company's greatest assets in an interview with Drive magazine: 'Toyota premium really comes out of product value and the fact that we're renowned for our QDR – quality, durability, reliability. Around brand trust in times of uncertainty, people always go to brands they trust.' He went on to say it's not just about the product itself, but also the strong dealership network built around it and the after-sales support.
Motor1's Take: Being number one certainly earns Toyota bragging rights, but there's more to the story than sheer volume. Profit margins play a crucial role in any business, and the company knows it can't afford to rest on its laurels. During a meeting with suppliers earlier this year, ex-CEO Koji Sato painted a grim picture of the future unless Toyota takes action to reduce costs: 'Unless things change, we will not survive. I want everyone to acknowledge this sense of crisis. Right now, we in the automotive industry are battling for our very survival.' The Chinese threat is very much real.
Source: motor1.com
