[Alpha Biz= Kim Sang Jin] China has surpassed Japan to become the world’s largest seller of new vehicles by country for the first time, marking a major shift in the global automotive landscape.

According to a report by Nikkei on March 22, citing data from market research firm MarkLines, Chinese automakers sold approximately 27 million new vehicles last year, securing the top position globally.

Chinese manufacturers posted around 10% year-on-year growth, while Japanese automakers—who had maintained a leading position since 2000—saw their combined sales decline slightly to about 25 million units. This marks the first time Japan has relinquished its position as the top-selling country in the global auto market.

At the individual company level, Japan’s Toyota Motor remained the world’s largest automaker, selling 11.32 million vehicles and maintaining its No. 1 ranking. However, the broader market trend was driven by the rapid expansion of Chinese automakers.

Notably, China’s BYD and Geely Group recorded significant sales growth, surpassing major Japanese players such as Honda and Nissan. Among the world’s top 20 automakers by sales, six Chinese companies were included, compared with five from Japan, highlighting China’s growing dominance in the sector.

Despite the strong rise in volume, analysts are taking a cautious view on the sustainability of China’s growth, citing signs of a slowdown in the domestic market. In particular, BYD’s sales in February fell by 40% year-on-year, underscoring potential limitations in domestic demand.

 

 

 

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