Sales hit a record high, Toyota will continue to dominate the global car market in 2025.

Toyota's global sales in 2025 reached a historic high of 11.3 million vehicles, making it the world's best-selling automaker for the sixth consecutive year. This achievement highlights the Japanese automobile giant’s continued dominance in the global market, especially its competitive advantage in hybrid vehicles.

On January 29, Toyota’s latest data showed that the group's global sales grew 4.6% year-on-year, including vehicles from the Toyota and Lexus brands, as well as sales from the compact car division Daihatsu and truck manufacturer Hino Motors. This growth was mainly driven by the U.S. and Japanese markets, which together accounted for more than two-fifths of parent company sales.

In contrast, Germany’s Volkswagen Group, which ranked second, announced earlier this month that its 2025 sales declined by 0.5% to just under 9 million vehicles. Volkswagen is seeking to cut costs domestically while facing fierce competition globally, and the sales gap between Toyota and Volkswagen is widening further.

Data shows that sales of Toyota and Lexus brand vehicles under the parent company grew 3.7% in 2025 to 10.5 million units, also a historic high. This growth was mainly driven by strong demand for hybrid vehicles in the U.S. market.

Shipments from Japan to the U.S. surged 14.2% to about 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 Toyota’s global sales, while pure electric vehicles accounted for just 1.9%. This data highlights Toyota's strategic focus on hybrid technology and the company’s relatively cautious approach to full electrification.

Analysts believe that the strong performance of hybrid vehicles is a key factor in Toyota’s continued market leadership, especially in markets such as the U.S. where hybrid acceptance is high.

In China, the world’s largest automobile market, despite fierce competition, Toyota’s sales still rose slightly by 0.2%, marking the first positive growth in four years. This performance shows that Toyota’s decline in the Chinese market has been preliminarily curbed.

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