Sales of cars in Japan nearly doubled in April. Sales of registered vehicles rose 92 percent to 208,977 units from 108,824 a year earlier, the Japan Automobile Dealer Association reports. Sales of separately tallied mini vehicles rose 96 percent, according to data provided by the Japan Mini Vehicles Association. Consolidated, the market rose 93.7 percent. This does not include imports, which will be reported at a later date.
To put the huge jump in perspective, one has to realize that we are comparing with post-tsunami Japan. In April 2011, sales of registered vehicles had crashed by 51 percent while Japan was digging out of the rubble and battled with parts shortages. On top of this base effect, sales in Japan are helped by subsidies given to buyers of fuel efficient cars. Customers receive subsidies between Y70,000 ($875) and Y100,000 ($1,240) per new vehicle until the budget runs out.
Sales of registered vehicles, Japan, April 2012
In the registered vehicle department, Toyota nearly tripled its sales in April. YTD, Nissan and Honda are neck-on-neck.
Sales of mini vehicles, Japan, April 2012
As far as mini vehicles go, Toyota’s kei car division Daihatsu leads YTD and in April. Honda has the biggest percentage jump.
Consolidated sales (ex imports,) Japan, April 2012
| Manufacturer | Apr’12 | Apr’11 | YoY | MS Apr’12 | MS Apr’11 |
| Daihatsu | 52,666 | 24,465 | 115.3% | 14.6% | 13.2% |
| Hino | 2,214 | 1,166 | 89.9% | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Honda | 55,508 | 27,089 | 104.9% | 15.4% | 14.6% |
| Isuzu | 3,010 | 1,709 | 76.1% | 0.8% | 0.9% |
| Lexus | 3,456 | 1,656 | 108.7% | 1.0% | 0.9% |
| Mazda | 13,445 | 9,762 | 37.7% | 3.7% | 5.3% |
| Mitsubishi | 7,914 | 8,700 | -9.0% | 2.2% | 4.7% |
| Mitsubishi Fuso | 2,242 | 1,281 | 75.0% | 0.6% | 0.7% |
| Nissan | 39,421 | 24,070 | 63.8% | 11.0% | 13.0% |
| Subaru | 8,847 | 8,724 | 1.4% | 2.5% | 4.7% |
| Suzuki | 53,805 | 28,623 | 88.0% | 15.0% | 15.4% |
| Toyota | 104,197 | 35,557 | 193.0% | 29.0% | 19.2% |
| UD Trucks | 681 | 291 | 134.0% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Other | 12,225 | 12,579 | -2.8% | 3.4% | 6.8% |
| Total | 359,631 | 185,672 | 93.7% |
Consolidated, the Toyota Motor Corporation companies lead the market by a wide margin, albeit with a little less than the mythical 50 percent market share.
Good to see Toyota making a comeback and proving the detractors wrong, just like it is good to see Chrysler making a comeback and proving their detractors wrong.
+1. After bringing out vehicles like the 86, Prius C and new Lexus GS, they deserve to make a comeback in my opinon.
Having seen these cars in person at car shows, Toyota is really making some respectable attempts to escape their perceived beigeness. Even their hybrids are getting interesting, with the quirky styled (at least to me) Prius C and a Prius WAGON. Honestly who else could successfully sell a hybrid wagon right now besides Toyota?
The Prius C appeals to young people. My grand daughter who currently drives a 2011 Elantra to/from college has dropped giant hints to anyone who will listen that she would dearly love a Prius C, as do all of her friends. To them the Prius C is so cooooool.
With the price-point of the Prius C and the demographic it is aimed at, I have no doubt that the Prius C will also become a runaway success for Toyota, just like the original Prius Hybrid.
Bland, beige or not, what matters is if something sells. If it sells, and it sells well, there’s money to be made.
Too bad we didn’t get THAT version of the bB/xB here. Good to see they’re all making comebacks. It’s gotta be rough to deal with that sort of thing: imagine if a US factory got hit by a tornado or the like.
Looks like Mitsubishi is toast in it’s home market too.