Toyota remained the world’s top car maker in 2025, selling more vehicles than any other company in the world for the sixth year in a row. The Toyota Motor Group, which includes Toyota itself and related brands like Daihatsu and Hino Motors, sold more than 10.3 million vehicles worldwide from January to November 2025, making a 4.8% increase from the same period in 2024.
Even though the full sales numbers for December are not yet final, Toyota’s lead in sales was already clear before the year ended. Toyota sold more cars than its biggest German competitor, Volkswagen, which sold about 8.98 million vehicles in 2025, a little less than the year before. Third place was taken by Hyundai Motor and Kia from South Korea, which sold around 7.3 million cars.
Toyota’s faced tough challenges in the global auto market, especially higher U.S. tariffs. Tariffs are extra taxes on imported cars, and in 2025 the United States increased tariffs on Japanese cars from 2.5% to 15%. Even with these higher costs, Toyota was able to keep strong sales by lowering prices in the U.S. market, which helped Toyota to sell about 560,000 vehicles in the U.S. from January to November 2025, which is more than its full 2024 sales in the same market.
Still, Toyota’s strong global sales did not earned bigger profits. The company’s total profit for the business year ending in March 2026 was expected to be about ¥3.4 trillion, which is 30% lower than the previous year. Most of the drop in profit was due to the higher tariffs in the U.S. and the company choosing to lower prices to keep sales strong.
Toyota’s strategy in 2025 showed that it could stay competitive even when other car makers faced pressure in key markets. Lowering prices in the U.S. helped to maintain demand from American buyers, who make up about 30% of Toyota’s total exports. This strong demand helped Toyota to continue its long streak as the world’s top auto seller.
Volkswagen and other major global automakers like General Motors and Stellantis continued to sell high numbers of vehicles worldwide, But Toyota stayed on top in 2025 because it sold many different cars, reached buyers all over the world, and made smart choices in different markets.
The 2025 sales results also highlight that how important global markets like the United States remain for Japanese car makers. Even with extra taxes, buyers continued to choose Toyota vehicles, showing that brand strength and pricing decisions can have a big impact on sales performance.
Toyota’s position at the top of global sales for six years in a row shows its value and popularity around the world. Many buyers in different countries choose Toyota vehicles in 2025, helping it to compete and continue its leadership in the global auto market.
The company’s ability to manage pricing, production, and export strategies in a changing global market helped it to maintain strong sales, even as global economic conditions and trade policies caused challenges in key regions like the United States.
Toyota’s continued success as the world’s best selling automaker shows the power of its brand and its ability to adjust according to changing market conditions, keeping it well positioned for future growth in global auto Industry.