ISTANBUL

Japanese giant Toyota Motor once again maintained its global sales leadership last year, solidifying its dominance over its closest rival, Volkswagen.

Including Hino Motors and Daihatsu brands, Toyota Motor's vehicle sales in 2025 rose 4.6% year-on-year to 11.32 million, according to a statement released on Thursday.

Despite supply challenges in semiconductors, Toyota maintained high production levels last year, increasing its output by 5.7% year-on-year to 11.22 million vehicles.

Sales for its closest rival, Volkswagen, fell 0.5% to 8.98 million last year due to the challenging market environment in China and the impact of US tariffs on North American demand.

With over 11 million vehicle sales last year, the Japanese manufacturer Toyota solidified its leadership over Volkswagen, extending its global sales leadership for the sixth consecutive year.

Toyota's record-breaking sales were primarily driven by strong demand for hybrid (gasoline-electric) models. Hybrid gasoline-electric vehicles accounted for 42% of Toyota's global sales, while fully electric vehicles made up only 1.9%.

In the highly competitive Chinese market, Toyota achieved a limited increase of 0.2%, marking its first growth in four years.

Exports from Japan to the US increased 14.2%, reaching approximately 615,000 vehicles, driven by demand for popular models, particularly the RAV4 crossover.