Suzuki Vaults Past Nissan to be Japan's Third-Largest Automaker UPDATED
As if Nissan isn’t having a rough enough time these days, Suzuki just kicked sand in Nissan’s face, outselling its fellow Japanese automaker to become the world’s third-largest automaker in 2025.
Suzuki has been an automaker on the rise in recent years, while Nissan has been moving in the opposite direction. Nissan’s issues in recent years have been well documented as it works not just to grow sales, but simply to stay out of bankruptcy.
UPDATED -- the original headline said "world's" instead of "Japan's." This has been fixed. We regret the error.
Suzuki is better known in the U.S. for making motorcycles, but globally it produces a massive number of small vehicles sold across Asia and other markets. In all, the company sold about 3.3 million vehicles in 2025, a 1.4-percent increase. It marks the fifth straight year the company’s global sales have risen.
Although it’s done well in its home market of Japan, the bulk of Suzuki’s car sales, about 2.6 million, are to overseas markets. Much of it went to India, where it sold over 1.8 million vehicles in 2025. However, what makes the move past Nissan is the fact that Suzuki doesn’t sell vehicles in the U.S. or China — the top two markets in the world for automakers.
Meanwhile, Nissan’s struggles continue at home and abroad. The company’s sales in Japan slumped in 2025, dropping 15.2 percent compared to 2024. Outside of Japan, sales fell 2.6 percent, resulting in a total decline globally of 4.4 percent.
However, there is a bright spot for Nissan: North America. Sales in Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. were up 2.2 percent to 1.3 million vehicles. However, China, Europe, and its other markets were all down between 6 percent and 7 percent for 2025.
“Trucks and SUVs were the clear growth engine for Nissan in the fourth quarter and throughout 2025," said Mike Soutter, senior vice president, U.S. Marketing and Sales, Nissan Americas in a release. "From the all-new Murano and Armada to the continued strength of Pathfinder, Frontier and Kicks, the Nissan lineup delivered steady year-over-year retail share growth.
“In the new year, we expect to sustain momentum with the arrival of the refreshed Pathfinder and the first-ever Rogue PHEV. These new models will elevate our appeal in two of the most competitive segments in the market, and we're confident they will help fuel a strong year for the brand."
[Image: Suzuki, Nissan]
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Michael Strong has spent more than 25 years writing about the automotive industry. A Detroit-area native, he’s written about everything from local car shows to product reviews to financial news. Currently he writes and edits for a variety of national and local publications. He’s also a longtime member of the Automotive Press Association and the International Motor Press Association, and a graduate of Georgia Southern University. Hail Southern! Despite a love for ’70s land yachts and BMWs from the late ’80s and early ’90s, his personal vehicle is neither of those.
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I owned one, it was nothing to brag about.
You are correct. An absence of a long term strategy and a dependance on short term gains by ensuring that US product and consumers have no choice except an overpriced product is a recipe for disaster. Eventually the market wises up and say..No to an $85,000 pickup. The US auto industry has shown ZERO innovation for 40+ years. SUV? No, its a pickup with two bench seats. Every aspect of product development has been ceded to non-American producers: Safety, innovation, style, EVs, affordability - each segment, ie "practical" segment (ie, station wagons), the "cool" segment, ie coupes, entry level, affordable, mid sized? All gone. The once very proud US automakers in a perilous position as a result and I imagine they are potential take over targets. Who would have ever thought Ford, GM or Chrysler (via Stelantis) could be owned by a Chinese conglomerate one day? It's not unimaginable.