Toyota Remains No 1 In 2025 – 11.3 Million Units Sold, 42% Charged By Hybrids

For the sixth consecutive year, Toyota stood as the world's No 1 automaker in 2025 after shifting 11.3 million vehicles globally last year.

For the sixth consecutive year, Japanese automaking giant Toyota reigns as the world’s No 1 automaker. The firm reportedly shifted 11.3 million vehicles globally in 2025 to eclipse second place rivals Volkswagen and their 2025 total sales of just under 9 million units.

Globally, Toyota saw its 2025 sales rise by 4.6% from 2024, and this encompasses both its main Toyota and Lexus luxury marques, as well as its Daihatsu compact cars and Hino Motors trucks divisions combined.

Strong demand and growth both in Japan and North America have charged this growth too.

Strong demands and growth across both its Japanese home market and North America drove this growth, with both accounting for two-fifths of its total sales. Combined, Toyota and Lexus sales rose 3.7% in 2025 to 10.5 million too.

Additionally, exports from Japan to North America jumped by 14.2% in 2025, totalling at about 615,000 units. Key models driving this include the staple RAV4 crossover SUV offering, which saw a brand-new sixth-gen version bow early last year.

Despite growing its battery-electric vehicle (BEV) range, said type only accounted for 1.9% of Toyota's total global sales. Instead, 42% of which were charged by up the firm's hybrids.

Over in China, sales grew by 0.2% in 2025. Despite heightened competition, this marked the first time in four years that the Japanese automaker’s sales did not shrink in one of the world’s single largest auto sales markets.

Notably, Toyota also highlighted that 42% of its global sales total were charged up by the firm’s range of petrol-electric hybrid offerings. In contrast, its battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) models range only contributed to just 1.9% of said total.

Locally, Toyota is also set to see hybrids charge its 2026 local sales, evident through the arrival of both the Vellfire HEV and Vios HEV last month. The Yaris Cross HEV is also tipped for launch this year.

Closer to home, hybrids are set to charge up the automaker’s Malaysian sales in 2026 too. Last month, UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT) launched two key new hybrid offerings, those being the Vellfire HEV luxury MPV and Vios HEV compact saloon.

UMWT is set to charge up and expand its local hybrid models line-up further this year with at least another two additions, key amongst which being the Yaris Cross compact crossover.