Toyota has cemented its position as the world’s biggest carmaker in 2025, the sixth year in a row the Japanese giant has finished on top of the global sales race.

Toyota reported last week it had sold around 11.2 million vehicles across its three main brands – Toyota, Lexus and Daihatsu – in 2025, up 4.8 per cent over the previous year.

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Second-placed Volkswagen Group’s total of just under nine million across its diverse portfolio of brands represented a drop of 0.5 per cent, with only Skoda (up 12.7 per cent) Seat (up 5 per cent) and Lamborghini (up 0.6 per cent) recording gains. Porsche recorded the biggest drop, down 10.1 per cent year-on-year, while Volkswagen was down 1.4 per cent from 2024.

Korean conglomerate, Hyundai, claimed third spot with just under 7.2 million cars sold across its brands, including Genesis and Kia, growing 1.4 per cent in 2025.

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The rise in hybrids fueled part of Toyota’s 2025 growth, with the company reporting it had sold just over 4.4 million conventional hybrid vehicles (up 7 per cent) or around 42 per cent of total sales across its brands.

Toyota sold around 254,424 across its two main brands – Toyota (down 0.6 per cent) and Lexus (up 6.7 per cent) – in Australia last year, maintaining its position as the number car brand in Australia for the 23rd consecutive year.

The Japanese giant also recorded strong growth in the US with sales of 2.9 million vehicles (up 7.3 per cent ) despite President Trump’s tariffs on Japanese vehicles which were initially set at 25 per cent, before being wound back to 15 per cent.

Top 10 car-makers

  1. Toyota Group (Japan)
  2. Volkswagen Group (Germany)
  3. Hyundai-Kia (South Korea)
  4. Stellantis (Transnational)
  5. Renault-Nissan Alliance (France/Japan)
  6. General Motors (USA)
  7. Ford Group (USA)
  8. Geely Group (China)
  9. BYD (China)
  10. Suzuki (Japan)