Toyota Motor Corporation has once again proven its dominance in the global automotive industry by setting a new sales record in 2025. The Japanese giant retained the title of the world’s best-selling automaker for the sixth consecutive year, selling an unprecedented number of vehicles worldwide.
According to the latest figures, Toyota and its subsidiaries — including Lexus, Daihatsu, and Hino — sold 11.3 million vehicles globally in 2025. This marked a 4.6% increase compared with 2024, underlining the company’s broad appeal across markets and product segments.
Toyota’s performance not only kept it ahead of its closest rival, Volkswagen Group, but also widened the gap. Volkswagen reported roughly 8.98 million unit sales in the same period, representing a slight decline of about 0.5% year-on-year.
Hybrid vehicles were a major growth driver for Toyota in 2025. Models with gasoline-electric powertrains accounted for a significant share of sales worldwide, reflecting continued consumer demand for fuel-efficient and low-emission vehicles.
Strong sales in key markets helped Toyota achieve this milestone. In the United States, combined Toyota and Lexus deliveries rose by approximately 7.3%, with nearly 2.93 million vehicles sold. China, the largest auto market globally, also contributed to Toyota’s success with a modest but notable sales increase of about 0.2% — Toyota’s first rise there in four years.
The company’s SUV lineup, especially models like the RAV4, remained popular exports from Japan to the U.S., helping meet robust demand. Exports to the U.S. increased more than 14%, highlighting Toyota’s capacity to adapt production and supply chains to multinational markets.
Despite the ongoing shift toward electrification, Toyota’s battery-electric vehicle (BEV) numbers remained small compared with hybrids. BEVs made up only around 1.9% of total global sales in 2025, showing that the brand’s hybrid-first strategy still resonates with many buyers.
Toyota’s position as the world’s top automaker comes as the global auto industry grapples with slowing demand in some regions, trade headwinds, and intensifying competition from emerging brands. Yet, its sales resilience underscores the strength of its diversified product portfolio and broad global reach.
Industry analysts believe Toyota’s performance in 2025 reinforces its long-term leadership and sets the stage for how the company will approach the continued transition toward electrification in the coming decade.
