Japan September 2017: Nissan Note, Honda Freed shine; market up 3.9%

The Nissan Note is the best-selling car in Japan in September. 

* NOW UPDATED with the Top 52 brands, Top 30 cars, Top 35 kei cars and Top 20 imports *

New light vehicle sales in Japan are up 3.9% year-on-year in September to 495.189 units, with the year-to-date total now up 7.5% to 4.060.584 deliveries after nine months. Leader Toyota goes against the grain with a 6.9% year-on-year drop to 27.1% share vs. a round 30% year-to-date, but the next 6 brands all outpace the market: Honda (+8.4%), Suzuki (+5.1%), Nissan (+27.8%), Daihatsu (+6.8%), Mazda (+7.6%), Subaru (+13.5%) and Mitsubishi (+49.1%). Mercedes (+2%) remains the most popular foreign brand, breaking into the Top 10 at #10 overall, ahead of BMW (-0.3%), Volkswagen (+7.2%) and Audi (-5%). Further down, notice Abarth (+23.8%), Land Rover (+28%), Alfa Romeo (+30.4%), Maserati (+55.8%) and Citroen (+83%) all post spectacular gains.

The Honda Freed is up 212% year-on-year to #4 in the cars ranking.

In the cars ranking, the Nissan Note is back up two spots on August to snap the pole position for the 5th time in the past 11 months, posting its largest monthly volume since last March. The Toyota Prius, imploding down 34% at #2, remains however #1 year-to-date, and this despite sales down 39%. #1 last month, the Toyota Aqua is down 17% to #3, now also ranking #3 year-to-date as it passes the Toyota C-HR, #9 in September. The Honda Freed, up 3-fold on September 2016, manages to rank #4 for the third time since the new generation launched last October. The Toyota Roomy is down two ranks to #10 just as the Toyota Tank is up one to #13. Notice also the Mazda CX-5 up 158% to #22, its highest ranking since last March, the Suzuki Swift up 185% to #27 and the Toyota Camry up 666% to #30.

The facelifted Honda N-BOX is the best-selling vehicle in Japan this month. Picture autos-one.jp 

In the kei cars charts, thanks to its facelift Honda N-ONE spectacularly reclaims the top spot with sales up 168% on August to 26.983, making it and by far the best-selling nameplate in Japan. This score cements the N-ONE’s YTD pole position with 2017 sales now up 11%. The Nissan Dayz steps up to 2nd place with deliveries up 39% year-on-year with it earns the 2nd place YTD also (+47%), overtaking the Daihatsu Move (+62%). The Suzuki Wagon R is up 87% to #4, the Daihatsu Mira up 46% to #7, the Mitsubishi eK up 28% to #11, the Mazda Flair up 65% to #18 and the Subaru Pleo up 64% to #20. The sole newcomer of the past 12 months in the segment, the Subaru Chiffon, continues to struggle at a low 25th place.

The Mini is the most popular foreign nameplate in Japan over the third quarter of 2017. 

Among foreign nameplates over the third quarter of 2017, the Mini remains in the lead with sales up 2% year-on-year, ahead of the VW Golf (-1%), Mercedes C-Class (-3%), Mercedes E-Class (+12%) and BMW 3 Series (-6%), reproducing the Q2 Top 5. In fact from #5 to #8 are all BMWs: the 2 Series, 1 Series and 5 Series follow, the latter up from #13 in Q2. The VW Polo falls a harsh 38% to #10, the Mercedes GLC is up a further two spots to #14 and both the Mercedes GLA (#16) and Fiat 500 (#20) are back inside the Top 20.

Previous month: Japan August 2017: Aqua back on top, C-HR falls in market up 5.5%

One year ago: Japan September 2016: Toyota and Honda stay positive, market down 0.5%

Full September 2017 Top 52 brands, Top 30 cars, Top 35 kei cars and Q3 Top 20 imports below.