Japan Kei Cars Full Year 2013: Honda N-BOX takes control

January 9, 2014
Matt Gasnier
2 Comments

The Honda N-BOX enjoys its first year-end pole position in Japan.

* See the All-models and All-brands rankings by clicking on the title! Thanks Stephen *

I know readers, this is not your favourite update as Japanese Kei cars look confronting at best. However this category is not to be discarded as it plays a big part in the fortune (or mis-) of Japanese manufacturers at home, with no less than 2,112,991 units sold this year. This is up 7% on 2012 and more than the entire French market for example! For the first time, the Honda N-BOX takes control of the Kei cars ranking thanks to 234,995 sales, up 11% on 2012 while last year’s winner the Daihatsu Mira is down 28% and 3 spots to #4. A logical win for the N-BOX which topped the monthly ranking 5 times this year, the most of any model. The Daihatsu Move is up 41% and 3 ranks to #2 with 205,333 units and ranked #1 four times. It is followed by the Suzuki Wagon R down 5% but still third with 186,090 sales, topping the monthly charts once.

Daihatsu Tanto, Honda N-BOX, Suzuki Spacia

Down 15% to 5th place but up to a fantastic pole position in December (+93% to 19,211 units) we find the Daihatsu Tanto, while the Honda N-ONE lands in 7th place for its first full year of sales with 107,583 registrations. Two all-new entrants follow: the Suzuki Spacia at #7 with 107,193 units and the Nissan Dayz at #8 with 78,855. Notice also the Mitsubishi eK up 73% to #11 and the Toyota Pixis Space stuck in 12th position (-8%).

Honda N-WGN Custom

Finally, the Honda N-WGN arrives at #23 with 11,510 sales in only two months including a splendid 8,600 in December (#7). Brand-wise, Daihatsu maintains its lead in spite of sales down 2% to 660,186 units and 31.2% share, while Suzuki is up 6% to 622,415 and 29.5% in second place. Honda rounds up the podium, up a cool 27% to 407,050 and 19.3% ahead of Nissan at 8.8% (+21%) and Mitsubishi at 4% (+5%).

Previous month: Japan Kei cars November 2013: Daihatsu Tanto strong, Honda N-WGN lands

One year ago: Japan Kei cars Full Year 2012: Daihatsu Mira ends 9 years of Suzuki Wagon R reign

Two years ago: Japan Kei cars Full Year 2011: Suzuki Wagon R celebrates 9 years on top

December and Full Year 2013 Top 40 models Ranking Tables below.

Japan Kei cars December 2013 – models:

Pos	Model	Dec	/12	Nov	2013	Pos	2012
1	Daihatsu Tanto	19,211	93%	2	144,629	5	4
2	Honda N-BOX	18,128	33%	1	234,995	1	2
3	Suzuki WagonR	14,715	18%	6	186,090	3	3
4	Daihatsu Move	11,687	25%	3	205,333	2	5
5	Daihatsu Mira	10,943	-16%	4	157,276	4	1
6	Suzuki Spacia	9,387	new	5	107,193	8	–
7	Honda N-WGN	8,600	new	13	11,510	23	–
8	Nissan Dayz	8,526	new	7	78,855	9	–
9	Suzuki Alto	7,807	24%	8	111,361	6	6
10	Honda N-ONE	6,737	-36%	9	107,583	7	17
11	Nissan Moco	3,326	-7%	10	55,037	10	7
12	Mitsubishi eK	2,763	31%	11	48,395	11	13
13	Toyota Pixis Space	2,299	33%	12	29,708	12	12
14	Subaru Stella	1,664	50%	16	23,439	14	14
15	Suzuki MR Wagon	1,606	4%	15	28,711	13	11
16	Mazda Flair Wagon	1,356	257%	14	14,356	19	n/a
17	Suzuki Every Wagon	1,249	-5%	18	18,295	16	15
18	Suzuki Jimny	1,169	-24%	17	15,590	18	18
19	Mazda Flair	1,131	26%	19	20,319	15	n/a
20	Subaru Pleo	889	74%	20	11,822	22	n/a
21	Honda Life	656	-48%	21	13,065	20	10
22	Daihatsu Atrai	614	38%	22	9,477	24	20
23	Mazda Carol	490	-24%	23	8,970	25	19
24	Honda Vamos	346	-29%	24	5,848	26	22
25	Subaru Lucra	111	-33%	25	1,742	29	25
26	Mazda Scrum Wagon	96	-34%	n/a	1,761	28	31
27	Mitsubishi i-MiEV	82	-40%	n/a	1,491	31	32
28	Subaru Dias	59	-12%	n/a	1,027	33	36
29	Mazda AZ Offroad	13	8%	n/a	442	35	37
30	Nissan Otti	8	-98%	n/a	3,288	27	24
31	Mitsubishi i	8	-92%	n/a	1,038	32	29
32	Nissan Roox	6	-100%	n/a	16,071	17	9
33	Mitsubishi Toppo	6	-97%	n/a	1,713	30	26
34	Daihatsu Copen	1	0%	n/a	6	38	33
35	Suzuki Palette	0	-100%	n/a	12,239	21	8
36	Mazda AZ Wagon	0	-100%	n/a	577	34	16
37	Mitsubishi Pajero Mini	0	-100%	n/a	347	36	21
38	Honda Zest	0	-100%	n/a	128	37	23
39	Daihatsu Terios Kid	0	n/a	n/a	4	39	34
40	Mitsubishi Town Box	0	n/a	n/a	3	40	38

Japan Kei cars Full Year 2013 – models:

Pos	Model	2013	/12	2012	Pos
1	Honda N-BOX	234,995	11%	211,155	2
2	Daihatsu Move	205,333	41%	146,016	5
3	Suzuki WagonR	186,090	-5%	195,701	3
4	Daihatsu Mira	157,276	-28%	218,295	1
5	Daihatsu Tanto	144,629	-15%	170,609	4
6	Suzuki Alto	111,361	-1%	112,002	6
7	Honda N-ONE	107,583	498%	18,001	17
8	Suzuki Spacia	107,193	new	0	–
9	Nissan Dayz	78,855	new	0	–
10	Nissan Moco	55,037	-17%	66,460	7
11	Mitsubishi eK	48,395	74%	27,809	13
12	Toyota Pixis Space	29,708	-8%	32,284	12
13	Suzuki MR Wagon	28,711	-25%	38,107	11
14	Subaru Stella	23,439	7%	21,821	14
15	Mazda Flair	20,319	587%	2,958	n/a
16	Suzuki Every Wagon	18,295	-14%	21,378	15
17	Nissan Roox	16,071	-67%	48,810	9
18	Suzuki Jimny	15,590	6%	14,733	18
19	Mazda Flair Wagon	14,356	250%	4,103	n/a
20	Honda Life	13,065	-70%	43,935	10
21	Suzuki Palette	12,239	-80%	60,136	8
22	Subaru Pleo	11,822	n/a	n/a	25
23	Honda N-WGN	11,510	new	0	–
24	Daihatsu Atrai	9,477	-5%	10,017	20
25	Mazda Carol	8,970	-14%	10,463	19
26	Honda Vamos	5,848	-25%	7,819	22
27	Nissan Otti	3,288	-55%	7,279	24
28	Mazda Scrum Wagon	1,761	n/a	n/a	31
29	Subaru Lucra	1,742	-74%	6,600	25
30	Mitsubishi Toppo	1,713	-73%	6,354	26
31	Mitsubishi i-MiEV	1,491	n/a	n/a	32
32	Mitsubishi i	1,038	n/a	n/a	29
33	Subaru Dias	1,027	n/a	n/a	36
34	Mazda AZ Wagon	577	-97%	21,363	16
35	Mazda AZ Offroad	442	n/a	n/a	37
36	Mitsubishi Pajero Mini	347	-96%	8,354	21
37	Honda Zest	128	-98%	7,738	23
38	Daihatsu Copen	6	n/a	n/a	33
39	Daihatsu Terios Kid	4	n/a	n/a	34
40	Mitsubishi Town Box	3	n/a	n/a	38

Japan Kei cars December 2013 – brands:

Pos	Brand	Dec-13	%	/12	Nov	2013	%	/12	Pos
1	Daihatsu	53,218	31.5%	28%	1	660,186	31.2%	-2%	1
2	Suzuki	47,315	28.0%	34%	2	622,415	29.5%	6%	2
3	Honda	37,465	22.2%	45%	3	407,050	19.3%	27%	3
4	Nissan	14,777	8.8%	86%	4	185,931	8.8%	21%	4
5	Mitsubishi	5,061	3.0%	2%	5	83,852	4.0%	5%	5
6	Subaru	3,934	2.3%	36%	8	54,844	2.6%	-21%	7
7	Mazda	3,836	2.3%	24%	6	57,986	2.7%	10%	6
8	Toyota	3,133	1.9%	30%	7	40,620	1.9%	-6%	8
–	Others	7	0.0%	250%	–	106	0.0%	80%	–

Japan Kei cars Full Year 2013 – brands:

Pos	Brand	2013	%	/12	2012	%	Pos
1	Daihatsu	660,186	31.2%	-2%	674,181	34.1%	1
2	Suzuki	622,415	29.5%	6%	584,957	29.6%	2
3	Honda	407,050	19.3%	27%	321,300	16.2%	3
4	Nissan	185,931	8.8%	21%	153,337	7.7%	4
5	Mitsubishi	83,852	4.0%	5%	80,096	4.0%	5
6	Mazda	57,986	2.7%	10%	52,606	2.7%	7
7	Subaru	54,844	2.6%	-21%	69,651	3.5%	6
8	Toyota	40,620	1.9%	-6%	43,259	2.2%	8
–	Others	106	0.0%	80%	59	0.0%	–

Source: JMVA, many thanks to Stephen for helping compile the data!

Matt Gasnier

Comments (2)

Marcus Dowey says:
February 10, 2014 at 7:44 pm
It is a great achievement by Honda that they get this much sell in this year with their new model . without any doubt they make a stylish and compact car . Honda always take care of their consumer and in this model they also maintain it .
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