Key Facts
• Nissan’s domestic new car sales fell 10.3% year-on-year to 220,495 units.
• Sales decline marks the lowest level in 30 years due to delayed new model launches.
• Breakdown: registered vehicles dropped 9.1% to 133,838 units; kei cars fell 12.2% to 86,657 units.
• Nissan dropped to 5th place among Japan’s top 8 automakers, overtaken by Daihatsu.
• Daihatsu’s sales more than doubled to 261,963 units after recovering from prior engine certification issues.
• Total sales of Japan’s top 8 automakers rose 10.2% to 2,345,459 units, a two-year high.
• Registered vehicles increased 7.3% to 1,499,729 units; kei cars grew 15.9% to 845,730 units.
• Nissan’s focus on the U.S. market and lack of updates to models like the Elgrand (since 2010) and Note (since 2020) contributed to domestic struggles.
• Nissan is undergoing restructuring, including reducing 7 factories globally, to address global sales challenges.
Summary
Nissan’s domestic new car sales in the first half of 2025 dropped 10.3% year-on-year to 220,495 units, marking a 30-year low. The decline is attributed to delayed new model launches, with key models like the Elgrand and Note not receiving updates for years. This led to Nissan falling to 5th place among Japan’s top 8 automakers, overtaken by Daihatsu, whose sales more than doubled to 261,963 units. While Nissan struggled, total sales of Japan’s top 8 automakers rose 10.2% to 2,345,459 units, driven by a 7.3% increase in registered vehicles and a 15.9% rise in kei cars. Nissan’s focus on the U.S. market and ongoing global restructuring, including the closure of 7 factories, highlight the urgent need to revitalize its domestic market strategy.
