Nissan has fallen out of the global top ten best-selling automobile brands for the first time in 16 years. The Japanese automaker reported that it sold 1.61 million vehicles worldwide in the first half of 2025, placing it outside the top ten for the first time since 2009. This shift comes as Nissan faced significant declines in key markets such as China, the United States, and Japan.
Suzuki, which does not compete in the large US market but maintains a strong presence in Japan and India, edged out Nissan by a narrow margin of 20,000 sales. Suzuki recorded 1.63 million vehicle sales in the same period, marking the first time in over two decades that it surpassed its rival.
Market Performance and Financial Losses
Toyota retained its position as the world’s largest car brand, achieving 5.16 million sales by the end of June 2025. The Volkswagen Group followed closely with 4.36 million vehicles sold. Meanwhile, BYD emerged as the best-selling Chinese brand, selling 2.146 million vehicles, ahead of SAIC Group, which includes MG, at 2.05 million. Both brands significantly outpaced Nissan’s sales figures.
The data reveals a decline in Nissan’s sales of 5.7 percent compared to 1.7 million units sold in the first half of 2024. In Australia, the company sold 20,604 vehicles during the same period, which is a 17.3 percent year-on-year drop. This placed Nissan in eleventh place, just ahead of Subaru but trailing behind brands such as Isuzu Ute and BYD.
In addition to declining sales, Nissan reported a loss of ¥15.7 billion (approximately $1.63 billion) for the April-June quarter, marking its fourth consecutive quarterly decline. The company has faced mounting pressures, leading to the announcement of the closure of six factories and plans to reduce its global workforce by 11,000 jobs. Furthermore, delays in several new model launches are also on the horizon.
Leadership Changes and Market Challenges
Nissan’s new CEO, Ivan Espinosa, took over in April 2025, succeeding Makoto Uchida. The company is grappling with the impact of new automotive import tariffs introduced in the US in April, which have compounded existing challenges in the market. Nissan is not alone in facing these difficulties; major American automakers such as General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis have also reported losses in the second quarter of 2025.
As Nissan works to navigate this challenging landscape, its future in the competitive automotive sector remains uncertain. The company’s strategy and recovery efforts will be closely watched as it attempts to regain its footing in a rapidly changing global market.
