The data is not yet definitive but a clear verdict has arrived globally
You don’t even need to wait for the publication of the December data to establish that, even in 2025Toyota has confirmed itself as the car manufacturer with the highest number of sales in the world. In fact, between January and November, the Japanese company sold overall 10.32 million cars throughout the world, a number therefore higher than the result achieved by the second largest manufacturer in terms of volumes, Volkswagenwhich between January and December 2025 placed a total of 8.98 million cars. The past year therefore becomes the sixth consecutive year dominated by the Japanese company, which from 2020 to date has always been the main manufacturer in the world in terms of production numbers.
numbers
—
Among the reasons for the considerable gap that separates Toyota’s production volumes from those of its main pursuer, Volkswagen, are first of all the different performances recorded in the United States. While the Japanese company remained at the top of the charts with the Rav4, the country’s best-selling car in 2025, Volkswagen in fact recorded a 10% drop compared to the previous year, also due to the new duties introduced by the Trump administration. The situation is different Europefor which the data currently stops at November 2025. Here, Volkswagen stands out, with 252,239 units registered in the European Union between January and November 2025, compared to Toyota’s 64,788. Volkswagen’s performance was less brilliant Chinathe main market of the Wolfsburg house, where in 2025 there was an 8% drop in sales compared to 2024.