Nissan Falls Out of Global Top 10 After 16 Years

For the first time since 2009, Nissan has fallen out of the global top 10 best-selling car brands. Meanwhile, Suzuki has climbed ahead after more than two decades, selling 1.63 million units against Nissan’s 1.61 million in the first half of 2025.

On the other hand, Toyota continues to lead the global auto market with 5.16 million sales, while Volkswagen Group remains second with 4.36 million units. In addition, Chinese automaker BYD reported 2.146 million sales, leaving SAIC Group (MG’s parent) slightly behind at 2.05 million.

Compared to 2024, Nissan’s sales declined by 5.7%. Furthermore, the fall was significant in its three major markets—China, the United States, and Japan. In Australia too, sales dropped by 17.3% to 20,604 units, pushing Nissan down to 11th place.

Financially, the picture looks even worse. Nissan posted an operating loss of ¥79.1 billion ($1.63 billion) in April–June 2025. Therefore, this became its fourth straight quarterly loss, signaling deeper structural problems.

In April 2025, new CEO Ivan Espinosa took charge. Since then, he has announced plant closures, 11,000 job cuts, and delays in upcoming models. These steps, however, are aimed at cutting costs and regaining profitability.

Moreover, U.S. import and parts tariffs have added extra pressure. As a result, Nissan is struggling to compete profitably against rivals.

Looking ahead, the challenge is clear. Nissan must improve efficiency, speed up hybrid and EV launches, and protect its market share. Otherwise, Chinese brands like BYD and global leaders Toyota and Volkswagen will continue to pull further ahead.