Suzuki imported 4,780 vehicles into Japan in June, a 230-fold increase compared to June 2024, surpassing Mercedes, according to data released 4/7 by the Japan Automobile Importers Association (JAIA). The Japanese automaker also held this top spot in April.
While Honda is another long-time importer of its own vehicles into Japan, Suzuki's achievement is notable given its smaller global output. Auto imports became a hot topic when former US President Donald Trump used tariffs to pressure Japan into importing more American cars.
According to Takeshi Miyao, an analyst at automotive consulting firm Carnorama, Japanese consumers aren't particularly concerned about whether a car is made in Thailand, India, or Japan if it meets their specific needs. He suggests that General Motors (GM), Ford, and other American automakers haven't made a significant impact in Japan because they don't offer products like kei-cars that appeal to local buyers.
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The Suzuki Jimny Nomade sold in Japan is imported from India. Photo: Suzuki |
The Suzuki Jimny Nomade sold in Japan is imported from India. Photo: Suzuki
The Jimny Nomade, a 5-door extended version of Suzuki's popular Jimny, has become a phenomenon. With a starting price of 2.65 million yen (18,300 USD), it attracted around 50,000 pre-orders before its official launch in April, despite Suzuki's monthly sales target of 1,200 units. Due to overwhelming demand, the company stopped accepting orders after just four days.
Suzuki plans to ramp up Jimny Nomade production in India from July, which could further increase import numbers. Suzuki also began importing another India-made compact SUV, the Fronx, in 10/2024. The company has a long history of manufacturing and selling cars and motorcycles in India, where labor and production costs remain low.
Suzuki predicts that the Indian auto market will reach 20 million annual sales by 2047 and aims for Maruti Suzuki India, its subsidiary, to capture 50% of the market share by 2030.
Honda has also found success with its India-made WR-V compact SUV, introduced in 3/2024 with a starting price of around 2.1 million yen (14,500 USD). Honda's imports increased roughly 22-fold to 45,107 vehicles in 2024. It was also the largest importer into Japan in the first three months of 2025.
In the first half of this year, Honda ranked second in imports with around 22,000 vehicles, behind Mercedes with 25,016. Suzuki came in third, while Nissan ranked 9th with its Thailand-made Kicks crossover.
Jeep, part of the Stellantis group, performed well with over 4,000 vehicles sold in the first six months, surpassing both GM and Ford.
My Anh (Japan Times)
