Minivehicles, Compact Cars Likely to Remain Popular in 2025

Tokyo, Jan. 14 (Jiji Press)--Minivehicles and compact cars are likely to remain popular in Japan in 2025 due to their high fuel efficiency amid a surge in gasoline prices and their excellent maneuverability on narrow roads.

Meanwhile, electric vehicles face challenges, such as their high prices and the dearth of charging facilities. Still, attention is being paid to whether and what extent they will be able to gain momentum at a time when foreign brand models, mainly Chinese EVs, are gradually winning popularity.

In domestic new car sales rankings for 2024, based on data from the Japan Automobile Dealers Association and the Japan Light Motor Vehicle and Motorcycle Association, Honda Motor Co.'s N-Box minivehicle came first for the third consecutive year, with sales of more than 200,000 units.

The Yaris subcompact from Toyota Motor Corp. ranked third as shipments of the Yaris Cross model restarted after a suspension reflecting fraudulent certification testing. Suzuki Motor Corp.'s Spacia minivehicle placed fourth thanks to the addition of a new model in September. Both the Yaris and the Spacia marked sales of over 160,000 units.

"The need (for automobiles) among Japanese people won't change unless new breakthrough technologies come along, such as for battery or safety assistance," automobile critic Mitsuhiro Kunisawa said of this year's outlook for the Japanese market.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]