Suzuki Thinks It Will Outsell Honda For The First Time Ever
Suzuki is confident it can grab the title of Japan's second-largest automaker.
THE BREAKDOWN
- Suzuki projects car sales will jump by 7.1 percent to 3.55 million units during the 2026 fiscal year.
- Honda estimates a minor increase to 3.39 million.
- Suzuki came close to beating Honda during the previous fiscal year.
We don’t get to talk about Suzuki as often as we should. Part of the reason is that the last time its cars were available in the United States, Motor1 was still called WorldCarFans. While the company maintains a strong presence in Europe, the internet’s favorite small off-roader is gone due to stringent emissions regulations.
Of course, there’s more to the world than North America, and the Jimny’s withdrawal from European markets is only part of the picture. Business is booming for Suzuki in India. Out of the 3.32 million vehicles sold during the 2025 fiscal year that ended on March 31, 2026, a whopping 1.86 million units were delivered to people living in the world’s most populous country. That means a little over 56 percent of all cars Suzuki sold in the previous fiscal year ended up in India.
Globally, Suzuki’s sales rose by 2.4 percent. For the 2026 fiscal year ending on March 31, 2027, the carmaker projects deliveries will climb a further 7.1 percent. If the company’s estimates prove accurate, total vehicle sales will reach 3.55 million.
2027 Honda Insight (Japan)
Honda Is Still Ahead For Now
That brings us to Honda. Despite falling 8.9 percent year over year, it still won the sales race against Suzuki during the previous fiscal year with 3.38 million units, or about 60,000 more cars. However, the outlook for the current fiscal year is less encouraging. Honda expects to remain nearly flat at 3.39 million, which would give Suzuki a comfortable lead.
Should that happen, Suzuki would become Japan’s second-largest automaker, overtaking Honda for the first time. Toyota’s number one position is not in danger; together with Lexus, the group is expected to move 10.5 million vehicles, nearly three times Suzuki’s projected volume. Nissan is expected to rank fourth with 3.3 million units, assuming a 4.7-percent year-over-year increase materializes.
According to a report from Nikkei Asia, Suzuki isn’t necessarily aiming to overtake Honda in the sales rankings. Speaking to the media after the FY2025 results were published, President Toshihiro Suzuki said:
'We're not doing things to become No. 2. Our mission is to build and sell cars that people will embrace. Whether it's Toyota, Honda or any other company, we will compete to help revitalize the Indian market.'
Speaking of Toyota, the world’s largest carmaker holds a nearly five-percent stake in Suzuki and is indirectly helping it outpace Honda. In some markets, the two companies also collaborate on badge-engineered models. For example, the Across is essentially a rebadged RAV4 in Europe. In a few parts of the world, it’s actually the other way around as Honda rebadges some Suzuki products.
| Automaker | FY2025 Sales | Estimated FY2026 Sales |
| Honda | 3.38 million | 3.39 million |
| Suzuki | 3.32 million | 3.55 million |
Motor1's Take: Sales figures don’t tell the whole story, as profit margins and other financial metrics matter more to a company’s bottom line. Still, a shift in the rankings like this would have been hard to imagine not that many years ago. Suzuki is capitalizing on its growing success in India, while Honda is restructuring its strategy after canceling several EV projects at the last minute.
It’s a real shame Suzuki isn’t planning a U.S. return, especially considering there’s a larger five-door Jimny available in other markets. With off-roading still enjoying strong interest, a more affordable product would likely find plenty of buyers. However, that’s easier said than done, as a return would require rebuilding a dealer network and tweaking the vehicle to meet U.S. crash-test safety regulations.
Catch Up With Suzuki:
Sources: Suzuki, Honda
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