Study Shows Japan’s Automakers Rule Asian Markets

TOKYO – Asia’s auto markets, excluding China and Japan, reported sales of 8.65 million vehicles in 2014, down nearly 3% from the previous year, according to Fourin, a Nagoya-based automotive research company.

Included in the study were India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

Fourin reports Japanese automakers claimed a 54% market share and were followed by Korean, European and U.S. nameplates at 20%, 6.5% and 5.5%, respectively. Indian and Chinese brands accounted for the bulk of the remainder.

By manufacturer, Suzuki held the largest share, at 16.5%, mainly on sales by Maruti Suzuki, its New Delhi-based subsidiary. Its 1.15 million deliveries in India accounted for 80.7% of its 1.43 million sales in the region.

Hyundai ranked third in the Indian market behind Maruti Suzuki and local brand Tata.

Toyota, ranking second with 1.31 million sales and a 15.2% share, was the leading brand in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

Fourin reports Japanese automakers sold 1.52 million vehicles in India, 1.16 million in Indonesia, 477,000 in Malaysia, 145,000 in Pakistan, 206,000 in Philippines, 24,000 in Singapore, 279,000 in Taiwan, 785,000 in Thailand, and 73,000 in Vietnam.

They made only 24,090 sales in South Korea, while South Korean automakers sold only 94 units in Japan, according to the Japan Automobile Importers Assn.

Total Japanese-brand sales fell 10% to 2.73 million units.

Hyundai ranked behind Suzuki and Toyota in regional sales with 1.15 million units. Combined sales by Hyundai and Kia totaled 1.67 million, including 1.15 million in their home market where they are the dominant players.

Fourin did not include the Chinese and Japanese markets in its study.

In 2014, vehicle sales in China and Japan totaled 23.5 million and 5.6 million units, up 6.9% and 3.3%, respectively, boosting the Asia total to 38.95 million, WardsAuto data shows.