Companies

China Sales for Toyota, Honda Drop in March as Gasoline-Powered Vehicles Struggle

Yomiuri Shimbun file photo
Left: Toyota Motor Corp. sign in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, in 2024. Right: Honda Motor Co.’s logo in Tokyo in 2021

By Ryosuke Terunuma / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent

17:59 JST, April 9, 2026

BEIJING — Both Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. sold fewer new vehicles in China in March than they did in the same month last year, the two companies have announced.

In addition to reduced incentives to purchase new energy vehicles, including electric vehicles, rising gasoline prices are causing consumers to increasingly avoid gasoline-powered cars — an area in which Japanese manufacturers are strong.

Toyota sold 142,700 units in China, down 8.0% year-on-year, marking its second consecutive month of decline. Its sales of gasoline-powered vehicles, which account for 39% of total sales, were sluggish due to soaring fuel prices.

Sales of EVs and other electrified models exceeded the previous year’s figures, driven by the popularity of sports utility vehicles, but they were unable to offset the decline in gasoline-powered vehicles.

Honda sold 36,201 units, a 34.3% decrease from the same month last year. This marks the 26th consecutive month of decline since February 2024.

Gasoline-powered vehicles account for 85% of Honda’s sales, so the company was heavily impacted by rising gasoline prices. Honda continues to struggle with competition from Chinese manufacturers and has postponed the planned market launch of its new EV.