Suzuki is on a roll, after overtaking Nissan in sales volume to become Japan's third-biggest automaker in 2025 with a 2.4 percent growth; it is also looking to surpass Honda, if their projection goes as planned this year.

Honda’s automotive business is facing serious headwinds with a major sales slump, historic operating loss this past fiscal year (2025-2026), and a decision to drop its late and highly ambitious EV goals.

The major missteps have led to a 42% drop in group net profit, weighing heavily on Honda’s more successful motorcycle business.

During the past fiscal year 2025-2026, despite slowing 8.9%, Honda managed to stay ahead of Suzuki, selling 3.37 million vehicles versus Suzuki’s 3.31 million units, a slim lead of roughly 60,000 vehicles.

Interestingly, both Suzuki and Honda also compete in the motorcycle business and motorsports with their respective brands.

With stiff competition and advancements in powertrain technology, Chinese automakers have been pushing out vehicles packed with modern tech, advanced safety features, large infotainment systems, electrification, and aggressive pricing, making traditional Japanese brands like Honda look increasingly outdated and expensive by comparison.

Suzuki Jimny

Having concentrated itself in selling affordable, small-displacement vehicles and seemingly steering away from the US and China, may have been key to its current success. This could partly explain why Suzuki may soon surpass Honda to become the second-largest Japanese automaker.

According to a recent report by Nikkei Asia, Suzuki is projecting a 7.1% jump in sales for this fiscal year (FY 2026-2027), translating to roughly 3.55 million vehicles sold globally. Meanwhile, Honda is only expecting a modest increase, with projected sales hovering around 3.39 million units. Toyota, meanwhile, will remain comfortably untouchable at the top, with projected global sales of 10.5 million vehicles.

While it may seem like Suzuki is taking a jab at its long-time motorcycle rival Honda, the former says it's purely incidental.

"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," said Toshihiro Suzuki, president of Suzuki Motor Corporation.

India remains Suzuki’s biggest customer, with its subsidiary Maruti Suzuki reportedly controlling around 40% of the country’s passenger car market. The Indian market has become so massive for Suzuki that the company is now targeting an annual production capacity of nearly 3 million vehicles by the end of this year, with plans to expand that further to 4 million units by 2030.

Suzuki also continues to be a significant player in Japan’s kei car segment, helping the brand maintain a strong foothold among practical and budget-conscious buyers in its home market.

From a Pinoy perspective, Suzuki may not be the first brand people think of when buying a car, unless it’s the beloved Suzuki Jimny. But despite quietly staying under the radar, Suzuki may soon hold the bragging rights for overtaking Honda in global vehicle sales.