The struggles continue at Nissan as it falls off the list of the world's top ten selling automakers

[Nissan Kicks Play Subcompact Crossover SUV display at a dealership. Nissan offers the Kicks in S, SV, Play and SR models.]

Nissan Motor Co. (OTCPK:NSANY [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/NSANY]) suffered a notable setback in the first half of 2025 by falling out of the top ten global automakers for the first time since records began in 2004.

The Japanese company's worldwide sales dropped 6% year over year to 1.61 million vehicles to mark the weakest performance since 2009, with fierce competition from Chinese automakers and domestic rival Suzuki (OTCPK:SZKMY [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/SZKMY]) pushing it down the rankings. Nissan's (OTCPK:NSANY [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/NSANY]) difficulties were most pronounced in China, its largest market, where sales tumbled 18% to 270,000 vehicles, nearly 60% below 2018's peak.

The recently launched N7 EV sedan has shown promise for Nissan (OTCPK:NSANY [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/NSANY]) with the model's strong affordability a selling feature, but the broader Chinese market remains highly competitive. In Japan, sales fell 10% to 220,000 units, the lowest since 1993, reflecting eroding consumer confidence in the brand. In the U.S., the lack of a robust hybrid lineup and failure to capitalize on pre-tariff demand compounded the slump for Nissan (OTCPK:NSANY [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/NSANY]).

Looking ahead, the automaker is pinning hopes on a fully redesigned Leaf EV debuting later this year, but most of its lineup will not see major refreshes until 2026, signaling more difficult sales months ahead. Meanwhile, surging competition from BYD Company (OTCPK:BYDDF [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/BYDDF]), Geely (OTCPK:GELYF [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/GELYF]), and other Chinese players highlights the intensity of the global auto price wars.

For the first half of 2025, Toyota Motor (TM [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/TM]) retained its lead as the top-selling automaker in the world, followed by Volkswagen (OTCPK:VLKAF [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/VLKAF]) in second and Hyundai Motor Group (HYMTF) in third. BYD Company (OTCPK:BYDDF [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/BYDDF]) continued its rapid ascent, securing fifth place with surging EV sales, and other Chinese players carved out more market share than a year ago.

Shares of Nissan (OTCPK:NSANY [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/NSANY]) are down more than 20% on a year-to-date basis.

MORE ON NISSAN MOTOR

* Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. (NSANY) Q1 FY2025 Earnings Call Transcript [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4806133-nissan-motor-co-ltd-nsany-q1-fy2025-earnings-call-transcript]
* Nissan Will Bring A Fringe Hybrid Tech To The U.S. In Bid To Reverse Tailspin [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4803179-nissan-will-bring-a-fringe-hybrid-tech-to-us-in-bid-to-reverse-tailspin]
* Nissan's Recovery Won't Be Easy, But Insiders Believe It Can Be Done [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4797990-nissans-recovery-wont-be-easy-but-insiders-believe-it-can-be-done]
* Nissan stock plunges after Mercedes-Benz pension fund dumps stake [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4489015-nissan-stock-plunges-after-mercedes-benz-pension-fund-dumps-stake]
* Nissan begins talks with union to cut jobs at European regional office - report [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4478137-nissan-begins-talks-with-union-to-cut-jobs-at-european-regional-office---report]