Honda's Exports Surge While BYD Struggles With Consecutive Declines
Honda reports a significant increase in exports, while BYD struggles with consecutive declines in production and sales. Despite this, Honda's domestic market in Japan and global production show YoY decreases.
In August 2025, Honda exported 7,307 units, a remarkable 126.9% increase from the previous year. This marks the fifth consecutive month of year-over-year (YoY) increase in exports. Meanwhile, BYD, a major competitor, has been facing a continuous 13-month YoY decline in automobile production. The company has also experienced shrinking vehicle production for two consecutive months and weaker sales for four months, particularly in China.
Honda's total production in Japan from January to August 2025 was 438,531 units, which is 98.5% of the production during the corresponding period in the 2025 calendar. However, globally, Honda's production for August 2025 totalled 267,005 units, only 87% of the production in August 2024, continuing a 13-month streak of YoY decreases. Production outside Japan also fell to 222,419 units in August 2025, which is 86.7% of the 256,602 units produced in the same month of the previous year.
Despite the rise in exports, the domestic market in Japan contracted. New vehicle sales dropped to 301,221 units in August 2025, an 8% decrease from the same month of the previous year. Honda Motor's automobile production in Japan also dropped to 44,586 units in August 2025, an 88.4% decrease year-on-year (YoY).
While Honda celebrates a significant increase in exports, the company faces challenges in its domestic market and global production. BYD, on the other hand, continues to struggle with consecutive declines in production and sales. Both companies will need to address these issues to maintain their market positions.
