Toyota Corolla GR Production Expansion

Toyota has for the majority of its UK production history assembled two models. That hasn't been the case since 2018 when the last Avensis rolled out of the plant. The Burnaston, Derby facility has been under utilised for some time now but that is going to be addressed to some degree. Cue the Toyota Corolla GR.

For the article about Toyota UK reaching 5 million cars produced, please click here.

Toyota has been producing Corolla GR for a few selected markets, the reason being the Japanese assembly line is limited in terms of volume. Now the UK plant will also take on manufacturing the model from mid 2026. Initially, it will complement Japanese assembly but may in the future become the sole producer.

As the Corolla is already made at the UK plant. I thought it would be simply a case of running it down the same production line. However, a new production line is being set up especially for the model. There will still be a cost benefit from already making the Corolla there, so a logical move by Toyota.

I can see the model being popular in the UK and Europe, a region that has always appreciated driver focused cars. Nothing much has been given away regarding which markets will be getting it but Europe is surely going to figure large in the plan. We will have to wait and see what transpires.

Peru Car/LCV Sales : 2025 (Jan-Aug)

The market was up 21% YTD so it is going really well and could end up being a record year. The top 25 brands plus premium ones are available from AAP. 

Toyota is comfortably the top brand with 21% of the market. Hyundai and Kia shadow each other closely with a combined 18% share. The Chinese brand become evident as they tussle with more established brands. 

Changan has passed Chevrolet into fourth place. In sixth place is DFSK and the Glory 600 model is shown above. Ford has gone up three spots but Suzuki has lost three and Nissan is down seven places to fourteenth. So it is quite volatile. 

None of the premium marques make the top 25 but I assume BMW must be very close to doing so. It would be nice to have more information to confirm that but at least we can get a reasonable picture of the situation. 

Brazil Passenger Car Sales : 2025 (Jan-Aug)

Registrations were down 3% in August but up 1% YTD. Based on recent history, not a bad result. VW has held the lead since 2023 with GM and Fiat having been on top in years before that. 

The top six rankings from last year are repeated but BYD moving into seventh place is an improvement of three places. Renault has dropped two spots but overall there isn't much change on last year. 

The top selling models were:

VW Polo - 83,061 

Chevrolet Onix - 77,192

Hyundai HB20 69,800

Fiat Argo - 64,528 (lower picture)

VW T-Cross - 61,252

Fiat Mobi - 48,374

Hyundai Creta 45,680

Toyota Corolla Cross - 44,692

Honda HR-V 40,113

Chevrolet Tracker - 39,152

For 2024 articles, simply click on the links below:

By brand.

Top 50 Models.

Data: Anfavea & Fenebrave (mainly). Pictures: VW (Virtus) & Fiat Brasil.

Greece Passenger Car Sales : 2025 (Jan-Aug)

Registrations were up 1% for August and +2% YTD so nothing has changed from 2024 in overall volume. Toyota leads the way but was slightly down on a very strong 2024. It's been the best selling brand every year since 2013.

Hyundai and Kia have both improved their position but VW isn't quite as successful here as it has in the past. Tesla isn't going well in Europe generally and Greece is no exception. Its market share has halved this year so far. 

MG and BYD are quickly establishing themselves but Chinese brands are not that strong, due to being rather late in arriving here.

The top selling models were:

Peugeot 2008 - 4,830 (pic above)

Toyota Yaris Cross - 4,733

Citroën C3 - 3,949

Toyota Yaris - 3,893

Suzuki Vitara - 2,914

Opel Corsa 2,780 (pic below)

Kia Picanto - 2,747

Fiat Panda - 2,711

Peugeot 208 - 2,694

Suzuki Swift - 2,512

For 2024 articles, simply click on the links below:

By brand.

Top 50 Models.

Data source: SEAA. Picture Source: Peugeot & Opel.

Morocco Passenger Car Sales : 2025 (Jan-July)

Registrations were up 35% in July and +35% YTD so exceeding 2024 should be a doddle and even a record year as well is possible. Renault and its Dacia brand combined have taken 40% of the market. They assemble vehicles here which allows them that sort of dominance. Morocco is the largest producer of passenger cars in Africa. 

Data source: Aivam.

Thailand Top 40 Passenger Car Model Sales : 2024

In a market down 22%, minus figures in the '+/-' column were always going to be prolific. Toyota is the dominant player and that is shown in the list below. The Yaris tops the list, with the hatch and saloon variants combined. The Mitsubishi Attrage city car is to the right and sales held up well.

Pick up trucks are big here but the data below excludes those not classed as passenger cars. Despite that, they still figure prominently below. The D-Max is very popular, although that didn't stop sales halving. The Yaris Cross (picture at the top) arrived and in its first full year is already up to third. That's 91,000 Yaris variants in total, or put another way, 18% of the total passenger cars market! 

Data: DLT Thailand. Photos: Toyota & Mitsubishi Thailand.

Thailand Passenger Car Sales: 2024

Figures from Thailand often cover all vehicles but here I kept it to passenger cars only which took some time to extract. It's also a bit late for 2024 but I've been spending some time trying to catch up with this sort of time consuming data collation

With the total market down 22% for the year, few managed to increase their volume. As the Diff column here is measuring market share, there is some green colour to reflect that. Improving your share in a depressed market is an important achievement.

There is import duty to limit imports, which is almost the default setting in Asia when car  manufacturing takes places. That means those that manufacture here dominate the market. Toyota has over a third of the market with Honda and Isuzu the other two main brands. The advantage of a Toyota is that it completes your life...apparently.

The figures include pick up trucks, many of which are sold as passenger cars and they are popular. So brands that have pick ups in their range do well. Chinese brands are arriving but I assume to have a strong presence here, they will need to set up assembly plants to avoid the import duty.  

Data: DLT Thailand. Photos: Toyota & Ford Thailand.

Cyprus Passenger Car Sales : 2025 (Jan-Aug)

Registrations were down 5% for the YTD but passed 15,000 units. Kia took the lead from Toyota in 2021 and is now well clear of its rival. Hyundai has slipped into second albeit by a hair's breadth. VW has dropped a place in the ranking but is still in with a real chance to improve its ranking. 

Nissan isn't too far back in 5th but volumes fall away after that. Premium marques do quite well here with several in the top 20. I don't want to keep mentioning Chinese brands but they are moving quickly and aggressively. Here for now at least they haven't had much impact. 

Data source Cystat.

Bosnia-Herzegovina Car Sales : 2025 (Jan-July)

Registrations were up 22% for July and 10% YTD.  Considering that 2024 was well up on the historical average, that is a strong result. 

Škoda has been the top brand here for as long as I know and its current lead is substantial. VW has been perennially in second place behind Škoda, but maybe in 2025 Toyota will supplant it. Kia has dropped from 10th to 16th and Opel from 14th to 18th. Chery is the only Chinese brand in the top 20 and and only by a whisker.  

The top selling models were:

Škoda Octavia - 647

Škoda Fabia - 323 (photo above)

Hyundai Tucson - 302

Toyota Corolla Sedan - 208

Toyota Yaris Cross - 196

Renault Captur - 193

VW Golf - 190

Renault Clio - 187

Citroën C3 - 172 (photo below)

Škoda Kamiq - 172

For the 2024 article, simply click on the link below:

By brand.

Data source: Proauto. 

Picture source: Netcarshow.

Sweden Passenger Car Sales : 2025 (Jan-Aug)

Registrations were up 6% for August and 7% YTD. 2024 was a poor year compared to recent history, so 2025 will be another one. Volvo has always been the best selling marque and will be staying there. Sales were up 7% and its 17.4% share is the highest since 2020. Plenty of loyalty on display here.

VW is up an impressive 45% but Toyota is down 1%. Subaru is a really odd case. In January 2025 it sold 2,580 for a 640% increase yoy. Since then, it has sold a mere 137 cars. I don't know why that was the case. 

Tesla was down 84% in August and -66% YTD. I wonder if this is a backlash for trade issues with the EU. The figures are saying this is more than market forces. 

Cupra was up 44% YTD with the Tavascan and Terramar the main reason for the upturn. Citroën is going the other way, down 49%. 

The top selling models were:

Volvo XC60 - 11,394

Volvo EX/XC40 - 6,100

Volkwagen ID.7 - 5,427

Škoda Kodiaq - 3,458

Volvo EX30 - 3,438

Tesla Model Y - 3,291 (-65%)

Kia EV3 - 3,256

Volvo 60 Series - 3,164

VW ID.4 / ID.5 - 3,024

Volkswagen Tiguan - 2,820

For 2024 articles, simply click on the links below:

By brand.

Top 50 Models.

Data source: Mobility Sweden. Picture Source: Volvo Sverige.

UK Passenger Car Sales : 2025 (Jan- Aug)

Registrations were down 2% in August but up 2% YTD. That's still at a level below the best years, but if nothing else it's very stable. 

VW is now well established at the top, a position it took in 2021 from Ford. BMW retains its second placing, just ahead of Kia. Ford has made a comeback, moving up a place compared to 2024. 

Peugeot climbed five places to 8th but Nissan and Vauxhall are down one place. MG has fallen from 10th to 13th, perhaps losing some sales to several up and coming Chinese brands. One thing is for certain, all these new brands are making for long lists.

I was recently reading a comment from a person in the UK saying he would make a point of not buying a locally made car unless it was made by a British owned company, which rules out about everything. I assume that includes the likes of the Nissan Juke and Qashqai, both designed and built in the UK. 

So instead, he would therefore buy cars from overseas owned companies designing and building vehicles elsewhere. Amazingly, he's not the only one to express this sentiment. So a company like Nissan is punished for designing and building cars in the UK. 

It sounds to me that some people who buy whatever they like are trying to justify their self centredness. People should buy what they want but if they can support local industry, they should do that if possible. They shouldn't make up an irrational argument for not doing so, even going out of their way to avoid buying local. Thankfully not everyone thinks that way.  

Best selling models:

Ford Puma - 33,221

Kia Sportage - 29,279

Nissan Qashqai - 25,571 (photo above)

Vauxhall Corsa - 23,486

Nissan Juke - 22,457 (photo below)

VW Golf - 20,016

VW Tiguan - 19,276

MG HS - 18,931

Peugeot 2008 - 18,662

Hyundai Tucson - 18,382

For the 2024 article, simply click on the link below:

By brand.

Data source: SMMT (mainly). Picture Source: Nissan.

Türkiye Car/LCV Sales : 2025 (Jan-Aug)

Registrations were up 19% in August and also +8% YTD. Renault and Fiat have been exchanging top spot for the last few years but Fiat has dropped down to fourth so Renault is now clearly ahead of the rest. It seems Renault is selling the Dacia Duster (photo below data) as its own model in Türkiye so that will help Renault maintain a strong position in the market. 

Toyota is making a concerted effort to bridge the gap, up from seventh last year. BYD is up to seventh while MG isn't as strong here as it is in many other European markets. Local brand Togg is well established (picture above) and doing well despite only starting to sell vehicles in 2023.

Mazda isn't in Türkiye because the e-call (emergency call) system used in cars, requires the SIM card to be used but Mazda was unable or unwilling to meet this requirement so it is not possible for the vehicles to be sold here. It sounds rather strange. 

For the 2024 article, simply click on the link below:

By brand.

Data source: ODMD. Picture source: Toog & Renault Türkiye.

Germany Passenger Car Sales : 2025 (Jan-Aug)

Registrations were up 5% for August but -2% YTD. Not far off last year then but some way short of the best of years several years ago. 

 

VW leads the way and it is gaining ground. Sales were up 3% YTD in a market that is slightly down. Mercedes-Benz and BMW are about the same as last year for market share while Audi is down, so has lost ground to its rivals. 

Škoda is up slightly as is Ford. Opel has lost still more of its share of the pie but has at least held its ranking. Toyota has been dropping around Europe and in Germany has dropped two places to tenth. 

Chinese companies are here but are yet to make much of an impact. The British brand MG is back on 23rd, BYD 29th and Leapmotor have lived up to its name by jumping to 32nd. 

There are some quirks with the data supplied. Cupra sales are counted with SEAT and I have separated them as best I can but a few Cupra sales are included in the SEAT figures. Genesis is counted within Hyundai but at least that is easy to separate. 

About half way through the following year, sales data is released for the previous year and I have noticed that Aston Martin and GM US sales are much higher in the new data. So I have increased their sales in 2025 to reflect what is a more realistic number. McLaren is never counted in the current figures but pops up in the later data so again an estimate based on last year's figure. 

The top selling models were:

VW Golf - 55,365

VW T-Roc - 55,024

VW Tiguan - 43,563 (pic above)

Opel Corsa - 32,091 (pic below)

BMW X1 - 31,091

VW Passat - 30,744

Škoda Octavia - 30,094

SEAT (Cupra) Leon - 26,204

Fiat Ducato - 24,778

Audi A6 - 24,003

BMW 5-Series - 23,692

Mercedes GLC - 23,625

Opel Astra - 23,377

For 2024 articles, simply click on the links below:

By brand.

Top 50 Models.

Data source: KBA. Picture Sources: VW, Stellantis.

Belgium Passenger Car Sales : 2025 (Jan-Aug)

Registrations were down 11% for August and -10% YTD.  That doesn't sound too good and it isn't as 2024 wasn't very good compared to better years.  

BMW became the best selling marque in 2021 and hasn't reliquished it since. The 11% for 2025 is its second best best ever market share (after 2024) in Belgium. VW is in second place, a brand that has had the lead on and off for many years.  

Mercedes-Benz moved up a place to third at the expense of Audi. The latter recently ended car manufacturing in the country which may have had a slight bearing on that. Tesla looks not too bad at 16th...until it's compared to last year's 10th ranking. With sales down 56% YTD, it's not going well. 

For the eight months so far Volvo was down 41% and Mazda dropped 58%. MINI was up 40%, Polestar improved its numbers by 37% and BYD gained 75% volume. Chinese brands haven't been that successful here so far and while some of their increases are impressive they are from a low level of sales in 2024.  

For the 2024 article, simply click on the link below:

By brand.

Data source: FEBIAC. Picture Source: BMW & MINI Belgium.

KG Mobility Global Model Sales : 2025 (Jan-Aug)

KGM (SsangYong) is a small fish and needs to grow to survive. It cannot sustain itself with current volume and that is understood. The KG Group took ownership in 2022 and has ambitions to succeed when numerous previous owners have failed. It has formed a strategic partnership with Chery Automobile to assist in achieving its aim. 

The Torres mid sized SUV is the leading model, with the Musso pick up (picture above) is the next most sought after. The compact Tivoli SUV is third and is followed by the large Rexton SUV (which has the same platform as the Musso). 

Finally the slightly more premium Acyton mid sized SUV (picture below the chart) which is the same length as the Torres. The Korando SUV is last and is similarly sized to the Torres but slightly smaller. 

The range is basically SUVs and they also sell in similar numbers too, the Torres being the exception. The whole range is not that far spaced apart in terms of length. 

Selling cars in Korea is currently not that successful for KGM. Less than 2,200 units per month at home this year isn't great. At least exports are doing better and maybe that is the priority. The 62.6% for exported vehicles is the highest since 2011. 

Aston Martin Global Deliveries : 2025 (H1)

Aston Martin continues to deliver exceptional cars to discerning motorists, those who are stirred but never shaken. The model above is the Vanquish, 

US tariffs for the UK are capped at 10% up to 100,000 units per annum, an amount Land Rover achieves on its own. How marques like Aston Martin are supposed to get any relief is something that doesn't appear to have been considered. 

Added to that, well established and extremely stiff tariffs China applies to luxury cars are something they have to contend with. One definition of trade is the commercial exchange of goods and services to achieve mutually beneficial purposes and economic growth. 

Regions: For the first half of 2025, deliveries were down 4% which was a good result all things considered as exports to the US were held back for a period. Assuming stock on hand helped the Americas region, its sales were actually up 2%. Maybe the next quarter will be negative. 

The Europe (excluding the UK), Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region was down 20% and Asia, Pacific -9%. The UK managed a healthy 28% increase for 20% of the total or put another way 1 in 5 deliveries.

Models: It would be nice to have more detail but I appreciate what they do provide, which is much more than what most of their competitors do.

Sports cars were up 2%, the DBX SUV (picture to the right) flat at 0% and what Aston Martin calls 'Specials' (which I have labeled Valkyrie) were down 85%. The Valhalla is coming in Q4 so Specials should get a lift. 

AM is using what they refer to as a "disciplined approach to production and stock optimisation". This is important to achieving profitability in any business and luxury car making is no different. So delivery numbers are not the focus of AM. 

Data & picture source: Aston Martin.

The Valhalla is pictured below. If you are thinking of securing one, only 999 will be made so don't dilly-dally. 

Finland Passenger Car Sales : 2025 (Jan-Aug)

Registrations were down 19% in August and also -5% YTD. Toyota has been the best selling brand since 2017 and is clearly intent on staying there. Its market share so far this year is down on the previous three years but is still well ahead of Volkswagen in second place despite being down 24%.

VW was dethroned by Toyota but is still a popular brand here with 12% of the market and up from fourth place in 2024. Sales volume improved to the tune of 36%. Škoda gained slightly (+2.5) while Volvo registrations were down 28% and Mercedes-Benz dropped 25%. 

BYD arrived during 2023 and MG during 2024 and while both have settled in OK, Chinese brands are not prominent. BYD has gone down 30% this year and MG was up 808%. 

The top selling models were:

Toyota Yaris Cross - 1,659

Toyota Yaris - 1,462

Toyota Corolla - 1,290

Toyota RAV4 - 1,289

Volvo XC60 - 1,186

VW ID.4 - 1,147 (photo below)

Škoda Enyaq - 1,144

Kia Ceed - 1,137

Nissan Qashqai - 1,104

VW ID.7 - 927

For 2024 articles, simply click on the links below:

By brand.

Top 50 Models.

Data source: Tilastokeskus. 

Ireland Passenger Car Sales : 2025 (Jan-Aug)

Registrations were up 1% for August and +3% YTD.  Car purchasing is all but over now as the last three months of the year car salesman just twiddle their thumbs at their desks with very few sales. 

Toyota leads the way but not by as much as last year due to losing some market share. VW has gone up slightly but nothing will change now as sales are all but done in 2025. VW was dethroned from the top spot in 2022 but is keeping Toyota honest. 

Škoda holds third place from Hyundai but there is little in it. Ford was sometimes the best selling brand at the beginning of the century but is now even out of the top ten, my records don't go back far enough to know when that was last the case. 

The top selling models were:

Hyundai Tucson - 4,423

Škoda Octavia -  3,433

Toyota Yaris Cross - 3,344

Kia Sportage - 3,280

Toyota RAV4 - 3,155

Toyota Corolla - 2,631

Škoda Kodiaq - 2,591

Hyundai Kona - 2,484

Volkswagen Tiguan - 2,483

Volkswagen Golf - 2,275

For 2024 articles, simply click on the links below:

By brand.

Top 50 Models.

Data source: SIMI.Picture Source: Toyota Ireland.