Japan has been leading in car sales since World War II. Back then, Japan started investing a lot in car manufacturing, and more mechanical engineers are found in Japan than in any other countries. Japan is also among the biggest competitors in kit car manufacturers.
If we list the top 10 Japanese car manufacturers for 2010, we do need to look at several aspects. We should consider the sales amounts and buyer satisfaction. If we simply consider who sold the most cars, then the top Japanese car manufacturer would be Toyota. However, if we make a list of the top 10 Japanese car manufacturers for 2010 based on the best car model, we should take into account the highly popular Honda Civic. Other Honda car models that gained global popularity are Honda Element, Accord, and CR-V.
Toyota also has a number of well-known popular cars such as the Land Cruiser, Tacoma, and Corolla. Subaru is also quite popular as a car manufacturer for their Impreza and Forester. Honda cars do not enjoy as much of the same popularity compared to Toyota, but the Civic does stand out as the best car model today along with the Honda Fit. Mazda also enjoys a lot of popularity, mainly because of the Speed 3 and RX-8 models.
Toyota
Toyota will release the 4Runner completely new in 2010. The 5th generation is expected to look taller, wider, and longer than the previous iteration. The Toyota Avalon stays the same, while the Camry was also interestingly restyled. You might also want to look at the Toyota 2010 Prius, as it will be attractive for potential buyers, and the FJ Cruiser gets an engine upgrade and has 20 extra horsepower.
Toyota’s growth in 2010 was greatly affected by recalls in their flagship Prius line. Although Toyota insists that the modifications to correct the accelerator issues in the Prius are minor, it certainly affected the brand power of Toyota. However, many car analysts still expect that Toyota will continue to dominate and even gain market this year because of its other successful products.
Honda
While the all-popular Honda Civic will feature major changes in 2010, you might want to look at the new Accord Crosstour, an SUV that looks a lot in style like the Acura ZDX. The Honda Fit will remain unchanged, while the new Honda Insight Hybrid might receive an update. Honda is well positioned to expand their market share this year.
Nissan
Nissan has definitely been busy preparing for 2010. Most of the models will feature different modifications and several packages. Probably the most interesting car you might see is the 370Z Coupe, launched as an anniversary model marking 40 years since this Japanese car manufacturer entered the American market.
Subaru
Subaru also tries to keep making modifications to stay fresh and up to date. For instance, the Forester model, although completely re-designed in 2009, will see new design changes to make it even more attractive. The Legacy and the Outback models will also feature new designs. Subaru is also working on a new sports car in collaboration with Toyota. 2010 might be the year for the resurgence of the Subaru brand.
Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi also has many exciting cars in line for 2010, starting with the anticipated Lancer Sportback, more popularly known as the hatchback version of the Lancer. The Lancer Evolution is also popular with street racers, and the 2010 Outlander GT will get timely updates to a three-liter V6 engine.
Mazda
Mazda will feature a new design for their highly popular Mazda 3. Mazda will also include interesting options in the Tribute model. Since this is basically the company’s version of the highly popular Ford Escape, you can see why they are spending time on working through to a unique design.
Suzuki
Although Suzuki will change nothing with the Equator, the Kizashi will be something to look at in 2010. Suzuki is also expected to unveil a whole new engine for the SX-4.
Daihatsu
Daihatsu is a minor player among Japanese car manufacturers with most of their cars offered locally in Japan and in the Caribbean. Their prime offering is a mid-engine van called HiJet. A hybrid update for the HiJet is currently being released in selected countries for this year.
Isuzu
Isuzu Motors is currently the world’s largest manufacturer of medium to heavy trucks, but they also have SUVs, buses, and race cars in their latest offering. The top SUV models include the Highlander, Trooper, and Sportivo.
Hino
Like Isuzu, Hino focuses primarily on trucks and buses although it was one of the biggest Japanese car manufacturers during the 1950’s. Hino is currently a subsidiary of Toyota Motors.
The Japanese car market will surely continue to grow in 2010. The current financial crisis makes people more conscious about cost; Japanese car manufacturers still offer the most price-competitive products today.
If the trends continue to go this way, we will see some interesting changes in the future. We expect most Japanese car manufacturers to have a lot of success in 2010.
The bottom line is that while most major car manufacturers from around the world will still be struggling in 2010, Japanese car manufacturers might end up gaining from the crisis. It is true that sales have diminished for everybody, but it is also equally true that the price tags associated with some Japanese cars are highly comforting for some people.
If you are in the market for cheap and reliable car options with strong brand recognition, then you should definitely look at Japanese cars. There will be more competition from car manufacturers in China, India, and Korea in the coming years, but Japan is expected to continue to dominate the Asian car industry for a long time.
|
