India to Japan: Suzuki’s Jimny Powers Past Mercedes - How a Desi SUV Won Japanese Hearts

Driven by surging demand for its India-manufactured Jimny Nomad and another compact SUV, Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC) emerged as Japan’s leading car importer in June, surpassing Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Bloomberg reported, citing data from the Japan Automobile Importers Association released Friday.

The Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, -based firm brought 4,780 vehicles into Japan last month—a staggering increase from just 21 units during the same period last year. This marks the second time in recent months that Suzuki has topped the import rankings, having done so earlier in April as well, according to the newswire agency.

Suzuki’s rise is particularly striking given its relatively modest global production scale compared to giants like Toyota Motor Corp. While Honda Motor Co. has long imported its own vehicles into Japan, Suzuki’s leap underscores how cost-effective production hubs like India are reshaping the country’s automotive landscape.

The move is gaining momentum amid ongoing global trade discussions and protectionist rhetoric, including past U.S. threats to impose tariffs on Japanese car imports.

“Japanese buyers are largely indifferent to whether a car is made in Thailand, India, or Japan—as long as it meets their preferences,” said Takeshi Miyao, an analyst at Tokyo-based automotive consultancy Carnorama, in a statement to Bloomberg. He added that American brands like General Motors and Ford continue to struggle in Japan because they don’t offer popular vehicle formats like kei cars, which are small, affordable, and well-suited for Japanese roads.

Also Read: Indian Jimny in Japan: ‘Made in India’ Maruti Suzuki Jimny Unveiled in Japan | Republic World

Jimny Nomad powers Suzuki's volumes

Leading Suzuki’s import surge is the Jimny Nomad, a five-door version of its popular off-roader. The vehicle, priced from around ¥2.65 million (about $18,300), attracted roughly 50,000 pre-orders upon its April debut—much higher than Suzuki’s initial monthly sales projection of 1,200 units. The exceptional response compelled the company to temporarily suspend new orders just four days after launch.

Production of the Jimny Nomad in India is set to increase beginning in July, which is expected to push import volumes even higher, according to Bloomberg. Maruti Suzuki's parent company is also importing the Fronx, another compact SUV built in India, which entered the Japanese market in October.

Betting big on Indian operations

Looking ahead, Suzuki expects India’s annual car market to hit 20 million units by 2047. It aims for Maruti to command half that market by 2030.

Other carmakers are also taking a cue from Maruti Suzuki by tapping into India’s manufacturing strength. Honda has seen considerable success with its WR-V, a compact SUV produced in India and launched in Japan in March 2024. Priced from around ¥2.1 million, the model enabled the company to boost its import volumes to 45,107 vehicles last year—a 22-fold increase over the previous year. Honda led the import tally in the first quarter of 2025.

Merc remains the top importer during H1 CY2025

In the first half of this year, Mercedes-Benz held the top spot in cumulative imports at 25,016 vehicles, followed by Honda with around 22,000 units. Suzuki ranked third, while Nissan stood at ninth place, mainly due to the modest performance of its Thailand-made Kicks crossover (phased out in India in 2023).

Among other foreign brands, Jeep—part of Stellantis NV—sold over 4,000 units between January and June, outpacing both GM and Ford’s shipments into Japan.