The global automotive industry in 2025 feels like a family gathering: Toyota sits calmly at the head of the table, BYD shows up with a brand-new electric gadget, Ford clears its throat, and everyone pretends nothing is changing.
But things are changing. Fast.
By the end of 2025, global light vehicle sales are expected to land somewhere between 89.1 and 89.6 million units. As of October, 73.09 million cars were already sold worldwide. That’s not just “recovery” that’s momentum.
Now let’s talk about what this really means, PISBON style.
Toyota: The Calm Samurai of the Auto World
Toyota once again leads global car sales with 4.7 million units sold in just six months. No drama. No shouting. Just quiet dominance.
Toyota doesn’t chase trends.
Trends chase Toyota.
While other brands argue about software updates, battery sizes, and “digital ecosystems,” Toyota keeps doing what it does best:
selling cars people actually want and can afford.
In automotive terms, Toyota is that guy who doesn’t talk much, but somehow owns three houses and never misses a service interval.
BYD: The Loud Kid in the EV Classroom
Then there’s BYD.
Growth rate: +31%.
Yes, you read that correctly.
BYD is the brand that walked into the global market and said,
“Nice internal combustion engine you have there… shame if electricity replaced it.”
BYD is not just selling EVs it’s selling confidence. Aggressive pricing, fast development cycles, and massive backing from the world’s largest car market (China) make BYD feel less like a newcomer and more like a future problem for legacy brands.
At this pace, Ford might soon be checking its rearview mirror and seeing BYD headlights getting bigger.
Ford, Honda, Nissan: Legends Having a Rough Season
Let’s not sugarcoat it.
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Ford: slightly down
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Honda: down more than expected
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Nissan: also struggling
These are not weak brands. These are icons. But 2025 proves one thing clearly:
History does not sell cars. Strategy does.
Legacy brands are learning the hard way that brand recognition alone won’t save you in an EV-dominated, software-driven future.
China: The Automotive Gravity Center
If the global car market were Earth, China would be the gravity.
With nearly 30% of global car sales, China decides:
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Which technologies scale
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Which brands survive
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Which trends become global standards
And when it comes to EVs? China controls around 70% of global EV sales. That’s not leadership that’s domination.
If you’re an automaker and China doesn’t like your product, congratulations: you’ve just unlocked “hard mode.”
EVs: No Longer the Future, Now the New Normal
EVs now account for around 16% of global vehicle sales in 2025.
This means:
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EVs are no longer “experimental”
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Charging anxiety is slowly turning into charging acceptance
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Buyers are choosing EVs not to be cool but to be practical
The EV era didn’t arrive with fireworks.
It arrived quietly… and stayed.
Indonesia: Loyal, Practical, and Slowly Electrifying
Indonesia remains beautifully predictable in a good way.
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Toyota still leads with ~31.5% market share
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Daihatsu follows closely
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BYD enters the top tier with ~5.7%, and growing
Indonesian buyers are pragmatic. They don’t ask, “Is this futuristic?”
They ask, “Is it reliable? Can my neighbor fix it? Is it worth the money?”
BYD’s growth here signals something important:
EVs in Indonesia are no longer a curiosity they’re becoming a consideration.
PISBON Editorial Take: 2025 Is the Year of Quiet Revolutions
2025 isn’t loud.
It’s strategic.
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Toyota wins by consistency
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BYD wins by speed
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China wins by scale
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EVs win by inevitability
The automotive world isn’t collapsing it’s evolving, one charging port at a time.
And if you’re still betting against EVs in 2025?
That’s like investing in DVDs when streaming already exists.
PISBON Automotive Verdict:
The race isn’t over but the rules have changed.
Some brands adapted early. Some are still reading the manual.
