Suzuki beat out Mercedes-Benz to become Japan’s top car importer in June, thanks to the Jimny Nomad and another popular small SUV assembled in India.
The Japanese carmaker brought 4,780 vehicles into Japan last month, up a dramatic 230-fold from a year earlier, overtaking Germany’s Mercedes-Benz, according to data from the Japan Automobile Importers Association on Friday. Suzuki also clinched the top stop in April.
Although Honda is also known as a longtime importer of its own cars into Japan, Suzuki’s feat is notable because it’s one of the smaller manufacturers in terms of total global output, well behind market leader Toyota. Automobile imports have become a hot topic again with U.S. President Donald Trump deploying the threat of tariffs to pressure Japan to import more cars made in America.
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