VW’s New Japan Brand Director to Push Dual ICEV and EV Strategy

In the Japanese market, Volkswagen sales fell 26.4% year-on-year to 10,535 units during the first five months of 2026, with its import vehicle market share decreasing by 3.2 percentage points to 11.5%. In 2024, volume dropped 10.0% to 23,000 units during a transitional phase for its core models but recovered in 2025 to 31,000 units (a 12.8% market share), up 36.2% year-on-year due to a product offensive centered on refreshed versions of the T-Cross, Tiguan, Passat, Golf, and Golf Variant. However, during January–May 2026, volume models experienced a post-launch hangover as the initial sales momentum of the redesigns faded, with the Golf diving 41.3%, T-Cross sliding 18.1%, and Tiguan dropping 32.2% year-on-year.