Automobile industry map changed from 2025; Asian hegemony centered on Korea and Japan stands tall

*This content was translated by AI.

The hegemony map of the global automobile industry has changed significantly since 2025. The key keyword that has rocked the global automotive market over the past year has been the shift from quantitative expansion to qualitative growth, and as a result, the report cards of the top five global companies have been in stark contrast.

According to the 2025 settlement results, Japan's Toyota Group, the world's largest carmaker, has firmly maintained its No. 1 position in the world for the fifth consecutive year with sales of 11.32 million units. Toyota's solo performance is noteworthy in that it has achieved overwhelming results in terms of internal performance, not just a simple offensive of volume. Toyota achieved record operating profit of about 4.3 trillion yen and about 40.2 trillion won in our money with its powerful hybrid lineup amid the continued stagnation in demand for electric vehicles. The operating margin also recorded a phenomenal 8.6% figure, succeeding in catching both rabbits: economies of scale and profitability.

The most drastic change in the earnings report is the emergency of Hyundai Motor Group. Hyundai Motor Group remained the world's third-largest in terms of sales volume, selling a total of 7.27 million units in the global market for all of 2025, but made a big difference in its operating profit segment, a profitability indicator. Hyundai Motor Group's annual operating profit was estimated at about 20.5 trillion won, surpassing traditional powerhouse Volkswagen Group to build the second-largest global operating profit for the first time. This is interpreted as the result of Hyundai Motor Group's aggressive expansion of the Genesis brand and the sales of SUVs, a high value-added model. In particular, strong sales of hybrid models in the North American market played a role in maximizing profits, and it is evaluated as the peak of qualitative growth with an operating margin of 6.8%.

On the other hand, Volkswagen Group, the pride of European carmakers, remained in second place with sales of 9 million units, but received a difficult report card in terms of internal performance. Volkswagen's operating profit in 2025 fell by a whopping 53 percent year-on-year to about 15.3 trillion won. Its operating margin plunged to the 2.8% level, attributed to the tariff burden on strengthening U.S. protectionism and heavy spending on product strategy modifications by luxury brands such as Porsche. The decline in market prices due to intensifying competition in electric vehicles in the European market was also a direct hit of worsening profitability.

U.S. company GM maintained a stable management indicator with sales of 6.18 million units and operating profit of $12.7 billion based on solid demand in the North American market, but Stellantis, the world's fifth-largest, had its worst year. Stellantis sold 5.48 million units annually, but was the only one among the top five companies with an operating loss of about 1.4 trillion won. Due to the failure to manage inventory in North America and the decline in its share in the European market, it seems that it has not been able to overcome the wave of global supply chain reorganization.

As a result, in the global automobile market in 2025, under Toyota's dominant system, Hyundai Motor Group emerged as a new powerhouse, and European manufacturers, traditional powerhouses, faced a profitability crisis. Market experts analyze that the speed control of electric vehicle conversion and the strategic operational capability of hybrid models have become key variables in determining a company's survival. Hyundai Motor Group's No. 2 ranking in operating profit is expected to be recorded as a symbolic event that suggests the centerpiece of the global auto industry is leaning more sharply toward Asian manufacturers in Europe and the United States. In the future, global manufacturers are expected to secure autonomous driving technology and speed up the transition to software-oriented vehicles (SDVs), while risking their lives on local production optimization strategies to cope with rapidly changing international circumstances and tariff barriers.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.