- Toyota’s sales slumped 21 percent in September but are still up 6 percent year-to-date according to the automaker’s own data.
- RAV4 deliveries dropped 18 percent, the Corolla fell 31 percent and the GR86 slid 48 percent last month.
- Lexus also delivered fewer cars in September, with its sales falling 15 percent in September.
Toyota still sells more vehicles than any other automaker in the US, but it’s selling fewer of them than it used to. Sales dropped 21 percent in September and are down 6 percent since the start of the year thanks to four straight months of decline, the firm’s own data revealed this week.
On the car side, the Corolla found 31 percent fewer buyers in September, Mira deliveries dropped 77 percent to just 30 units, and only 498 American drivers took a GR86 home – that figure is little more than half of September 2023’s tally.
Related: Toyota Slashes EV Production Target By 33%, Report Says
The Crown crossover also tanked 66 percent, though the arrival of the new Crown Signia SUV, which outsold it two-to-one can claim some of the credit for that. The Camry held steady, at least, and both the Supra and Prius improved their sales efforts by 17 and 21 percent each.
Things were worse on the truck and SUV side of the business, where even the perennially popular RAV4 suffered an 18 percent drop in sales. The 4Runner (-53 percent), Highlander (-46 percent), Sequoia (-13 percent), Tacoma (-12 percent), and Corolla Cross (-11 percent) all had a tough time of it in September, but the Tundra scored a modest 5 percent win and the BZ4X was up 12 percent.
Toyota and Lexus sales
Toyota focused on its EVs’ success when communicating the figures and pointed out that hybrids, PHEVs, EVs, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles accounted for an impressive 48 percent of the brand’s total sales volume in September, and grew in volume by 25 percent.
Lexus EVs also did the biz, outperforming the rest of the brand’s offerings by rising 25 percent in September compared with a 15 percent downward swing for Lexus overall. And year-to-date, electrified Lexus products – the RX hybrid, RX plug-in hybrid, and all-electric RZ – sold 44 percent better than they did in 2023.
But Toyota obviously has concerns about EVs in the medium term. Plans to build electric SUVs in America have been pushed back from 2025 to 2026 due to the overall slowdown in EV sales in the region.
Toyota and Lexus sales by model
