Key facts
- Toyota's global vehicle sales fell 6.4% in August to 790,743 units.
- Toyota's global vehicle production fell 5.9% in August to 700,860 units.
- Sales in China dropped 22.8% in August, marking the seventh consecutive monthly decline.
- US sales fell 4.4% in August, while Middle East sales slumped 37.5%.
- Japan sales rose 9.1% in August.
- Production in China dropped 11.3% and in the US by 6.6% in August.
Toyota Motor reported that its global vehicle sales and production fell for a second consecutive month in August, as declines in China, the US, and the Middle East persisted. The automaker's figures include its luxury Lexus brand.
Global sales dropped 6.4% from a year earlier to 790,743 vehicles, while production fell 5.9% to 700,860 vehicles. A significant 22.8% plunge in China contributed to sales declining for a seventh consecutive month, with higher gasoline prices impacting demand for hybrid and traditional combustion-engine vehicles. Sales in the US, Toyota's largest market, decreased by 4.4%, and sales in the Middle East slumped by 37.5%. These decreases were partially offset by a 9.1% rise in sales in Japan.
Production was also affected by an 11.3% drop in China and a 6.6% decline in the US. Output in Japan fell 1.7%, partly due to production suspensions following an earthquake on the southern island of Kyushu. According to a separate report, Toyota's global sales increased 2.2% in August, marking eight consecutive months of global growth, with strong US demand for hybrid vehicles offsetting a 12.1% decline in Japan. This report also stated that US sales rose 13.6% and China sales rose 0.9%, with overall overseas sales setting a new record for August.