Toyota Beats GM as Bestselling U.S. Automaker for the First Time
Toyota Motor North America closed the month of September with 152,916 vehicle sales or 16.5 percent of the U.S. auto market share, beating General Motors’ 13.1 percent to become the bestselling American automaker for the first time in history. It’s also the first time since 1931, when GM overtook Ford, that the former has been dethroned.
It may come as a surprise that Toyota’s achievement coincides with a major sales slump. The Japanese manufacturer reports it sold 22.4 percent fewer vehicles in Sept. 2021 compared to Sept. 2020. Despite this, the company was up 1.4 percent for the quarter, and is currently up 27.9 percent on a daily selling rate basis compared to its performance in 2020, which had been majorly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
APVs: Toyota’s alternative powered vehicles
In 2021, the global chip shortage is the enemy. It has had an uneven effect on automakers, with the largest manufacturers hit the hardest. But thanks to its unique supply-chain approach, Toyota was able to weather the storm longer than the country’s other major brands, setting a new quarterly and year-to-date sales record while increasing its market share.
During the third quarter, Honda sales dropped 10.9 percent and Nissan sales dropped 10 percent. Hyundai sales in September were down 2 percent while Kia sales were down 4.7 percent. GM was easily the hardest-hit automaker, with sales dropping 32.8 percent for the quarter. At this rate, Toyota may even overtake the Detroit-based automaker for the whole year.
Though September sales were down for Toyota overall, it still celebrated a few highlights. Electrified vehicles including hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and fuel cells were up 36 percent to make up more than a quarter of monthly sales — a new record for what Toyota calls APVs, or alternative powered vehicles.
“As we continue to navigate through supply chain challenges, we thank our loyal Toyota and Lexus customers for their patience and confidence in our vehicles,” said Jack Hollis, senior vice president of automotive operations, TMNA. “Our teams are working diligently to deliver vehicles to our dealers, who continue to find innovative solutions to take care of our customers.”
Kurt Verlin was born in France and lives in the United States. Throughout his life he was always told French was the language of romance, but it was English he fell in love with. He likes cats, music, cars, 30 Rock, Formula 1, and pretending to be a race car driver in simulators; but most of all, he just likes to write about it all. See more articles by Kurt.