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Toyota Reports 2020 North American Sales

With nearly a quarter of a million vehicles sold in North America in December 2020, Toyota reported a 20.4 percent sales increase compared to December 2019, setting an all-time record for the month. It wasn’t quite enough to overcome the slump caused by the coronavirus shutdown earlier in the year, but it nonetheless managed to push TMNA above 2.1 million sales for the whole year, making it the bestselling retail brand in North America for the ninth year running.

In fact, it was a year of highlights and new records for Toyota despite the COVID-19 pandemic. The RAV4 was the bestselling SUV for the fourth consecutive year, the Tacoma was the bestselling small pickup for the 16th consecutive year, and the Camry was the bestselling passenger car for the 19th consecutive year. Additionally, Toyota was the top manufacturer of hybrid, electrified, and fuel cell vehicles for the 21st consecutive year.

Indeed, even as overall 2020 sales dipped 11.3 percent compared to 2019, TMNA’s total hybrid sales were up nearly 23 percent and represented 16 percent of its total sales volume — and in December, Toyota division hybrid sales doubled. Needless to say, electrified vehicles are quickly gaining traction and are looking poised to overtake traditional vehicle sales in the coming years. Toyota intends to have an electrified version of its entire lineup available to customers by 2025.

Over the last year, Toyota expanded its lineup to offer 14 hybrid, electrified, and fuel cell vehicles. It launched the all-new Sienna minivan, now exclusively offered as a hybrid, and brought back the premium, wagon-style Venza crossover, also a hybrid. It also introduced the first-ever RAV4 Prime plug-in hybrid and launched the next-generation, hydrogen-powered Mirai, which emits zero emissions and goes 402 miles on a single charge.

When the COVID-19 pandemic forced automakers to shut down their manufacturing facilities at the end of March, and sales dipped dramatically through May, it seemed impossible that Toyota and other brands would end the year on such a high note. But as early as September, sales were already recovering faster than expected. If recent trends keep up, 2021 could be a major record year.

Kurt Verlin

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.