Toyota Sales Up, Slightly, in March 2019
However, the Toyota division was down 1.6 percent. It was only thanks to the strong performance of Lexus vehicles that Toyota was able to improve over last year’s performance this time around.
For the quarter, total TMNA sales were down 3.7 percent while Toyota division sales were down 4.8 percent. This reflects the larger industry trend as the market continues to slow down, particularly with regards to sedan.
Despite strong showing by the Corolla and the Camry, which sold over 24,000 and 33,000 units, respectively, Toyota division cars were down 11 percent compared to March 2018. The Yaris, however, was up 35.4 percent while the Mirai was up nearly 120 percent.
On the other hand, Toyota division SUVs continued to perform very well. The Sienna, C-HR, and Highlander all posted double-digit increases and the RAV4 once again broke over 33,000 sales, helping Toyota SUVs to an overall 1.9 percent improvement.
Related: Explore Toyota’s SUV and crossover lineup
Additionally, both of Toyota’s pickup trucks were up on March 2018, including the Tacoma with a whopping 16.8 percent increase on sales of 22,798 units.
“Light trucks and SUVs continue to lead the way for our industry, and Toyota’s Tacoma and RAV4 first-quarter sales results are a reflection of the strong consumer appeal of these vehicles,” said Jack Hollis, group vice president and general manager, Toyota division.
Despite the weak demand, Toyota remains committed to offering traditional passenger cars, and hopes that improving them and offering more interesting variants will ensure customers all around the US aren’t just buying SUVs.
“Passenger cars, however, remain an important part of Toyota’s portfolio. Earlier in the month, we introduced the all-new Corolla — the world’s best-selling nameplate — now with a hybrid option, which comes on the heels of Prius AWD, Camry TRD and Avalon TRD introductions. While some of our competitors are abandoning sedans, we remain optimistic about the future of the segment.”
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