Toyota Sold Fewer Cars in December and in 2010

Most, if not all the major carmakers, have reported strong December sales in the America, but it looks like Toyota drew the short straw. Hit by mass recalls, its sales are actually down 2 percent last month at just 177,488 units daily selling rate (DSR) basis. The actual sales figure, unadjusted for the fact that there are 27 selling days in December 2010, compared to 28 selling days in December 2009, is down some 5.5 percent for the month.

US customers bought 2.4 percent less vehicles wearing the Toyota badge last month, resulting in 149,928 units being shifted by dealers. Lexus Division did a little better, reporting sales of 27,560 units, flat compared to the year-ago month. Annual figures were flat from 2009 at 1,534,266 vehicles, while Lexus reported sales of 229,329 units in 2010, up 6.9 percent over 2009. Scion Division reported sales of 45,678 units for the year.

Passenger car sales were led by Camry and Camry Hybrid, which posted combined annual sales of 327,804 units, while the Prius showed it’s not all bad news for Toyota, posting a rise in acquisitions of the gas-electric hybrid of 37.7 percent last month.

“Thanks to our customers’ enduring confidence in the quality and reliability of our vehicles, Toyota remained the best-selling retail brand for the third consecutive year, Camry was again the best-selling car in America for the ninth straight year and Lexus retained its place as the best-selling luxury brand for the eleventh year in a row.We are truly grateful for the strong loyalty our customers showed the Toyota brand in 2010, and we look forward to a successful year in 2011,” said Don Esmond, senior vice president of automotive operations, Toyota Motor Sales.