For the first time in over a century, a non-domestic automaker has surpassed domestic automakers in sales in the US.
Since 1931, General Motors had been the best-selling corporation, but this year Toyota has dethroned GM after 90 years of staying on top.
Toyota and General Motors published their 2021 U.S. sales figures, with Toyota topping GM’s 2,218,228 for the first time since 1931. General Motors reported a 13 percent loss in sales in 2021, with a 43 percent drop in the fourth quarter alone.
According to Reuters, GM spokesperson believes the shift in sales leadership will not be permanent.
Analysts may disagree on the reasons for Toyota’s success, but one major factor is the car industry’s supply-chain issues, particularly when it comes to semiconductor chips, caused by the COVID-19 epidemic. Toyota was able to maintain its production lines operating more smoothly than Ford and GM, allowing it to create and sell more cars.
The RAV4 crossover, Toyota’s best-selling vehicle, was down 5% from last year, while other popular models such as the Camry, Corolla, Highlander, and Tacoma were all up over last year.
The Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups, as well as GM’s own RAV4 competitors, the Chevy Cruze, also witnessed drops.
In comparison to 2020, Equinox was down 39%. To put things in perspective, GM sold 2.55 million vehicles in 2020, while Toyota sold 2.11 million and Ford sold little over 2 million.
In a statement to Car and Driver, a Toyota spokeswoman said, “Toyota is grateful to our loyal customers for putting their safety and faith in Toyota and Lexus automobiles.” “Being first is never a goal or a priority. In the views of customers, the company’s focus has always been—and will continue to be—on being the top brand in terms of safety and quality.”
According to a GM representative, the business concentrated on profitability rather than volume during the chip shortage, and that 2021 was nevertheless a great sales year in the United States for GM’s full-size SUVs and pickups.
“I wouldn’t rush out and get a ‘We’re No. 1’ tattoo if I were (Toyota),” GM spokesman Jim Cain told Reuters.
Toyota is also highlighting its electrified car sales, claiming to be the market leader for the 22nd year in a row. Of course, Toyota bundles three powertrain types into one category: hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and the hydrogen fuel-cell-powered Mirai, and claims that sales of these vehicles increased by 73 percent to 583,697 units in 2021. In the United States, Toyota currently does not sell an all-electric vehicle, but that will change when the bZ4x goes on sale later this year. Electrified vehicles accounted for one-quarter of Toyota’s total U.S. sales in 2021.
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