Toyota sets new record: global sales up 4.7% thanks to hybrids, despite U.S. tariffs

The Japanese giant marks a new record in sales and production, driven by strong demand in China and North America. However, tariffs imposed by Washington weigh on profit outlooks.

Toyota has broken another global sales record, confirming its position as the world’s leading automaker. In the six months between April and September, the Japanese group sold 5,267,200 vehicles, a 4.7% increase compared to the previous year, surpassing the record set two years ago. The result was driven by strong demand for hybrid models in China and North America, despite the impact of tariffs introduced by the Trump administration.

Global production rose 6% to 4,985,000 units, while sales in the United States jumped 11.3% (to 1,295,600 vehicles), fueled by the growing popularity of hybrids and a return to full operations after technical recalls. In China, Toyota posted a 5.5% increase (to 914,340 units), supported by the success of its new hybrid lineup, despite fierce competition and the accelerating shift toward fully electric vehicles.

In Japan, however, the market showed a slight 0.4% decline, with about 711,000 vehicles registered. In September alone, global sales grew 3.1% (to 879,000 units), marking the ninth consecutive year-on-year increase. Global production, boosted by the post-pandemic recovery, climbed 11.1% (to 918,000 units), reaching an all-time high for the month.

However, Toyota has issued a warning: U.S. tariffs could erode profitability. The group expects net profit for the current fiscal year to fall 44.2%, to 2.66 trillion yen (about $17 billion), as higher costs will not be fully offset by spending cuts and the boost from higher-margin models.

Last April, the Trump administration raised tariffs on imported cars to the U.S. from 2.5% to 27.5%, later reducing them to 15% in September after intense negotiations with Tokyo. In 2023, Toyota sold over 10.3 million vehicles worldwide, with 80% of transactions made outside Japan — a sign that, even under pressure, the Nagoya-based giant continues to set the pace for the global automotive industry.

Andrea Pelucchi