Toyota Keeps Top Spot as World’s Largest Automaker for 5th Consecutive Year

Toyota Motor announced on Thursday that it sold 10.8 million vehicles in 2024, maintaining its position as the leading automaker globally for the fifth consecutive year. The Japanese company experienced a 3.7% decrease in global group unit sales last year, inclusive of Daihatsu’s compact cars and Hino Motors’ trucks.

The decline was primarily attributed to a significant decrease in sales within Japan, stemming from governance issues related to certification test procedures, notably impacting Daihatsu.

Meanwhile, Volkswagen Group, the second-largest automaker based in Germany, reported a 2.3% reduction in unit sales to over 9 million vehicles in 2024. The decline was driven by cost-cutting measures domestically and intensifying price competition in the crucial Chinese market.

Despite achieving a record-breaking overall sales figure, bolstered by robust demand for hybrid vehicles in the U.S., Toyota faced a 6.9% decline in unit sales in China amid fierce price competition in the thriving automotive market.

Among Toyota’s parent-brand sales, gasoline-electric hybrids accounted for a record 40.8% share, with battery electric vehicles making up 1.4%.