Toyota Posts Best-Ever Light Truck Sales in January
While other automakers struggle to break even, Toyota is killing it. And trucks are leading the way.
Sales for pretty much every automotive manufacturer remained sluggish in January. Well, unless you’re Toyota. TMC reported a 17% increase in volume-based sales for the first month of 2018, and even an equally impressive 16.8% increase here in North America. So how, exactly, is Toyota managing to post double digit increases while everyone else struggles to break even? One word – trucks.
“We are off to a great start with strong customer demand for light trucks, including RAV4, Highlander and 4Runner, setting best-ever records for January,” said Jack Hollis, group vice president and general manager, Toyota division. “Toyota trucks and SUVs delivered strong growth in January, continuing a trend we saw for the brand in 2017.”
Leading the way were a trio of trucks posting impressive gains – Tacoma (34%), Highlander (22%), and RAV4 (20%). Combined, Toyota light-truck sales reached 89,837 units – a January record. A total of 56,933 SUVs dominate that lofty number.
The RAV4 remains Toyota’s best-selling SUV, moving 26,655 units to set a new January record for the model. Highlander sales also set a monthly record at 15,484 units, and 4Runner achieved a best-ever monthly increase of 11.2 percent.
Perhaps overshadowed by the incredible success of the mid-size Tacoma, we can’t ignore the Tundra, however. Despite the fact that we’re long overdue for a refresh on Toyota’s full-size pickup, January saw the brand move 7,644 units – a healthy 15.3% increase.
Obviously, every brand is experiencing a surge in truck and SUV sales. But while other automakers continue to struggle to break even, Toyota is experiencing record gains across the board. That certainly bodes well for the future. Especially with a host of new and exciting products in the pipeline!
