December to Forget: Toyota Motor North America Reports U.S. December, Year-End 2021 Sales
Lexus electrified powered vehicle sales up nearly 25 percent in 2021. Lexus NX is best-selling entry luxury SUV.
With 2021 now in the rearview mirror the vehicle sales figures for the year have been tallied up. Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) today reported December U.S. 2021 sales along with the totals for the full calendar year. The December sales for the Toyota and Lexus divisions were down sharply compared to 2020. No doubt impacted by the ongoing supply chain issues. However, overall, for 2021 both Toyota and Lexus realized significant sales gains compared to the previous year. A large portion of the gains were thanks to electrified powered vehicle sales. For Toyota EPV sales were up 73.2 percent. Lexus saw a whopping 80.6 percent increase in EPV sales for 2021.
Even facing serious headwinds caused by global supply chain shortages Toyota Motor North America had a very strong sales performance in 2021. “Despite a second consecutive year of challenges, TMNA focused on delivering an exceptional customer experience, and we remain optimistic as our electrification strategy further evolves,” said Jack Hollis, senior vice president, Automotive Operations Group, TMNA. “Thanks to our phenomenal dealers and world-class purchasing and manufacturing teams, our inventory continues to improve and we’re preparing to introduce 21 all-new, refreshed or special edition vehicles in 2022.”
Toyota Division December Sales
Toyota reported December U.S. 2021 sales of 150,072 vehicles. That is a decrease of 29 percent on a volume basis compared to December 2020. One of the few Toyota bright spots in the month of December was the Sienna. The Sienna saw a 7.6 percent sales increase for December 2021 compared to 2020. On the other hand, the Tundra saw a 69.1 percent sales decrease in December compared to last year. The cutover to the redesigned 2022 model likely played a major role in the decrease in sales.
Toyota Division 2021 Sales
With December numbers down nearly across the board, 2021 was still a better sales year overall compared to 2020. Toyota reported 2021 U.S. sales of 2,027,786 vehicles, up 10.3 percent on a volume basis compared to a year ago. The Prius continues to be a hot seller for Toyota. 59,010 units were sold in 2021 which is up 35.6 percent compared to a year ago. The Camry, Corolla, Avalon, and Supra all also saw year over year gains.
Lexus Division December Sales
The Lexus division posted December U.S. sales of 24,043 vehicles, down 37.1 percent on a volume basis compared to 2020. All Lexus cars and light trucks saw a decrease in sales in December versus the same month a year ago. However, like the Toyota division Lexus still managed to increase sales for the year.
Lexus Division 2021 Sales
Lexus reported U.S. sales of 304,476 vehicles, up 10.7 percent on a volume basis. The Lexus IS was a big winner in 2021. Sales increased by 61.8 percent in 2021 compared to 2020. However, the biggest winner was the LC. The flagship luxury coupe saw sales increase by 110 percent compared to last year. That is a massive increase for a small volume car. Lexus has a hit on its hands with the LC and the sales numbers prove it.
Lexus Big Wins
2021 was tough for all automakers but Lexus still hit some major milestones. Lexus owned the number one light truck market share for the third consecutive year. The NX (gas, hybrid and plug-in) was the best-selling entry luxury SUV. Lexus saw the best year ever for: total EPV sales, total light truck sales, total RX, UX, and LC sales. In addition, the ES AWD and NX Hybrid also had their best sales year ever. Lexus may have had a tough end to the year but we expect a strong 2022 from the automaker.
Images: Toyota Motor North America
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