Toyota Reports 2008 and December Sales

TORRANCE, Calif. (Jan. 5, 2009) – Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., today reported year-end sales of 2,217,662 vehicles, a decrease of 15.7 percent from the same period in 2007, on a daily selling rate basis.

Toyota Division recorded year-end sales of 1,957,575 vehicles, down 14.9 percent from the prior year. Lexus reported sales of 260,087 units in 2008, down 21.2 percent from 2007. Scion Division reported sales of 113,904 units for the year.

TMS reported December sales results of 141,949, a decrease of 36.7 percent from the same period last year.

"Our New Year’s resolution is to shift the focus back to where it belongs, to the consumer," said TMS President Jim Lentz. "The sooner stimulus efforts find their way to where they’ll do the most good – into the hands of consumers – the sooner we’ll see a turnaround in confidence levels and a return of buyers to the marketplace."

Toyota Division

Toyota Division reported December sales of 118,587 units, down 37.5 percent from December 2007. Toyota Division passenger cars recorded December sales of 67,717 units, with year-end sales of 1,207,006 units, down 8.4 percent from last year. For the year, passenger car sales were led by Camry, which posted annual sales of 436,617. Corolla posted year-end sales of 351,007. The Yaris subcompact reported best-ever year-end sales totaling 102,328, up 20.3 percent over 2007. Prius recorded sales of 158,884 units for the year.

Toyota Division light trucks reported December sales of 50,870 units, with year-end sales of 750,569, down 23.5 percent from 2007. Light truck sales were led by the Tacoma mid-size pickup, with year-end sales of 144,655 units. Tundra reported sales of 137,249 units in 2008. RAV4 compact sport utility vehicle reported year-end sales of 137,020 units for the year. Highlander and Highlander Hybrid posted combined sales of 104,661 units for the year. The Highlander Hybrid gas-electric mid-size SUV reported sales 19,391 units in 2008. Sequoia reported year-end sales of 30,693 units, up 31.5 percent over the prior year.

Scion reported December sales of 4,127 units. The Scion xB urban utility vehicle recorded December sales of 1,794 units, with year-end sales totaling 45,220. The tC sports coupe reported December sales of 1,348 units, with year-end sales reaching 40,980 units. The xD posted sales of 985 units in December and year-end sales of 27,665 units.

Lexus Division

Lexus reported December sales of 23,362 units, down 32.4 percent from the year-ago month. Lexus passenger cars reported December sales of 11,542 units, with year-end sales of 151,567 units in 2008. Lexus passenger car sales were led by the ES entry luxury sedan with December sales of 5,236 units and year-end sales of 64,135. The IS entry luxury sport sedan recorded combined December sales of 3,539 units and combined year-end sales of 49,432 units. The LS flagship sedan reported combined December sales of 1,451 units and year-end sales of 20,255 units. The GS luxury sport sedan posted combined December sales of 1,200 units, with year-end sales totaling 15,759 units.

Lexus Division light trucks reported December sales of 11,820 units and year-end sales of 108,520 units. The RX luxury utility posted combined December sales of 9,932 units and year-end sales of 84,181 units. The RX 400h luxury hybrid SUV reported sales of 15,200 units for the year. The LX posted yearly sales of 7,915 units, up 219.7 percent over 2007.

TMS Hybrids

TMS calendar-year-to-date hybrid sales totaled 241,405 units. In December, TMS posted sales of 12,201 hybrid vehicles. Toyota Division posted December sales of 10,637 hybrids and year-end sales of 224,547 units. Lexus Division posted sales of 1,564 hybrids for the month and 16,858 units for the year.

There were 308 selling days in 2008, compared to 307 selling days in 2007. There were 26 selling days this sales month and last December.

Credit: Toyota Motor Sales, USA
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