Toyota sales, production fall on sharp declines in China, Middle East

TOKYO: Toyota Motor said ​on Friday its global ​vehicle sales and production fell ​in July, weighed by declines in China, the United States and the Middle East, which offset ‌a ⁠stronger performance ⁠in Japan.

Global sales fell 4.8% ​from a year earlier to 856,125 vehicles, while production ​dropped 2.1%.

A 24.3% plunge in China dragged sales down, marking ​a sixth successive month of ⁠decline, as ‌higher petrol prices weighed on ​demand ​for hybrid and traditional ⁠combustion engine vehicles, Toyota said.


Sales in the ​United States, Toyota's largest market, slipped ​0.8%, while those in the Middle East dropped 44.5%, offsetting an 11.0% rise in Japan.

A sharp 32.7% drop in China and ‌a 4.0% decrease in the United States pulled production down, despite ​a ​12.4% rise ⁠in Japan.

Exports from Japan rose 10.2% from a year earlier to just over 196,000 vehicles, ​increasing for the third consecutive month and marking the highest level since October.

Toyota's figures include its luxury Lexus brand.