The Japanese giant Toyota announced on Tuesday January 30 that it had sold more than 11.2 million vehicles worldwide in 2023 (with its Toyota, Lexus, Daihatsu and Hino brands), a new record which consolidates its first global ranking in the automobile industry. in volume.
This is also a strong increase compared to 2022 (nearly +7.2%).
Although lagging behind in the 100% electric segment, the group benefited from a surge in its sales of hybrid vehicles and the absorption of semiconductor shortages, which had previously slowed down its production.
Toyota regained the symbolic title of world number one automobile by volume in 2020 and has retained it since, ahead of the German group Volkswagen, second again last year with 9.24 million vehicles sold (+12% , according to figures published in early January).
The South Korean Hyundai-Kia retained third place on the podium, with 7.3 million units sold in 2023 (+6.7%).
Even excluding its subsidiaries Daihatsu (mini-cars) and Hino (trucks and buses), Toyota and its premium Lexus brand delivered more vehicles than their major German and South Korean competitors, at 10.3 million units. in 2023 (+7.7%).
Scandals
However, Toyota has nothing to brag about at the moment: both Hino and Daihatsu are tarnished by rigged performance test scandals.
Hino's sales fell last year because of this affair (-9.8%) and Daihatsu has suspended all its production since the end of December.
Toyota also announced on Monday the suspension of shipments of ten diesel models due to similar irregularities in the approval of their engines in Japan, produced by another of its subsidiaries, Toyota Industries.
The Japanese colossus is also lagging behind in the 100% electric segment, in which it sold only 104,018 vehicles in 2023: a figure which has certainly quadrupled over one year, but which still pales in comparison to the American Tesla ( 1.81 million electric cars delivered) and to the Chinese BYD (1.57 million units).
But for now, Toyota is largely compensating for this weak point with the dynamism of its global sales of hybrid vehicles (more than 3.4 million units in 2023, a jump of 31.4% over one year).