Toyota Motor Corp., the world's largest automaker, maintained its momentum after a successful year, increasing sales in the first month of 2026, despite U.S. tariffs and fierce competition from China.
According to Redaksiya, sales, including its subsidiaries Daihatsu Motor Co. and Hino Motors Ltd., rose 4.8% to 887,266 units in January compared to the same period a year earlier, a record for any January, despite a slight decrease in global production.
Toyota's resilience stands out in an auto industry facing tariffs, increasing competition, and uncertainty surrounding the global shift to electric vehicles. While rivals grapple with billions in additional costs, forcing them to raise prices or adjust production, Toyota has maintained its position thanks to its scale and supply chain agility. Toyota retained its title as the world's top automaker, selling 11.3 million units in 2025, extending its lead over the Volkswagen AG group.
Sales of Toyota and Lexus brands increased by 8.1% in the United States and 6.6% in China in January. Meanwhile, domestic sales declined by 2.7%. U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a 15% tariff last year on all cars and auto parts imported into the U.S. from Japan. Although the country's president backed down from higher duties, this was a significant increase from the previous 2.5% rate. Many Japanese automakers attempted to mitigate the impact by increasing production in the U.S., but they still collectively incurred billions of yen in losses.
Toyota's global production fell 4.2% to 848,020 units in January, partly due to the transition to the new RAV4 model, the best-selling vehicle in the U.S. Honda Motor Co.'s sales decreased by 6.1% to 264,355 units in January. This decline included a 16.5% drop in China. Nissan Motor Co.'s sales increased by 0.6% to 252,603 units in January, thanks to a 10.2% rise in China that offset an 11.1% drop in domestic deliveries.