Toyota Outsold General Motors for the First Time

Toyota Motor Corporation commonly known as simply Toyota outsold General Motors Company in 2021, marking the first time General Motors has not led U.S. auto sales for a full year since 1931.

In 2021, Toyota sold 2.332 million vehicles in the United States. Its rival General Motors sold 2.218 million vehicles. The company’s U.S. sales fell 13% in 2021 and decreased 43% in the fourth quarter. It last had lower sales in 2010 at 2.202 million. Automakers had to deal with numerous challenges in 2021. 

Several days ago General Motors shared that it expects U.S. economic growth to boost U.S. total light-duty vehicle industry sales from around 15 million in 2021 to around 16 million in 2022. It was the largest seller of vehicles in the country since 1931, when it surpassed Ford. 

Toyota and its rivals

Nonetheless, Toyota is not boasting about the accomplishment. The company does not see it as sustainable that it can retain its U.S. sales lead and had no plans to use the 2021 accomplishment in any kind of advertising according to Jack Hollis. He is the senior vice president of automotive operations at Toyota Motor North America. 

GM’s spokesman Jim Cain made a comment regarding the situation. GM had a very strong sales year in the United States in full-size SUVs and pickup trucks according to Cain. The company under the leadership of Chief Executive Mary Barra also emphasized profitability over volume. 

In total, automakers sold less than 15 million vehicles in 2021, with the annual sales rate in the month of December finishing at 12.44 million. Unfortunately, the full-year number was well below the five-year average of 17.3 million from 2015-2019.  

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