Toyota global output rises 5.6% in January

NAGOYA — Toyota Motor Corp said Thursday its global production rose 5.6 percent from a year earlier to 781,729 vehicles in January, logging the first growth in a year and the highest ever total for the month, a turnaround after a quality scandal led to a production halt for some of its models.

But in the same month, global output by Japan's eight major automakers, including Toyota, dropped 0.9 percent from the previous year to 1.97 million vehicles due to slow sales in China, according to data from the companies.

Toyota, the world's largest carmaker by volume, sold 785,632 vehicles worldwide in January, up 0.1 percent from the same month last year and also an all-time high for the month.

Mired in safety test scandals in Japan, the Toyota group, including its small-car manufacturing unit, Daihatsu Motor Co, had to suspend a part of its domestic production last year.

The resumption of the affected output coupled with solid sales of new models at home helped its global production recover from the setback.

Domestic production soared 22.3 percent to 265,999 vehicles, a reaction to the production halt in January last year, more than offsetting a 1.4 percent fall in overseas output to 515,730 vehicles.

While production tumbled 7.3 percent in Indonesia and 18.8 percent in Thailand due to strict loan screenings, it grew 1.1 percent in China to 113,046 vehicles and 3.2 percent in North America.

Domestic sales increased 12.5 percent to 126,534 units, in contrast to a 1.9 percent fall in overseas sales to 659,098 vehicles. Sales in China slipped 13.9 percent to 136,500 units as stores faced fewer operating days due to the Lunar New Year holiday.

But sales in Europe climbed 4.5 percent on solid demand for hybrid vehicles and were up 7.4 percent in India.

Global sales for electrified vehicles, including hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles, surged 18.1 percent to 382,458 units. EV sales alone were up 1.5 times from the previous year to 11,895 cars.

Meanwhile, global output for Honda Motor Co sank 20.2 percent to 269,168 units, while that of Nissan Motor Co fell 11.3 percent to 243,437 vehicles, as the automakers have been hit by stiff price competition in China for their EVs.

Output in China tumbled 38.4 percent for Honda and 35.8 percent for Nissan.

© KYODO