Walmart Pricing Gives Toyota A Sales Boost of 35.1% In March - Lexus Sales Skyrocket 36.5%

Walmart Pricing Gives Toyota A Sales Boost of 35.1% In March - Lexus Sales Skyrocket 36.5%
Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., today reported March sales results of 186,863 units, an increase of 35.3 percent over the same period last year, on a daily selling rate (DSR) basis. On a raw volume basis, unadjusted for 26 selling days in March 2010, compared to 25 selling days in March 2009, TMS sales were up 40.7 percent for the month, compared to the same period last year.

Toyota Division recorded March sales of 166,644 vehicles, an increase of 35.1 percent over the year-ago month, on a DSR basis.  On a raw volume basis, Toyota Division sales were up 40.6 percent over last March. Lexus reported sales of 20,219 units in March, up 36.5 percent over March 2009, on a DSR basis. Volume-wise, Lexus Division sales were up 42.0 percent over the year-ago month.

"Toyota’s strong sales performance in March reflects our customers’ continued confidence in the safety and reliability of our vehicles and their trust in the brand,” said Don Esmond, senior vice president of automotive operations for Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. “We are standing by our cars, and we're grateful that our customers are standing by Toyota.”

For the first quarter, TMS reported sales of 385,686 vehicles, an increase of 8.7 percent over the same period in 2009, on a DSR basis. With 74 selling days in the first quarter of 2010, compared to 75 selling day in the first quarter of 2009, sales were up 7.2 percent on an unadjusted raw volume basis.

Toyota Division

Toyota Division passenger cars recorded March sales of 94,221 units, an increase of 23.5 percent over the same period last year.  Passenger car sales were led by Camry and Camry Hybrid which posted combined March sales of 36,251 units, up 35.2 percent over the year-ago month.  Corolla posted sales of 29,623 units for the month, up 28.0 percent over last March. The Prius mid-size gas-electric hybrid posted March sales of 11,786 units, up 27.0 percent over March 2009.  Venza posted a best-ever March, recording sales of 5,227 units, up 36.0 percent over the same period last year.

Toyota Division light trucks posted sales of 72,423 units in March, an increase of 54.1 percent over last March.  Light truck sales were led by the RAV4 compact SUV which recorded an all-time best-ever month with sales of 25,781 units, up 108.3 percent over the year-ago month.  With a best-ever March, Highlander and Highlander Hybrid posted combined sales of 11,953 units for the month, up 112.7 percent over March 2009.  The all-new 4Runner reported March sales of 4,108 units, up 139.4 percent over the year-ago month. The Tundra full-size pickup posted March sales of 10,785 units, up 87 percent over the same period in 2009. The Tacoma mid-size pickup reported sales of 9,441 units for the month.

Scion posted March sales of 3,511 units.  The xB urban utility vehicle led the way with sales of 1,630 units.  The tC sports coupe posted March sales of 1,118 units. The xD reported sales of 763 units for the month.

Lexus Division

Lexus reported passenger car sales of 10,060 units in March, up 34.1 percent over the year-ago month.  Lexus passenger car sales were led by the recently revised ES 350 entry luxury sedan which posted sales of 3,860 units, up 15.1 percent over the same time last year.  The IS luxury sports sedan reported combined sales of 3,137 units, up 24 percent over March 2009. The HS 250h luxury hybrid sedan recorded March sales of 1,494 units.

Lexus light trucks recorded sales of 10,159 units, up 39 percent over last March.  Lexus sales were led by the RX, which posted combined March sales of 8,060 units, up 25.5 percent over the year-ago month.  The all-new GX mid-size luxury utility vehicle reported sales of 1,785 units.

TMS Hybrids

TMS posted March sales of 16,714 hybrid vehicles.  Toyota Division posted sales of 13,929 hybrids for the month.  Lexus Division reported sales 2,785 hybrids in March.



theoptimisticpessimisttheoptimisticpessimist - 4/1/2010 2:46:22 PM
+6 Boost
Would it be possible to have a Legible chart next month?


Agent009Agent009 - 4/1/2010 3:11:49 PM
+4 Boost
Fixed with a better chart at your request.


theoptimisticpessimisttheoptimisticpessimist - 4/1/2010 3:21:41 PM
+2 Boost
Thank you.


kpaxxkpaxx - 4/1/2010 3:12:41 PM
-3 Boost
35% is better than the drop last month, but remember that Toyota dropped 39% in March 2009 from a good number in 2008, and is only regaining 35% from a bad number last year. And that cost them how much in incentive spending?
Doesn’t sound like a lot of cheering is in order just yet.


Joe_LimonJoe_Limon - 4/1/2010 3:29:16 PM
-3 Boost
Ouch only 35%? They are still losing market share while selling them at less of a profit, and causing their resale value to plummet.


Agent009Agent009 - 4/2/2010 9:23:46 AM
0 Boost
Badgewhore-

Current factory incentives are either cash or 0% APR. There are also the dealer incentives as well they can pile on top

Here are just a few of the incentives from last month:

Avalon $3000
Camry $1000
Tundra $3000

However by far the biggest incentive is the BMW like leases with very generous terms. You can lease a Toyota with a factory fund lease for about 20% less than a year ago.





PerformanceGuyPerformanceGuy - 4/1/2010 3:41:42 PM
+1 Boost
After the bargain shoppers are done, I suspect their numbers will drop back down, unless they want to sale every car they make at a loss. However, the people buying solely on cost will soon run out.


Agent009Agent009 - 4/1/2010 3:59:41 PM
0 Boost
Americans typically have a short memory, it just depends on how long this dog and pony show continues in Washington.


thetruth01thetruth01 - 4/1/2010 4:11:07 PM
0 Boost
They will wean comsumers off incentives as the media circus dies down. And then sales will stabilize with Toyota solidly back at/near the top. A slimmed down GM will have to be content to duke it out with Honda for number 3 while Toyota and Ford battle for the top (both brand and company). Can't wait.


pushrod27pushrod27 - 4/1/2010 4:12:45 PM
-1 Boost
VW is #1, and GM still outsells Ford.


thetruth01thetruth01 - 4/1/2010 4:51:35 PM
+2 Boost
I think it is obvious that in this analysis VW is a non-player. We are talking US sales today.

But you are correct that this month, GM's core brands did again marginally outsell Ford's 3 remaining brands. Do you really think this will continue? (With a new Focus and Fiesta, Fusion increasing monthly, F series dominating, upgraded Mustangs.) I couldn't care less who is 2 or 3, but it sure seems to be trending Ford. Toyota is, however, back on top (if you count only GM's core brands, which GM seems to do, so I will too).


thetruth01thetruth01 - 4/1/2010 4:40:50 PM
+3 Boost
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/chrysler-tops-march-incentives-again/

So much for the "huge incentives" meme that's going around for Toyota. Their incentives were just a few hundred dollars higher than last month. Still well below industry average, still only 5th of major mfrs.

Not exactly Wal-Mart pricing yet, 009.


izfuneyizfuney - 4/1/2010 5:31:55 PM
+5 Boost
nice article reference. Sad that Autospies dosent seem to invest in better reporter/bloggers. I do remember when this site posted better stuff than this drivel.


izfuneyizfuney - 4/1/2010 5:23:48 PM
+2 Boost
Lol. Agent -3^3 is back to posting lousy articles. You do realize that people can get sales figures from NYT, Autoblog that just show unvarnished numbers ? right.
Though your FUD on the Chrysler group was the most childish disinformation i have seen in years. Way to spin a -8.29 Vol% DROP and -11.82 DSR% DROP.




800over800over - 4/5/2010 10:03:45 AM
+1 Boost
You're completely wrong!


800over800over - 4/5/2010 10:04:13 AM
+1 Boost
I agree! You are right!!


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