GM’s 90-year reign ends as Toyota becomes best-selling car brand in US

There’s a first time for everything, and this holds true in the auto industry. The most recent upset so far involves Toyota, which has broken nine consecutive decades of sales dominance established by General Motors (GM) in the U.S. market. 

Toyota has dislodged General Motors as the U.S. sales leader for 2021

Reuters cites Toyota Motor North America’s (TMNA) yearend report saying that a total of 2.332 million vehicles rolled off showrooms in 2021, an increase of 10.4 percent on a volume basis and 11.5 percent on a daily selling rate (DSR) basis. In contrast, GM sold 2.218 million vehicles, representing a 13-percent slump for the year. 

By the numbers, this is the first time that GM was dethroned as the overall sales leader in the U.S. since 1931, when it overtook Ford. In 2020, GM sales for the U.S. market reached 2.55 million units, while Toyota took second place with 2.11 million vehicles sold. The Japanese automaker is on its 10th consecutive year of being the number one retail brand for Americans.   

Electrified powered vehicles such as the Prius make up a quarter of Toyota's overall sales in America

The 2021 figures are broken down into 2,027,786 Toyota vehicles and 304,476 Lexus units handed over to customers. Toyota identified the Camry, Highlander, RAV4, Sienna, Tacoma, and the Lexus NX as the best-selling models in their respective categories. Electrified powered vehicles (EPVs) – including hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and fuel cell vehicles – make up 25 percent of TMNA’s total sales volume, continuing its status as the leading seller of EPVs for 22 straight years. 

Toyota’s achievement is made even more remarkable considering various problems it faced related to COVID-19, especially the worldwide shortage of semiconductor chips that delayed production of several models. The carmaker is coy about its recent win, saying that its earned sales lead in the U.S. is not likely to be sustainable in the long run.     

Despite relinquishing its long-standing lead, General Motors says it still did well with pickups and full-size SUVs

"Despite a second consecutive year of challenges, TMNA focused on delivering an exceptional customer experience, and we remain optimistic as our electrification strategy further evolves," said TMNA Senior Vice President Jack Hollis, thanking dealers and promising that no less than 21 models will be introduced for the 2022 model year.   

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