Toyota Motor reported another decline in global vehicle sales during May, marking the fourth consecutive month of falling demand as weaker performance in China and the Middle East continued to weigh on overall results. The company sold 834,279 vehicles worldwide, representing a 7.2% drop compared with the same month last year.
Although international demand weakened, Toyota recorded strong growth in its domestic market. Sales in Japan increased by 11.1%, supported by healthy demand for popular models including the RAV4 and the bZ4X. However, overseas sales fell 9.6%, offsetting the gains achieved in the company’s home market.
Regionally, China recorded the sharpest decline, with sales plunging 31.7% amid difficult market conditions and rising petrol prices that affected consumer demand. Meanwhile, sales in the Middle East dropped 38.6%, while the United States, Toyota’s largest market, experienced a smaller decline of 0.6% during the month.
Toyota also reported lower global production, which declined 5.5% from a year earlier as output slowed across several major markets. Production in the United States fell 3.8%, while Asia recorded a steeper 13.3% decrease, although increased production in Japan helped soften the overall decline.
The latest figures, which include Toyota’s luxury brand Lexus, highlight the challenges the automaker continues to face in key international markets. Despite stronger domestic demand, persistent weakness overseas remains a major obstacle as the company works to stabilise sales and production in the coming months