Toyota Motor Corp's sales increased in the first month of 2026, as the world's largest automaker maintained its growth momentum after a booming year, despite high US tariffs and fierce competition from China.
Although global production slightly decreased in January, sales, including subsidiaries Daihatsu Motor Co. and Hino Motors Ltd., still increased by 4.8% year-on-year, reaching 887,266 vehicles, a record high for any January, Toyota said on Thursday.
Toyota's resilience stands out in the context that the automotive industry is under pressure from tariffs, increasing competition and uncertainties surrounding the global transition to electric vehicles.
As many competitors warn of billions of USD in increased costs and seek to increase prices or shift production, Toyota still maintains its position thanks to its large scale and flexibility of the supply chain. The company continues to hold the title of the world's largest automaker in 2025 with 11.3 million vehicles sold, after widening the gap with Volkswagen Group.
Last year, President Donald Trump imposed a 15% tariff on Japan, covering all cars and car components imported into the US. Although Japan avoided higher tariffs after negotiations, this figure still increased significantly compared to the previous level of 2.5%. Most Japanese automakers have sought to reduce the impact by increasing production in the US, but in general still suffered losses of up to billions of yen.
Nissan Motor Co.'s sales remained almost flat, up 0.6% to 252,603 vehicles in January, partly thanks to a 10.2% increase in China offsetting a 11.1% decline in the domestic market.
