Toyota Sets Sales Record in 1997: Eighth-Consecutive Million-Plus Year
7 January 1998
Toyota Sets Sales Record in 1997: Eighth-Consecutive Million-Plus Year
TORRANCE, Calif., Jan. 7 -- Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), USA,
Inc., today reported best-ever year-end total sales of 1,230,122, up
6.4 percent over the previous record of 1,159,718 set last year. The Toyota
Division alone sold 1,132,529 cars and trucks, up 5.4 percent over last year
and the fourth consecutive year it has topped one million units.
Toyota ended the year by posting best-ever December vehicle sales with
116,593 units sold, an increase of 42 percent over last year.
"Industry sales rode a wave of consumer confidence in 1997, cresting in
December at a level we haven't seen in more than two decades," said Yale
Gieszl, TMS executive vice president. "There's no doubt that a large measure
of this confidence can be attributed to stable pricing, attractive financing
and exceptional new products in the auto industry."
Camry continued to lead Toyota sales with 397,156 units, up 10.9 percent
over last year, and the best-ever year in the model's history. For December,
Camry recorded 44,254 units sold, its best-ever sales month. Camry recorded
six monthly sales records in 1997.
Corolla recorded strong year-end numbers with 218,461 units, up
4.8 percent over 1996, and Avalon recorded the best-ever December in the
model's history with 7,407 units, up 35.6 percent over last year.
Toyota sport-utility vehicles (SUV's) also set sales records throughout
the year. With sales totaling 214,278, overall SUV sales were up
21.2 percent.
4Runner posted its best-ever December sales with 10,812 units, a
17.9 percent increase over the previous year. With 128,496 total units, an
increase of 29.7 percent, 4Runner recorded its best-ever sales year. With
more than 100,000 sales for the first time in its history, 4Runner is the
nation's best-selling import SUV.
Toyota RAV4 also recorded best-ever December sales with 5,869 units, an
increase of 17.2 percent over last year. Total RAV4 sales of 67,487, an
increase of 19.6 percent compared to 1996, represents the best-ever sales year
in the model's history.
The all-new Sienna minivan recorded sales of 5,842. After going on sale
in October, Sienna recorded strong year-end sales of 15,180, outselling its
Previa predecessor's year-long sales totals by more than 3 to 1.
Toyota's Tacoma truck finished the year with a best-ever December sales
month of 14,842 total sales, an increase of 53.6 percent over last year.
Lexus Division recorded the best sales year in its history, with total
sales of 97,585 units. The ES 300 near-luxury sedan led the way with best-
ever sales of 58,430 units, an increase of 31 percent over the previous record
set last year. The ES 300 also posted its best-ever December. Despite
limited supply, the all-new GS 400 and GS 300 performance sedans recorded
7,718 units sold in just three months since its launch.
Total Toyota sales of North American-produced vehicles totaled 754,982,
representing 61.4 percent of the vehicles sold in 1997, an increase of
1.2 percent over 1996. There were 307 selling days in 1997, versus 308 in
1996.
In addition to increasing sales, Toyota's employment and philanthropic
contributions also grew. Toyota's U.S. employment now exceeds 20,000 and
contributions to U.S. nonprofit organizations totaled over $14 million in
1997.
Toyota/Lexus Sales
December, 1997
Current Month Calendar Year To Date
DSR % DSR %
1997 1996 CHG 1997 1996 CHG
Total Vehicle
Sales 116,585 82,047 36.6 1,230,114 1,159,718 6.4
Memo: Total
Toyota Div. 107,625 74,554 38.8 1,132,529 1,078,189 5.4
Memo: Total
Lexus Div. 8,960 7,493 15.0 97,585 81,529 20.1
Toyota Div.
Import Car 19,861 9,956 91.8 137,850 163,845 -15.6
Lexus Import Car 8,838 6,744 26.0 90,800 74,001 23.1
Toyota Div. NA
Built Cars 48,463 36,956 26.1 593,932 555,746 7.2
Total Toyota Cars 77,162 53,656 38.3 822,582 793,592 4.0
Sport Utility
Vehicles 17,608 15,915 6.4 214,280 176,684 21.7
Memo: Lexus
Sport Utility 122 749 -84.3 6,785 7,528 -9.6
Small Vans 5,871 331 1605.5 18,960 8,520 123.3
Pickups 15,944 12,145 26.2 174,292 180,922 -3.4
*North American Built Vehicles
Corolla 16,250 14,448 8.1 217,207 202,417 7.7
Camry 24,806 17,047 39.9 305,416 280,021 9.4
Avalon 7,407 5,461 30.4 71,309 73,308 -2.4
Sienna 5,842 0 NA 15,180 0 NA
Pickup 14,842 9,661 47.7 145,870 142,281 2.9
Total 69,147 46,617 42.6 754,982 698,027 8.5
N.A. Vehicles
% Of Total 59.3% 56.8% --- 61.4% 60.2% ---
Selling Days 26 25 --- 307 308 ---
DSR = Daily Selling Rate
SOURCE Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.