How Toyota Became the Top-Selling Automaker of 2021

February 8th, 2022 by

General Motors has dominated the American automotive market since 1931, but eventually, every Goliath meets his David. In 2021, the supply chain issues that tamed the Detroit lion brought out the best in one automaker: Toyota. Through amazingly adept supply chain management, the Japanese company became the first non-domestic automaker to sell more cars than any other company in America.

2021 Auto Market Statistics at a Glance

Before we discuss how Toyota sold more cars than anyone else in America in 2021, let’s look at the numbers. In 2021:

  • Consumers bought almost 15 million cars in the US.
  • Toyota Motor North America sold 2.332 million vehicles, an increase of 10.4 percent compared to 2020.
  • GM sold 2.218 million vehicles, a 13 percent decline from the previous year.
  • Toyota beat GM by 114,000 sales.

For such a tumultuous year, those are impressive numbers, but how exactly did Toyota edge ahead?

How Toyota Blew Past Competitors

In 2020 and 2021, a microchip shortage fueled by the Covid-19 pandemic left automakers across the globe without integral parts. Incomplete cars sat unsold around factories, warehouses and even sports arenas. Unable to sell new vehicles, many manufacturers barely held on until the situation improved in late 2021

Toyota had already braved through and learned from disaster. Like many automakers, Toyota had always maintained efficiency by ordering small amounts of parts only when needed. Though this made their production lines compact and nimble, it also made them vulnerable.

In March of 2011, a 9-magnitude earthquake caused a tsunami that devastated vast areas of Japan, including production plants owned by Toyota and their suppliers. Production halted due to damage and product shortages.

Since then, Toyota keeps a surplus of parts available at all times and has even added more production lines to some of its factories. While those moves may not have given Toyota a competitive edge, it certainly prepared them for the microchip shortage and allowed them to maintain high production numbers. 2021 highlighted Toyota’s commitment to consistency and planning, winning the trust of consumers across America.

Which Toyotas Sold Best in 2021?

In April of 2021 when shortages ravaged most automakers, six of the 25 best-selling automobiles of the year were Toyotas. They included the:

All of these models saw an increase in sales compared to 2020, an astounding feat accomplished when many automakers were suffering.

Universal Toyota: Home of the Real Deal and the Toyota Tradition

Universal Toyota, a Toyota dealership in San Antonio, Texas, has received Toyota’s President Award 12 times. We’ve accomplished this by keeping a large stock of new and used Toyotas and providing our customers fair, transparent financing on new and used cars. To find out how exactly we embody the spirit of Toyota’s preparedness and consistently convenient service, visit us today or contact us online.

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