Toyota Achieves Historic Top Ranking for UK New Car Sales in September

• Toyota achieves number one ranking for sales in September with a record share of the new car market for the brand
• 16,904 new cars registered, giving Toyota a 7.9 per cent market share
• Toyota also achieves the plate-change month’s highest retail sales figures with 10,593 units – an increase in volume of more than 7 per cent compared to 2020 and an 8.5 per cent segment share
• Toyota’s market-leading range of hybrid electric models perform strongly with Yaris Hybrid up by more than 1,100 units and six percentage points in market share on 2020 and the all-new Yaris Cross hybrid compact SUV off to a flying start in its first full month on sale
• Expansion of the Toyota Professional range of LCVs helps boost September sales by 16.7 per cent in a market that declined overall by almost 40 per cent
• Toyota business planning, product strategy and marketing campaigns help secure strong results despite current industry-wide supply challenges

Toyota was the UK’s top-selling new car brand in September, topping the sales charts for the first time with its highest-yet share of the market. Its record-breaking performance came in a critical month for the motor industry, as customers looked to secure new 71-plate vehicles.

In total, Toyota sold 16,904 new cars in the UK in September, giving it a leading 7.9 per cent market share.

Toyota’s achievement is all the more notable given the vehicle supply issues being experienced by the motor industry as a whole. Thanks to robust business planning, the company was able to increase not just its share of the market, but also the volume of new cars for retail customers: the total of 10,593 vehicles is an increase of 7.1 per cent on September 2020’s figure, giving an unprecedented 8.5 per cent share of the retail segment.

The latest data add further momentum to Toyota’s strong progress in 2021, with year-to-date passenger car sales at 82,748 units – up by 13.8 per cent on 2020.

Toyota’s market-leading range of hybrid electric models continues to attract huge customer interest, led by the all-new Yaris Hybrid hatchback. Yaris Hybrid sales were up by 1,108 in September compared to the same month in 2020, giving the current European Car of the Year a 10.7 per cent share of its segment. The new Yaris Cross compact SUV has also made a great start with 664 registrations in September and fast-growing advance orders.

Both the Toyota Yaris and Aygo featured in September’s top-10 best-selling cars, at number four and eight respectively.

The growing range of Toyota Professional models is helping build light commercial vehicle sales with September’s results showing an increase of 16.7 per cent compared to last year in a market that was down overall by almost 40 per cent. The new Toyota Hilux pick-up has proved an instant success, with monthly sales up 674 units on last year, earning it a 40 per cent segment share.

More than three quarters (78 per cent) of all Toyota’s UK passenger car sales so far in 2021 have been hybrid electric vehicles.

Agustín Martín, Toyota (GB) PLC President and Managing Director, said: “My thanks go to everyone at Toyota and our retail partners who has worked so hard to deliver these fantastic results, and to our customers who put their trust in our products. The motor industry is facing exceptional challenges in component and vehicle supply and Toyota is not immune from their impact. Nonetheless, in a crucial month for new vehicle sales, the strength of our business planning, the great appeal of our cars and the effectiveness of our marketing strategies have all contributed to us giving customers the best service we can.

“This gives us confidence to look to the coming months with optimism, together with a very healthy order bank for both cars and LCVs.”

ENDS