Auto giant Toyota confirmed its position as the world's largest automaker by sales in the first half of 2026, holding the top spot for the seventh consecutive year.
The Japanese automaker sold 5.39 million vehicles globally in the first six months of the year, surpassing German rival Volkswagen, which sold approximately 4.13 million units.
However, the group's overall sales fell 2.8% year-on-year, the first decline in two years, impacted by weak demand in China and rising gasoline prices linked to tensions in the Middle East.
Logistics disruptions related to the Middle East crisis also affected production, which fell 0.3% to 5.51 million vehicles; Toyota's exports from Japan to the Middle East fell 36%, to 104,093 vehicles.
The group's overseas sales fell 4.5% to 4.30 million vehicles, while domestic sales rose 4.4% to 1.10 million units, driven by the success of the new bZ4X electric vehicle.
Global sales of electrified vehicles – led by hybrids – rose 9.1% to 2.71 million units, while sales of battery electric vehicles almost tripled to 193,170 units: both figures represent records for the first half of the year.
