2020
Global car sales down 13.6% to 78.49 million units
Global car sales in 2020 reached 78.49 million units, down 13.6% compared to 2019. More than half of the market was accounted for by the top five automakers. Such analytical data was released by Nikkei publication in August 2021.
While in 2019 Toyota and Volkswagen shared the first place in car sales with almost equal shares, a year later Toyota took the lead. For a more detailed breakdown of power among the auto giants, see the illustration below.
Dealers sold 77.7 million new cars and light commercial vehicles in 2020, down 14 percent from a year ago, according to consulting firm LMC Automotive.
The leader, as well as the year before, again became the Chinese market with an indicator of 24 million 459 thousand cars. This is lower than the 2019 figures by 4%, but the drop is hardly noticeable against the background of the U.S. market decline - 14.8%. A total of 14.47 million cars were sold in the U.S.
As for Western Europe, dealers there sold 12 million 395 thousand cars. In Eastern Europe - 3,891,000. "The western market fell by 23.9%, the eastern one - by 5.5%.
In South America, official representatives of automobile companies sold 2 million 280 thousand cars (a 26.6% decline), in Japan - 4 million 541 thousand (-11.5%), Canada - 1 million 549 thousand (-19.6%).
The market of South Korea demonstrated growth where sales grew by 6% - to 1 million 855 thousand new cars.
Fall of the world car market in 2020 was a consequence of pandemic of coronavirus COVID-19, because of which the companies had to reduce production or stop working altogether. After quarantine restrictions were relaxed, a new problem emerged - a shortage of automotive electronics, which prevented factories from operating at full capacity.
Toyota surpasses Volkswagen in global auto sales, 9.53 million vs. 9.31 million units
In 2020, Toyota Motor overtook Volkswagen to become the largest automaker in the world. The Japanese company took the position for the first time in five years.
Toyota's car sales, including those of its subsidiaries Daihatsu Motor and Hino Motors, totaled 9.53 million units in 2020. Volkswagen's sales reached 9.31 million vehicles.
The German manufacturer still has a strong position in the European Union, but there passenger car sales fell by an "unprecedented" 24% to less than 10 million units in 2020 (data from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association). Overall, Volkswagen's car sales for the year fell by 15%, the worst performance in a decade.
In 2020, Toyota Motor overtook Volkswagen to become the largest automaker in the world. The Japanese company took the position for the first time in five years.
Toyota's car sales, including those of its subsidiaries Daihatsu Motor and Hino Motors, totaled 9.53 million units in 2020. Volkswagen's sales reached 9.31 million vehicles.
The German manufacturer still has a strong position in the European Union, but there passenger car sales fell by an "unprecedented" 24% to less than 10 million units in 2020 (data from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association). Overall, Volkswagen's car sales fell by 15% for the year, which was the worst figure in the last ten years.
Toyota returns to the top spot in car sales in the world in 2020, overtaking Volkswagen
Toyota's car sales in 2020 decreased by 10.5%, and including its subsidiaries - by 11.3%. At the same time, sales of all the company's cars outside of Japan decreased by 12.3% to 7.37 million units. Toyota said in its report that worldwide sales of its cars declined for the first time in 9 years, and Volkswagen cars of all makes for the first time in 5 years.
While the German company is expected to temporarily surpass Toyota again in 2021, the Japanese manufacturer is projected by IHS Markit to advance every year until 2025. According to analyst Yoshiaki Kawano, Volkswagen's drive to produce more electrified cars should lead to a surge in sales in 2021, but prolonged lockouts and store closures in the domestic market will continue to have a negative impact.
Kavanaugh said Toyota will continue to post strong sales in its main markets in Japan and the U.S. In China, the world's largest car market, it should "fight hard," launching more electric cars and SUVs in line with local demand.
Capitalization of automakers as of November
Auto manufacturer capitalization as of November 2020
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