Toyota plans to halve Japan car models by 2025, says source
TOKYO: Toyota Motor Corp is planning to halve the number of cars it sells in Japan to about 30 by 2025 as it consolidates its portfolio in the shrinking market to focus on more popular models, a source briefed on the matter told Reuters on Thursday.
Toyota currently offers about 62 car models in Japan, including the Prius petrol hybrid and the Aqua compact hatchback, along with less popular ones including the Premio sedan.
The Japanese automaker’s plans to reduce its model offering comes as global carmakers compete to develop more lower emissions vehicles, including electric cars.
In the US market, the 2223.8 km per litre Toyota Prius Liftback is the best it’s ever been,
Toyota currently offers about 62 car models in Japan, including the Prius petrol hybrid and the Aqua compact hatchback, along with less popular ones including the Premio sedan.
but it is suffering its worst sales year since 2004.
A car that has seen sales over 140,000 units in two years this decade has through the third quarter this year just 50,911 in the bag, and may fi nish the year at 70,000, according to analyst Alan Baum.
Last year it managed 98,863 sales, and meanwhile, the Ford Fusion Hybrid, a former upstart that used to never hold a candle to it, outsold it once again last month.
The Prius’ 5,722 sales in September actually put it in third place behind the Ford’s 6,326, and the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid’s 5,759. Up until last year, it had never been anything but fi rst place this decade by a margin as high as three-four times the sales of the next-nearest competitor.
Calendar year to date, the three top sellers have 50,911 ( Prius), 44,677 ( Fusion), and 36,352 ( RAV4).