Sharp drop in China leads Toyota's global sales to 1.9% November decline

Toyota opened November with weaker numbers across sales and production, and China sat at the center of the drop.

The automaker said global demand cooled as Beijing pulled the plug on subsidies that once pushed electric and fuel‑efficient cars. Those incentives had kept showroom traffic alive. Once they vanished, the slowdown followed fast.

Global sales slipped 1.9% from a year earlier to 965,919 vehicles, including deliveries from Daihatsu and Hino Motors also fell. Output dropped 3.4% to 934,001 units. Toyota shared the data on Thursday as pressure mounted across the auto industry.

The decline landed during a tense stretch for carmakers worldwide. Trade disputes remain active. Rules keep changing. Economic signals stay mixed.

Toyota’s November numbers reflected those conditions as companies try to meet long‑term demand while dealing with near‑term policy shocks and market stress.

China delivered the sharpest blow. Sales of Toyota and Lexus vehicles in the country dropped 12% during the month. The company said trade‑in subsidies ended in major cities after funding ran dry.

The timing matched rising political friction between China and Japan. In November, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made comments about Taiwan that angered Chinese officials. China later warned its citizens against traveling to Japan.

China sales slump hits production while other regions split results

Toyota built 15% more vehicles in Thailand during November, and output in the United States also rose by 9%, but those gains failed to offset steep declines elsewhere.

Manufacturing in China fell by 14% production in Japan dropped 9.7%, and the United Kingdom also saw a 7.9% decline. Toyota reported each figure as subsidy changes and weaker demand hit Asian and European markets at the same time.

The European Union added another twist. Earlier this month, EU officials rolled back an effective ban on combustion engines. The move gave traditional carmakers more room to scale battery models alongside hybrids. Toyota already leaned on gas‑electric technology long before rivals. Still, the policy shift could give Chinese electric vehicle brands more space to grow across Europe.

Political pressure also built in the United States. President Donald Trump placed Toyota in his sights as he prepared new tariffs on imported vehicles and parts.

Earlier this month, Trump said he was opening a path for Asia’s small “kei” cars to be built and sold in the US, even though they do not meet current federal safety rules. “We are looking at ways to make that happen,” Trump said.

More recently, Toyota said it will ship three US‑built models back to Japan. The move followed signals from the White House and aimed to ease trade friction with Washington.

Rivals struggle in China as local brands gain ground fast

Other automakers faced similar pressure, like Honda whose sales got even weaker in November thanks to China and a lingering chip shortage that follows a political dispute between China and the Netherlands involving a major semiconductor supplier.

Honda’s global sales dropped 15% to 273,681 units. China accounted for a 34% fall. The company has now posted declines in the country for 22 straight months. Production in North America collapsed 61% due to chip shortages. Honda said the supply crunch forced temporary plant closures in Japan and China during year‑end holidays.

Nissan Motor Co. delivered a different result in China. Global production fell 4.2% to 257,008 vehicles, but output in China jumped 22%. Growth came from new electric models launched earlier this year, including the N6 and N7. Despite that boost, global sales still slipped 4.9% in November.

China’s market also showed how fast tastes are changing. Huawei Technologies Co.’s ultra‑luxury Maextro S800 sedan surged ahead of foreign rivals. The model now outsells Porsche’s Panamera and Mercedes‑Benz’s S‑Class among cars priced above $100,000.

Since launching in May, Maextro sales overtook all competitors in September. In November, deliveries exceeded combined sales of the Panamera and BMW’s 7 Series, according to data from ECC Intelligence.