Jul 28 (Nikkei) - Toyota Motor said Friday that its global car sales between January and June grew 2.7% on the year to hit a new record. But the Japanese automaker has yet to regain the top spot it once held.
According to Toyota, the group -- including subsidiaries Daihatsu Motor and Hino Motors -- sold 5.129 million vehicles during the period. In the shrinking U.S. market, Toyota alone sold 1.155 million cars, down 3.6%. As cheaper gasoline prices boost demand for large cars, sales of passenger cars that drive Toyota's high market share are declining.