New York: Japanese carmakers, including Toyota Motor and Honda Motor, reported a significant increase in vehicle sales in the United States for April, totaling 464,372 units. This marks an 11.8% rise compared to the previous year. The surge in sales is largely attributed to consumer anticipation of price hikes due to impending tariffs on imported cars, as highlighted by recent automotive industry data.
According to Bahrain News Agency, Toyota, Honda, Subaru, and Mazda have been key players in this growth, with varying degrees of vehicle imports from Japan. Subaru and Mazda export approximately 50% and 70% of their US-sold vehicles from Japan, respectively, while Toyota imports over 20% and Honda less than 1%. Additionally, these companies also source vehicles from other international markets for US sales.
The carmakers have noted a particular interest in hybrid and sport utility vehicles, as buyers hurried their purchases to avoid the expected tariff-induced price increases. Despite the current sales boost, the outlook for the automotive market remains uncertain, with the possibility of reduced demand in the future due to this advance buying behavior.
Toyota reported a 10% increase in sales, reaching 233,045 vehicles, with the Camry hybrid leading the demand. Honda's sales rose by 18.1%, totaling 137,656 vehicles, driven by the popularity of the CR-V hybrid SUV. Subaru saw a modest 0.3% rise in sales to 56,011 vehicles, buoyed by the Crosstrek SUV. Mazda experienced a significant 21% jump in sales, reaching 37,660 vehicles, thanks to the strong performance of the CX-90.