Although Toyota has recently claimed the title of the World's Largest Automaker in terms of global sales, the Japanese-giant is finding out that life at the top isn't all it's cracked-up to be. While the Camry, Corolla, Yaris and Prius sedans are reportedly brisk movers, the same thing cannot be said about Toyota's line of trucks and sport utility vehicles. Toyota has cut Tundra and Sequoia production already, but dealers are still declining to purchase them, pushing the number of unclaimed units to an all-time high. Automotive News quotes an unnamed Toyota dealer as saying, "Last month, Southeast Toyota had 9,700 vehicles that had been turned down twice by dealers and are either sitting at the port or at sea. That's a significant number." Right now, Toyota/Scion has a high 58-day supply of available inventory on hand.Some dealers, though, see the high number of available units as a blessing-in-disguise. "We've been asking for more inventory for two years and now we finally got it. This is a great opportunity. You have to take it when you can get it," says Steve Cain, general manager of Lewis Toyota-Scion in Topeka, Kansas. Regardless of your viewpoint, we expect that Toyota will align itself with market realities in order to bring production in line with actual sales sooner rather than later. In other words, if you've been in the market for a Toyota truck, chances are good you'll get a decent deal.
[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Allan @ Apr 28th 2008 3:11PM
If it is mostly trucks and SUVs... are other makes experiencing similar issues or is it just a Toyota thing?
psarhjinian @ Apr 28th 2008 3:23PM
Other makes are seeing exactly the same thing. Cheap, frugal cars selling better; larger, more wasteful vehicles not selling as well.
To quote: It's the economy, stupid.
Allan @ Apr 28th 2008 3:39PM
Thanks. That's what I assumed... but with zero mention of any other brand or make, it appeared to be either an anti-Toyota post just looking to start some crap... or maybe an accidental lacking of detail.
Xcountryflyer @ Apr 28th 2008 3:43PM
I think it is more to do with general slow sales of SUVs and trucks due to rising gas prices. The midsize and smaller cars seem to be doing well. Good time to buy a Toyota I guess.
Mbuku Kanyau Mbithuka @ Apr 28th 2008 3:53PM
Wasteful? SUV's are not wasteful. They are good for the economy.
Frylock350 @ Apr 28th 2008 3:53PM
Its not a Toyota thing, SUVs are down in general. It just looks particularly bad for them because they expect a huge ramp-up in sales of their large trucks and as such produced a quantity to meed a badly mis projected demand. They're competing in a shrinking market with superior competitors, that's never good for sales.
Temple @ Apr 28th 2008 4:01PM
Sales are down everywhere;especially in trucks and SUVs. Not surprisingly, hybrid sales are up this year again. Economy is doing poor and gas prices are high.
Why was Toyota singled out? Well, its probably because its Autoblog.
Tricky dicky @ Apr 28th 2008 4:17PM
check some facts dudes.. domestics have been shrinking their supply as of late.. But as per normal, if toyota is having issues, so must everyone else - toyotas is still not horrible, but for them it is out of control.
In their lust to (by their own words) expand their marketshare in full sized trucks and SUVs they failed to see the signs.
Jason @ Apr 28th 2008 4:23PM
Toyota is just a fad that's passing by!! Now that the domestic are fully awake, you will see innovations that the Japanese are not good in doing. They are great copiers and no can take that away from them.
Dave @ Apr 28th 2008 9:44PM
It also looks like American's are starting to smell the coffee and realize that Toyota's are no better than the others and the recalls are helping contribute to that.
SPG @ Apr 28th 2008 3:12PM
A lot of buyers are going to be facing some pretty sweet deals on some new Toyota's.
Aprime @ Apr 28th 2008 3:16PM
And dropping resale value! :D
Pluton @ Apr 28th 2008 3:13PM
Or, may be it is due to rising gas prices!
james.weisflock@cox.com @ Apr 28th 2008 3:20PM
They dipped their toes into a very saturated part of the market and with fullsize trucks brand loyalty is extreme. It's no wonder they cut production on their biggest trucks already, in fact they may have been better off if they had just stayed out of it altogether. Demand for SUVs like the 4Runner (and others in it's class) are also tanking in favor of crossovers and cars.
Tim @ Apr 28th 2008 3:33PM
I'll have to agree with the fake stig. Toyota should have stayed out of this market all together. Instead they should have plowed R&D into a V-8 Tacoma double cab, a supercharged 4 cylinder Tacoma and a small car based pickup. Also with the 4 runner so large who needs the sequoia?
havoc @ Apr 28th 2008 3:21PM
i wonder how Longo is doing now...
farrellc @ Apr 28th 2008 3:24PM
i was actually in san diego and i past the port on highway and there was at least 100 tacomas waiting at the port to be delivered.
Thedevil @ Apr 28th 2008 3:26PM
I'm scratching my head right now,i thought every one with trucks and SUV'S are finding it hard to sell them like before.not just toyota.can autoblog please tell us who's suv's are flying off dealers lots,
oby @ Apr 28th 2008 3:30PM
This is news? Or more likely, you wanted to say something negative about the company that's eating your darling's (Clueless Motors) lunch.
Thedevil @ Apr 28th 2008 3:34PM
I concur oby,autoblog is just fishing for a toyota story, PATHETIC!!!