Toyota's global dominance faces new test

Toyota Motor's global sales weakened for a fourth straight month in May 2026, with particularly sharp declines in China and the Middle East impacting the brand's overall results.

Toyota (TM) has been the world's leading automaker for six consecutive years, outperforming rivals even in the face of significant challenges, including the pandemic, related supply chain disruptions, and the EV transition.

The downturn in Toyota sales suggests that even this auto giant is vulnerable in an increasingly competitive global market.

The decline is most prevalent in China, where tough market conditions and the rise of domestic brands are straining legacy automakers.

In May, Toyota sold 834,279 vehicles globally, a year-on-year decline of 7.2%. While U.S. sales — Toyota's top market — remained relatively steady with a 0.6% decline, China dropped by 31.7%, and Middle East figures were down by 38.6%.

Overseas sales fell 9.6%, although Japan sales were a rare bright spot, up by 11.1%.

As the largest vehicle market in the world, the slump in China is especially concerning. Domestic brands such as BYD and Geely have eroded the competitive advantage of legacy brands like Toyota by improving qual

Fuente original: Yahoo Finance (https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/toyotas-global-dominance-faces-test-171700529.html)