Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Toyota Sales Crash 28% in China and a Third in the Middle East
Toyota’s sales have plunged 28% in China and approximately one-third across the Middle East, deepening pressure on the world’s largest carmaker.
First-quarter operating profit fell 9%, marking Toyota’s fifth consecutive quarterly decline, while global sales slipped 3.5%. Chinese electric-car brands are intensifying competition at home and overseas, challenging Toyota in two strategically important regions.
Middle Eastern deliveries also face disruption from regional conflict, forcing Toyota to reroute some vehicles overland. Meanwhile, four Japanese factories remain halted following an earthquake, creating further uncertainty around production, supplies and customer delivery times for buyers.
Toyota plans to respond with an even larger hybrid offensive, targeting five million hybrid sales during this financial year.
Despite the setbacks, Toyota remains highly profitable and raised its annual operating-profit forecast 13% to ¥3.4 trillion, largely because of a weaker yen. That projection does not yet include the earthquake’s eventual production impact, leaving another potentially expensive unknown ahead.
Toyota Sales Crash 28% in China and a Third in the Middle East
Toyota’s sales have plunged 28% in China and approximately one-third across the Middle East, deepening pressure on the world’s largest carmaker.
First-quarter operating profit fell 9%, marking Toyota’s fifth consecutive quarterly decline, while global sales slipped 3.5%. Chinese electric-car brands are intensifying competition at home and overseas, challenging Toyota in two strategically important regions.
Middle Eastern deliveries also face disruption from regional conflict, forcing Toyota to reroute some vehicles overland. Meanwhile, four Japanese factories remain halted following an earthquake, creating further uncertainty around production, supplies and customer delivery times for buyers.
Toyota plans to respond with an even larger hybrid offensive, targeting five million hybrid sales during this financial year.
Despite the setbacks, Toyota remains highly profitable and raised its annual operating-profit forecast 13% to ¥3.4 trillion, largely because of a weaker yen. That projection does not yet include the earthquake’s eventual production impact, leaving another potentially expensive unknown ahead.
