Toyota tops Volkswagen for second consecutive year

Toyota Motor Corp. said on Friday that its vehicle sales rose by 10.1% last year, making it the world's top carmaker for a second consecutive year and putting it further ahead of its nearest rival, Germany's Volkswagen AG.

In 2021, sales amounted to 10.5 million vehicles, including those by Daihatsu Motor Co. and Hino Motors Ltd.

That compares with 8.9 million delivered by Volkswagen in the same period, a 5% fewer than in 2020 and its lowest sales figures in 10 years.

Carmakers have had to cut output because of a shortage of semiconductors during the coronavirus epidemic, which has boosted competition for the key component among the makers of consumer electronic devices.

The Japanese company has weathered the pandemic better than most other carmakers, because of its home market and parts of Asia, which have been less affected than Europe.