Toyota sales in December 2016 grow by 29 per cent

Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) sold 14,093 cars overall in December 2016. This shows a growth of 29 per cent as against the 10,883 units sold in the same month in 2015.

TKM's sales performance in the last month also makes it their highest ever sales in December in the last five years. In the domestic market, the carmaker sold 12,747 units and exported 1,346 units, which includes the Etios series of cars. The company, on the other hand, had exported 441 units in December 2015.

N. Raja, Director and Sr. Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Toyota Kirloskar Motor said, "December is usually a high selling month as most manufacturers try and liquidate the year end stocks and come up with schemes offering huge discounts on products. In our case, we ensure a lean inventory at all times both on our side as well as the dealer and we have been able to maintain the same in the year end as well. This indicates the strong demand in the market for our products and especially the demand for the new Crysta and Fortuner which are new launches. Both these products have received an overwhelming response and we are very grateful to our customers for that."

TKM has not given out a model-wise break-up of the sales figures of their vehicles. But, the carmaker says that the new Innova Crysta added to 65 per cent of growth in the Innova brand. However, it is the new Fortuner that has accounted for over 174 per cent growth last month. This was the major factor contributing to the highest sales in the month of December in the last five years. In addition, the carmaker achieved another significant milestone of the Fortuner brand crossing more than one lakh units in India since its introduction in 2009.

Coming to the Etios series of cars, the updated version that was launched in September has also brought in a hike of seven per cent in sales for the manufacturer. The products from Toyota's line-up have shown a growth of eight per cent in the last quarter as against the corresponding period in 2015. Despite the downward trend in customer enquiries and walk-ins at dealerships as an impact of demonetisation, the carmaker has managed to keep the sales numbers up.