Toyota Vows to Protect Camry's Crown as Top US Selling Car

Toyota Motor Corp. plans to protect the Camry sedan's position as the top-selling U.S. car, a company sales executive said.

"I'm very passionate about that," Bob Carter, senior vice president of the carmaker's U.S. sales unit, said Thursday during an Automotive Press Association event in Detroit.

"The mid-size sedan market is the largest segment in the industry and we want Toyota to continue to be America's favorite car, period."

The mid-sized Camry has been the No. 1-selling U.S. car for 11 consecutive years, and remains in the top spot through August.

For much of 2013, Camry deliveries were lower than a year earlier.

A 22 percent surge last month pushed Camry to a gain of 2.3 percent for the 1st 8 months.

Toyota offered incentives averaging $2,560 for each Camry sold in August, up from $1,879 a year earlier, based on an estimate by Edmunds.com, an auto pricing and data company in Santa Monica, Calif.

That was above the industry average for mid-sized sedans of $2,193, said Jessica Caldwell, senior industry analyst for Edmunds.

"Our incentives, while they are up from Toyota's historical averages, they are still less than where the competition currently is," said Carter, who didn't provide specific figures. "The bottom line is, the Camry's No. 1 because it's a great car."

After the speech, Carter declined to comment on whether the Camry needed updating.

"I have nothing to announce today but I will tell you that we like being No. 1 in the largest segment and we'll stay there," Carter told reporters.

 

So numbers are up:
ES300h: 1600
Avalon: 1467
RX450: 1116
GS450h: 69

 

appreciate the understanding and reminder.

precisely.

ok, no need to bring up the same 'debate' again. let's all let it go.

the ES is a roaring success in the U.S.

the GS is doing nicely, considering the narrow range of models, and competition (including Lexus)

 

I too think GS and the Lexus line should have more engine options. Make the 300h available to every the IS, RX and the 450h to the LS.

The LS has a way higher price tag than the ES so even if you rise the quality of it, it won't sell like it is doing now. It has to have a great quality but also an reasonable and affordable price for the majority.

The ES300h pulling out a 20% out of the total sales of the ES!

RX450h at almost 13% and the GS450h just a weak 3%.

The RX needs the 300h engine! Regarding the GS, it seems that the high price point isn't working at all, plus people don't actually see the meaning of the GS450h compared to the GS350...

 

i do see a lot of es300h around. makes sense, a great car for a very good price

 

Most of them are probably sold in California.

I think rest of the world will get 300h in every car save for LS... so GS300h most certainly (announced) but also RX300h quite likely, and we know NX300h is coming... hopefully facelifted CT300h appears too.

 

why do you think that is?

 

yeah, interested to see why you think so? i think it's a great car for most regions

 

Thanks. This proves that people who want hybrids want hybrids that save fuel. The smaller the engine displacement the better. Introducing the IS300h, the RX300h and the GS300h to the market should do wonders like asoksevil suggested. In fact, Toyota/Lexus can do even better by switching to 2.0L direct-injection 4-cylinder hybrids to get even better mpg and even better market reception. Don't even bother with the performance aspect of hybrids unless it's meant to be a sports car.

 

Camry: 44,713 units sold

Mazda 6: 4,249 units sold

According to everyone, Camry sucks, Mazda 6 is best in class.



When are auto journalists and the interwebz going to realize the Toyota knows what people want? The Camry, as it exists, is what people want.

 

Totally agree however... offer me a home grilled burger or a hamburger from McD and I can tell you which I'll choose.

 

The Camry has proven it's merit year after year.

However, if I was in the market I'd prefer to be one of the 4,249.

 

quantity doesn't imply the best as mr. johnson points out with his good burger analogy. it's certainly the best selling though.

miley cirus' new video has had 50 million views in a couple of days, so it must be the best music video ever made, right?

we already know the 'general public' isn't that discriminating or 'into' cars. the camry is reliable well made comfortable transportation at a reasonable price and with a well-earned great reputation. THAT's why it appeals to so many. if that's what you're looking for, i guess you'll join the masses.

 

why would they do better with 2.0l? I think their strategy with 2.5l is much better... makes their cars faster than competition while getting same or better mpg in real life.

IS300h with 20% less hp and torque would suck.... not to mention GS300h or RX300h.

Problem is the pricing, not performance side.. if IS300h has to be priced too high, then it wont get imported... GS450h people dont buy because it is $13k more expensive, not because it is performance hybrid. Everyone who ever tried loves GS450h.. it just needs to be less costly.

If you are thinking Fusion with its 2.0l and 47 MPG - thing is, they manipulate the tests.. in real life, same mpg as Camry or less, but much slower. Same will possibly be with Honda (hopefully not).

So 2.5l was selected for good highway performance as well as good torque/hp characteristics. It would be impossible to use 2.0l with heavy rwd cars like GS300h, IS300h and even RX that will surely get it.

 

Stack them high and sell 'em cheap.