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Toyota's Global Sales Contracts 7.3% in March

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-- Toyota's (TYO:7203) global sales fell in March year on year, mainly due to the impact of the changeover to the all-new RAV4, according to a statement on Monday.

Global sales, including its luxury Lexus brand, contracted 7.3% from the same month a ​year earlier to 897,871 vehicles, with sales outside Japan falling 7.2% and domestic sales declining 7.8%.

By region, sales in China dropped 8% amid an increasingly competitive market environment.

In the U.S., sales declined 8.5%: although demand for HEVs and other models remained solid, the year-on-year decrease was due to a rebound from last year's pre-tariff-driven demand and the impact of the transition to the all-new RAV4.

Global production increased by 2.1% in March from a year earlier, up 4.9% overseas, but dropped 3.3% in ​Japan.

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