Through September 2015, Toyota has sold more vehicles (7.49 million) than Volkswagen (7.43 million), making it once again the world’s No. 1 automaker, Automotive News Europe reports.
However, both are experiencing a 1.5% drop from the previous year.
The emissions scandal that’s currently tarnishing the reputation of Volkswagen has had little impact on these numbers since the news broke out in mid-September only. On the other hand, a decline of 7.4% in China, its largest market, is a main reason why VW lost its title to Toyota. Expect even more losses in the next few months as the company begins its huge recall campaign to fix rigged diesel engines.
As for Toyota, the launch of the next-generation Prius and the updated Land Cruiser luxury SUV will certainly help boost sales and solidify the Japanese manufacturer’s newly reacquired global sales lead.