Toyota stays No. 1 automaker, sells 10.15M vehicles in 2015

TOKYO (AP) - Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday it sold 10.151 million vehicles in 2015, retaining its status as the world's top-selling automaker for the fourth straight year.

The sales figure compared with 2015 sales of 9.93 million vehicles for Volkswagen AG and 9.8 million for General Motors.

Toyota, which makes the Prius hybrid, Camry sedan and Lexus luxury models, has forecast sales at 10.114 million vehicles in 2016. Its actual sales in 2015 beat its forecast for sales of 10.098 million vehicles.

Volkswagen AG, which overtook Toyota in sales in the first half of the year, suffered in the second half from an emissions cheating scandal involving diesel cars.

Auto sales in major markets such as the U.S. and Japan have slowed, while emerging markets that had sustained growth in recent years, such as Thailand and Indonesia, have weakened.

In 2014, Toyota sold 10.23 million vehicles, Volkswagen sold 10.14 million vehicles, and General Motors was third at 9.92 million vehicles.

Detroit-based GM, which makes Cadillacs, Chevrolets, Buicks and Opels, was the top-selling automaker for more than seven decades until being surpassed by Toyota in 2008.

GM retook the sales crown for one year in 2011, when a tsunami and quake disaster struck northeastern Japan, disrupting production.