Toyota had a record-breaking 2023 in Europe by delivering 1,173,419 vehicles, including those that came with a Lexus badge. The Yaris Cross was the company's most popular product with 195,569 units, followed by the Corolla family with 166,925 cars, and the C-HR with 117,552 vehicles shipped to customers. However, other sales figures caught our attention.
The GR86 was purchased 4,041 times on the Old Continent last year, therefore outselling the Prius lineup, which only mustered 2,755 sales. How did it happen? It's a good question, especially since there are plenty of incentives available for those buying an electrified car in Europe. There are several reasons we can think of. First, the Prius is only sold there as a plug-in hybrid, without the self-charging variant. In addition, customer deliveries of the new model didn't start until later in the year.
2023 Toyota GR86 (UK-spec)
Then there's the GR86, which has its days numbered in Europe. As early as 2021, Toyota announced it would sell the second generation of the rear-wheel-drive sports car until the end of 2024. Americans, don't fret – the model will continue in other markets, but it'll indeed be axed in Europe from 2025. There's a misunderstanding the model's announced death has to do with stricter emissions regulations.
However, the truth is the GR86 won't meet stricter safety regulations that'll come into effect next year. These legislative changes will also impact already built cars that haven't been sold. Toyota said the car would have to be "completely re-engineered" to meet the tougher legislation. Doing so would not only be a costly endeavor but it would also "detrimentally affect the dynamic character of the car."
With that in mind, perhaps Europeans were in a hurry to buy a GR86 in 2023, knowing the car would be gone from the lineup by 2025. If our assumption is correct, sales numbers for this year should also be strong since the vehicle is fewer than 12 months away from being retired. Toyota "is encouraging people to recognize that the window of opportunity to own and enjoy a new GR86 is strictly limited. Because once that window has closed, it's closed for good."
Toyota Europe's sales numbers for 2023 also reveal the GR Yaris wasn't far behind the Prius. With 2,454 hot hatches sold, the pocket rocket trailed behind the Prii (yes, that's the official plural, chosen in 2011 after "The Prius Goes Plural" voting campaign) by only 301 cars. Elsewhere, the more expensive Supra garnered the interest of 939 buyers, outselling the Mirai fuel cell hydrogen sedan by 135 cars.
