Toyota’s best-selling model in 2026 isn’t the RAV4

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Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) has posted its US sales results for March and the first quarter of 2026, and the news isn’t as positive as we’ve come to expect from the Japanese brand. In March, Toyota sold 182,606 vehicles, down 6.9%, while quarterly sales reached 488,468 units, steady but still down 0.3%. These numbers do not include Lexus sales; Taking luxury brands into account, TMNA ​​sales fell by 17.3% in March. As we’ll see when we dig into the numbers, the decline in sales of the best-selling RAV4 brought the company’s overall numbers down significantly — but there’s a good reason for that.

The Camry takes the top spot

Toyota launched the all-new RAV4 crossover last year. Converting the best-selling vehicle of the company over the years into a new generation model is becoming complicated. While demand for the SUV remains high, production is still ramping up for the new RAV4, which has affected early sales.

“We maintained steady year-over-year sales while navigating production disruptions and limited inventory during the ramp-up of our traditional volume leader, the new RAV4,” said Andrew Gilleland, senior vice president, Automotive Operations Group, TMNA.

As a result, RAV4 sales fell to 21,693 units in March, a sharp year-over-year decline of 47.7%. It went from Toyota’s best-selling model a year ago to fourth place last month. These are Toyota’s top selling models last month:

1. Toyota Camry: 30,680 (+3.4% YoY)

2. Toyota Tacoma: 24,998 (+4.4% YoY)

3. Toyota Corolla: 23,210 (+8% YoY)

4. Toyota RAV4: 21,693 (-47.7% YoY)

5. Toyota Grand Highlander: 13,895 (+26.8% YoY)

It’s rare that an automaker’s best-selling vehicle in 2026 is a sedan, but the Camry earned the honor for Toyota in March and the quarter. RAV4 first quarter sales fell 48.1 percent to 59,869 units compared to 115,402 units in the same quarter last year. In February, we notified dealers that 2026 RAV4 inventory would be tight for TMNA ​​owners. To compensate, dealers have been asked to redirect customers to other models in the company’s lineup in the meantime. It’s a tough question, because nothing else offers the RAV4’s near-perfect combination of practicality, efficiency, and value.

Related: Toyota’s RAV4 is so popular it’s becoming a problem

Grand Highlander Hybrid and Corolla Cross hit new heights

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Toyota reported best-ever sales for the gas-powered Corolla Cross and Grand Highlander hybrid, though it’s unclear whether that relates to March or first-quarter sales. In Q1, Grand Highlander Hybrid sales reached 20,532 units, a healthy growth of 86.9%.

On the other hand, Corolla Cross Hybrid sales fell a whopping 78.4% in March, so the bulk of the crossover’s 11,709 sales were for the gas-only model. A series of recalls affecting the Corolla Cross Hybrid may have something to do with that.

4Runner (+77.4%), bZ (+139.5%), and GR Supra (+99.4%) were the fastest-growing models in terms of March sales. The all-new C-HR EV started off with just 13 sales in March, but that’s expected to increase in the coming months.

What does it mean?

Toyota’s latest sales report isn’t cause for panic just yet. While sales are down overall, that has more to do with the transition to the new RAV4 generation and doesn’t reflect lower demand for the crossover. March was a particularly strong month in the 2025 industry, while record car prices and winter weather further hampered sales last month.

Meanwhile, the Camry has demonstrated its resilience and continued relevance despite a decline in sedan demand. It was Toyota’s last best-selling model (in terms of annual sales) in 2016 before the RAV4 took over. For anyone who wants a RAV4 but can’t find one due to low inventory, the Camry is a viable option with its punchy hybrid powertrain and sub-$30k starting price.

This story was originally published by Autoblog on April 2, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Autoblog as a preferred resource by clicking here.