Toyota trailed its rivals on July 1 after posting weaker-than-expected June U.S. sales which rose 6.8% from a year earlier but were down from the incentive-driven strong performance in May.
Sales for the first half of the year were up 10.6% to 846,542 vehicles from the depressed 2009 levels.
"Toyota performed well during the first half of the year, despite a difficult economic environment," said Jim Lentz, president and chief operating officer of Toyota Motor Sales USA.
"Although the entire automotive industry struggled in June as weakening consumer confidence weighed on sales, Toyota maintains its leadership position as the number one retail brand in the industry year-to-date."
Toyota's June sales rose to 140,604 from 131,654 a year earlier but were down from the 162,813 vehicles sold in May with the help of the Memorial Day weekend deals.
Automotive analysis group Edmunds.com forecast an 8.9% increase in Toyota's June sales.
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2010
