Toyota has beaten the world's car companies to become the best-selling automaker in 2022.

The Japanese brand recorded total sales of 10,483,024 for the entirety of last year, although that number includes Daihatsu and Hino. With the marques mentioned above excluded, Toyota still managed to sell 9,566,961 to customers across the globe. While impressive, that actually represents a decline of 0.5% compared to 2021 sales figures.

Thanks to the popularity of vehicles like the Corolla Sedan and the RAV4, the automaker managed to outsell rival Volkswagen by a considerable margin. For 2022, the VW Group shifted a still-impressive 8,262,800 vehicles worldwide. The German company saw a decline of 7% compared to 2021.

Both Toyota and Volkswagen can likely attribute this decline to supply chain issues, the chip crisis, and several other problems hampering growth in the automotive industry.

"The situation remains difficult to predict due to semiconductor shortages and COVID-19. However, we will continue to carefully monitor the parts supply situation and minimize sudden decreases in production as much as possible while making every effort to deliver as many vehicles to our customers at the earliest date," said Toyota in a statement.

Last month, Toyota delivered 839,299 vehicles globally, 1.4% less than it managed in December 2021. Despite the dwindling sales figures, the carmaker posted improved production figures. Across the Daihatsu, Hino, and Toyota brands, the company manufactured a staggering 10,610,604 vehicles.

Interestingly, Japanese production decreased by 6.2% to 3,653,012. Production outside the automaker's home country increased by 12.5% to 6,957,592. While Toyota still holds the number-one spot globally, it's a different story here in the USA.

General Motors reclaimed the sales crown locally with an impressive 2,274,088 vehicles sold in the United States last year. Chevrolet, GMC, and Cadillac all grew considerably, with Buick being the only brand to take a hit in the sales race.

Comparatively, Toyota delivered 2,108,458 units in 2022. The year before last, the company pipped GM to first place, ending the latter's 90-year-long top sales record. The Japanese carmaker has long been a favorite worldwide, owing to its reputation for reliability, quality, and value for money.

But recently, Toyota has gone beyond this and started offering various exhilarating performance cars such as the GR Supra, GR Corolla, and the GR86. This has affected sports car sales in the USA, where the Japanese brand is now one of the top-selling purveyors of sports cars.