For years, the best-selling midsize sedan in California was the vaunted Toyota Camry. But now there’s a new king in town. The Camry in California topped sales based on 2022 new vehicle registrations. This marks a big step for the electric car brand as it continues to capture market share from the Japanese automaker. Even better for , the brand’s SUV also surpassed Toyota’s competitor, scoring two big wins in the largest US car market
Tesla Model 3 vs Toyota Camry units sold in California
For 2022, reports from the California Association of New Car Dealers show 78,934 units sold. That puts it well ahead of the Camry, which shows just under 56,000 registrations in 2022. This is a big step for Tesla as it seeks to dethrone Toyota, but the overall numbers show there is still a long way to go.
, that compact SUV outsold the Toyota RAV4, tumbling Toyota into two key categories at once. The Model Y outsold the RAV4 with 87,257 vehicles sold compared to the Rav’s 59,794. That’s a big swing in Tesla’s favor, but their limited model range keeps it away from the overall crown.
Toyota still holds the lead in the overall standings
Despite losses in two critical categories, Toyota still has significant market share over Tesla in California. Even with 50,000 more vehicles sold between the Model 3 and Model Y, Toyota still held the overall lead for units sold in 2022. With 289,304 units, the Japanese automaker surpassed Tesla by more than 102,000 units. Tesla, for its part, has picked up the pace to 186,711 total vehicles sold in 2022.
As for the market share percentage, Toyota holds 17% of the total market share among car buyers in California. Tesla, meanwhile, managed an 11% market share in the state. While that still puts the Texan EV maker behind their arch-rival, it has gained overall market share. Meanwhile, Toyota and Lexus have combined to lose 14% of their share in California, continuing a slide that began two years ago.
How did Toyota keep the lead?
While both the and RAV4 lost out to their electric rivals, Toyota’s vast collection of vehicles allowed it to stay ahead of Tesla overall. Toyota offers large three-row SUVs, trucks and sports cars, while Tesla’s four-model lineup is limited to just two cars and two crossovers. The numbers suggest that Tesla is poised to outpace Toyota overall over the next couple of years, but for now, Tesla still has the edge.
Time will tell if the Cybertruck, a possible Tesla Roadster, and the refreshed Tesla Model S will help launch the brand ahead of that timeline.
