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TOKYO — Toyota Motor Corp., the world's No. 1 automaker, reported Friday that its global production in November fell for the third straight month, even as Japanese rivals Nissan and Honda expanded output.
Toyota, whose reputation took a hit this year from massive recalls, said its worldwide production fell 8.7 percent from a year earlier to 656,924 vehicles. Production outside Japan rose 0.3 percent thanks to higher output in South Africa and elsewhere in Asia.
The maker of the Corolla and Prius hybrid recorded a 9.4 percent fall in exports and a 35 percent slide in domestic sales, which tumbled industrywide because of the expiration of government subsidies for eco-car purchases.
Tokyo-based Honda Motor Co. produced 317,473 vehicles globally in November, up 5.4 percent from a year earlier and the 12th straight month of growth.
Production in China and Asia hit a record high for the company, Honda said. In China alone, it made 61,955 vehicles, up 2.7 percent from the previous year. Honda's exports rose 71 percent, while sales in Japan plunged 37 percent.
Nissan Motor Co., based in Yokohama, Japan, made 372,106 vehicles during the month, up 19 percent and a record high for November, the company said. Robust demand for the new March compact car and the NV200 van drove China production up 19 percent on year to 91,633. That helped offset an 8.6 percent output decline in the U.S.
Among other automakers, Mazda Motor Corp.'s global production jumped 22.6 percent to 120,991 vehicles in November. Mitsubishi Motors Corp. produced 103,848 vehicles, up 11.2 percent.
