According to the Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), nearly 400,000 new vehicles were registered in the UK during March, up from just over 310,000 during the same period in 2009. The government's now-concluded scrappage incentive scheme accounted for 12.2% of registrations.
Toyota, which was forced to recall more than eight million vehicles globally as a result of defective accelerator pedals, saw new car sales rise 15.4% year on year in March, from just over 15,000, to 18,000.
However, the full impact of the recall on sales may not be seen for some months, given the length of time it takes to register a new vehicle.
SMMT chief executive Paul Everitt said: "A strong March performance was underpinned by the scrappage incentive and improving demand in the fleet sector. The coming months will remain challenging and headline registration numbers are expected to dip, but underlying demand will continue to improve slowly."
Last month, Toyota launched an above-the-line campaign, by incumbent agency Saatchi & Saatchi, reassuring consumers it was: "More committed to quality than ever".
.jpg)
.jpg)