DETROIT – Toyota Motor has dethroned General MotorsAs America’s Top-Seller Automaker in 2021. It was the first time since 1931 when the Detroit automaker hasn’t been the top-selling American car manufacturer.

This is also the first American non-domestic automaker to hold the top position.

Toyota managed supply chain problems better than GM, allowing them to retake the throne. A continuous shortage in semiconductor chips led to intermittent shutdowns of plants, which resulted in record-low inventories of vehicles for 2021.  

Tuesday, GM reported that it sold 2.2million vehicles in America in 2021. That’s 12.9% more than in 2018. Toyota however, stated that they sold 2.3million vehicles in America last year. This is 10.4% more than 2020. There was an 112,034 vehicle difference between these two carmakers.

Since 1931 when it was surpassed by Ford, GM is the U.S.’s biggest vehicle seller. Ford Motor,Based on data from an industry publication Automotive News.

Ford sold 1.75 million cars through November. However, other major automakers will report on Tuesday their fourth quarter and total 2021 sales. The 2021 sales of light-duty new vehicles are estimated to reach 15 million.

Because of the volatility in markets, analysts and forecasters from the industry are not unanimous about their 2022 sales forecasts. The range is between approximately 15.2 million to 16 million cars or more.