Toyota Motor Corp.'s new car sales in the United States rose 24.4 percent in April from a year before to 157,439 units, marking the second consecutive month of strong growth, according to a U.S. research firm.
The rise, following a 40.7 percent increase in March, signals that the crisis-hit automaker is making a solid recovery after its sales sank to a 12-year low in February due to massive recalls.
The improvement is riding on the back of aggressive sales incentives featuring up to 60 months of interest-free loans and two years of free maintenance service. These measures will be in place until June 1.
Toyota has been hurt by massive recalls of some of its most popular models. It started recalling 2.21 million vehicles Jan. 21 and suspended sales of eight popular models, including the Camry and the Corolla, from the last week of January through early February to address faulty gas pedals.