Toyota has responded to rumors of a return to Russia: the Japanese auto giant has made an official statement

Rumors have surfaced in the media that Toyota plans to return to the Russian market.
However, the company has officially denied the reports, confirming that it is not considering resuming vehicle shipments and sales in Russia.

Rumors of Toyota’s Return to Russia

The news about Toyota’s possible return was reported by the Autonews website.
The article claimed that, following talks between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska, a closed-door meeting allegedly took place between Toyota representatives and Russian car dealers.

The source cited Oleg Moiseev, the former head of the “Russian Automobile Dealers” association, Oleg Moiseev, who stated that Toyota “is showing interest in resuming sales” and had allegedly held conferences with dealers in Russia, including to lobby for parallel imports of cars from China.

Toyota’s official position

Toyota Motor Corporation responded promptly to the rumors and issued an official statement denying any plans to return.

“At this time, the company has no plans to import new cars into Russia,” Toyota representatives said.

The company emphasized that while it does indeed hold regular conferences, these relate exclusively to after-sales service for Toyota and Lexus vehicles already in Russia.

Thus, there is no question of resuming sales or launching new shipments.

Toyota left Russia in 2022 and supported the sanctions

As a reminder, Toyota completely withdrew from the Russian market in 2022 following the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The brand closed its plant in St. Petersburg, halted official sales and imports of vehicles, and supported international sanctions against Russia.

After the company’s departure, most dealers shifted to servicing cars already sold, and new Toyota models are imported into the country exclusively through the gray (parallel) market, mainly from China and the UAE.

Conclusion: Toyota is not returning to Russia

Despite numerous rumors in the media and statements by individual car dealers, Toyota has confirmed that its position remains unchanged:
there are no plans for an official presence of the brand in Russia.

The company is focused on developing its business in Europe, Asia, and the electric vehicle market.

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