Toyota world's biggest automaker after Volkswagen sales fall in October

Toyota Motor Corp. remains the world's top-selling automaker after Volkswagen AG sales fell 5.3 per cent in the wake of its diesel emissions scandal.

Volkswagen briefly claimed the top selling title earlier this year, but Toyota has out sold Volkswagen on a year-to-date basis since July.

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Toyota said on Friday its group vehicle sales totalled 8.35 million in the January-October period, more than the 8.26 million vehicles delivered by Volkswagen during the same period.

Group sales at the Japanese auto maker in the year through October eased 1.2 per cent from the previous year, while Volkswagen group sales for same period eased 1.7 per cent on the year.

North American vehicle sales are at record levels, but there has been a drop in important markets such as China and Europe.

Earlier this month, Volkswagen said October sales fell 5.3 per cent year-on-year after it admitted that it cheated diesel emissions tests in some of its cars sold in the United States since 2009.

Volkswagen is under intense financial pressure because of the cost of recalling and fixing cars worldwide and mounting legal costs.

South Korea said Thursday it fined Volkswagen $12.3 million and ordered recalls of 125,522 diesel vehicles after finding emissions tests were rigged.