Toyota Motor says US sales rise 20 percent from June as incentives continue to draw buyers

Toyota July sales in US rise 20 pct from June

TORRANCE, Calif. — Toyota says its U.S. sales rose 20 percent last month from June, as the Japanese automaker that has been battered by recalls continues to draw customers.

Sales at Toyota Motor Corp. fell 3.2 percent versus July last year, due to slower sales of small cars that sold briskly during last summer’s Cash for Clunkers program. The program offered rebates to customers who bought fuel-efficient vehicles in exchange for gas guzzlers.

Toyota has been offering generous promotions, including cheap financing and low-cost leases, through much of the year to lure back customers after recalling 9.5 million vehicles. The recalls, which began in October, have covered a range of problems, including sticky gas pedals and faulty floor mats.