Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc.,March sales reaches 186,863 units, an increase of 35.3 percent over the same period last year, on a daily selling rate ( DSR) basis,Toyota U.S.A. said on its website Thursday.

On a raw volume basis, unadjusted for 26 selling days in March 2010, compared to 25 selling days in March 2009, TMS sales were up 40.7 percent for the month, compared to the same period last year, according to TMS.

Toyota Division recorded March sales of 166,644 vehicles, an increase of 35.1 percent over the year-ago month, on a DSR basis. On a raw volume basis, Toyota Division sales were up 40.6 percent over last March. Lexus reported sales of 20,219 units in March, up 36.5 percent over March 2009, on a DSR basis. Volume-wise, Lexus Division sales were up 42.0 percent over the year-ago month.

"Toyota's strong sales performance in March reflects our customers' continued confidence in the safety and reliability of our vehicles and their trust in the brand," said Don Esmond, senior vice president of automotive operations for Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. "We are standing by our cars, and we're grateful that our customers are standing by Toyota."

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A has boosted incentives to combat big recalls that prompted U.S. safety regulators to order a brief halt in sales of its most popular models, which contributes to the up in the sales, according to U.S. media.

For the first quarter, TMS reported sales of 385,686 vehicles, an increase of 8.7 percent over the same period in 2009, on a DSR basis. With 74 selling days in the first quarter of 2010, compared to 75 selling day in the first quarter of 2009, sales were up 7.2 percent on an unadjusted raw volume basis.

Toyota Division passenger cars recorded March sales of 94,221 units, an increase of 23.5 percent over the same period last year. Passenger car sales were led by Camry and Camry Hybrid which posted combined March sales of 36,251 units, up 35.2 percent over the year-ago month.

Corolla posted sales of 29,623 units for the month, up 28.0 percent over last March. The Prius mid-size gas-electric hybrid posted March sales of 11,786 units, up 27.0 percent over March 2009.

Venza posted a best-ever March, recording sales of 5,227 units, up 36.0 percent over the same period last year.