TOKYO, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Toyota Motor Corp. said Monday it sold 5,267,216 vehicles in the April-September period, up 4.7 percent from a year earlier, hitting a record high for a fiscal first half.

The world's largest automaker said the increase was driven by robust demand for hybrid vehicles in North America and China.

Sales in the United States jumped 11.3 percent to 1,295,606 vehicles on strong demand for hybrid vehicles, while in China, Toyota saw its sales rise 5.5 percent to 914,342 units, helped by the launch of a new electric vehicle.

But domestic sales edged down 0.4 percent to 713,967 units amid an ongoing recovery from a fall caused by a recall of the popular Prius hybrid.

Meanwhile, worldwide production in the six months gained 6.0 percent to 4,985,122 vehicles, as domestic output increased 3.4 percent to 1,585,622, lifted by a rebound following a certification scandal last year, Toyota said.

In September alone, Toyota's global sales climbed 3.1 percent year-on-year to 879,314 vehicles, rising for the ninth straight month, while its output surged 11.1 percent to 918,146 units, a record high for the month. ■