The all-new Toyota Prius was the most popular selling car in Japan for the month of May, according to numbers just released by the Japan Automobile Dealers Association.
In total, Toyota sold 10,915 Prius models to take the top sales spot, which was held last month by rival Honda Motor Co. and its new Insight hybrid. For May the Insight dropped to third with 8,183 units sold. Honda did manage to grab the second spot as well, however, selling 8,859 Fits in May.
This marks the second straight month in a row that a hybrid has been the top seller in Japan. Hybrid sales have become increasingly popular in Japan due to government incentives as well as significantly reduced prices.
After Honda priced its Insight at $19,700 in Japan, Toyota responded by dropping the MSRP on the Prius to $20,900 - almost $3,100 less than the past model.
"I am very relieved about the sales, and I am excited to find out more about the customers' response," said top Prius engineer Akihiko Otsuka.
Despite the success of the Toyota Prius in the past, this is the first time it has ever clinched a monthly top-seller spot in Japan.
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Toyota Prius Is The Top Selling Car in Japan in May on AutoGuide.com
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