Toyota Prius remains Japan's top-selling car for 12th straight month

Despite a six-month waiting period over in Japan, the Toyota Prius remains on top of the charts as the nation's best-selling vehicle (not just hybrid vehicles) for the 12th consecutive month. As the numbers show, it's not even a close race. The Prius racked up 27,208 total sales for the month of May, whereas the number two model, the Suzuki Wagon R mini-vehicle, barely mustered up half of that number at just 14,475 units and the Daihatsu Tanto came in a close third.

Recent recalls have plagued Toyota products of late, but sales in Japan have remained strong. Analysts cite strong incentives for purchasing green vehicles in Japan as a primary contributor to the success of the Prius. To continue the trend, Toyota hopes to launch a compact hybrid based on the Yaris model and a Prius-based minivan within the next year. The additional models should help Toyota continue to pull away from any remaining competitors.

[Source: Green Car Advisor]