Two Suzuki Motor Corp. minicar models were among the top 10 best-selling vehicles in Japan in May, but sales were still down on last year amid revelations of improper fuel-testing methods, industry data released Monday showed.
The auto manufacturer, which revealed the same month that it had been using the methods since around 2010, saw its Alto ranked seventh with 7,211 units sold, down 9.8 percent, and Spacia model ranked ninth at 6,676 units, down 17.0 percent.
The data, from the Japan Automobile Dealers Association and the Japan Light Motor Vehicle and Motorcycle Association, showed no Mitsubishi Motors Corp. minicar models were sold. MMC suspended production and sales of the eK Wagon and eK Space, as well as the Dayz and Dayz Roox minicars it was supplying to Nissan Motor Co., after admitting in late April to inflating fuel-efficiency data.
Two other minicars, defined as those with engines no larger than 660 cc, made it into the top 10, down from five a month earlier, according to the industry data.
Honda Motor Co.'s N-Box saw a 10.5 percent jump in sales to 11,487 units, edging Daihatsu Motor Co.'s Tanto, which sold 11,283 units, up 29.9 percent.
Toyota Motor Corp.'s Prius hybrid maintained the top spot in the rankings for the sixth straight month, after registering a nearly 2.5-fold increase from the previous year to 21,527 units.
Toyota rolled out its fourth-generation Prius, which boasts the world's best fuel economy, in December.