Toyota Motor Corp.'s Corolla regained the title of Japan's best-selling car in 2003 after a one-year absence from the top spot, even though sales fell 12.1 percent to 198,904 units, the Japan Automobile Dealers Association said Thursday.

The Corolla had been in the top spot for 33 straight years until 2002, when it ranked second. It was followed last year by Honda Motor Co.'s Fit subcompact, which sold 182,285 units.

Sales of the Fit, the best-selling car in 2002, dropped 27.3 percent from the previous year.

Toyota's Wish minivan came in third with 158,658.

For the month of December, Honda's Odyssey minivan, which was remodeled in October, was the top seller.