The Toyota Prius outsold all other cars in Japan in June, even minivehicles, posting sales of 22,292 units, industry groups said Monday, as government tax breaks and other subsidies helped boost demand for fuel-efficient automobiles.
It is the first time the gasoline-electric hybrid, including both old and new models, has reached the No. 1 spot, topping even the ever-popular minivehicles, which have engines no bigger than 660cc.
Toyota Motor Corp. rolled out a fully remodeled version of the Prius in mid-May with a retail price of ¥2.05 million, nearly ¥300,000 cheaper than the previous lowest-end model, and with better fuel-efficiency at 38 km per liter.
The June best-seller list, including minicars and imported vehicles, found Suzuki Motor Corp.'s WagonR minicar in second place, followed by Daihatsu Motor Co.'s Move and Tanto minicars.
It is the first time in 18 months that a car other than a minivehicle took the top slot since Honda Motor Co.'s Fit subcompact ranked No. 1 in December 2007.
Toyota widened the gap with Honda, its main competitor in the hybrid race, with the Prius taking not only the No. 1 slot in June but also fifth place in the January-June period within less than two months after its debut.