Toyota Motor Corp.'s Prius gas-electric hybrid car was Japan's best-selling vehicle in October with sales of 26,918 units, staying in the top slot for the fifth straight month, according to industry data released Friday.
Sales of the Prius were robust due to government tax rebates and subsidies for the purchase of fuel-efficient vehicles, industry analysts say.
For the month of October, Honda Motor Co.'s Fit subcompact ranked second with sales of 15,444 units, followed by Suzuki Motor Corp.'s WagonR minicar, according to the surveys by the Japan Automobile Dealers Association and the Japan Mini Vehicles Association.
A separate industry body report released Friday showed sales of imported motor vehicles, including those made at Japanese carmakers' overseas plants, dived 22.7 percent in October from a year earlier to 11,390 units amid severe economic conditions.