Toyota's Prius ranks top in June vehicle sales in Japan+

TOKYO, July 6 Kyodo -
Toyota Motor Corp.'s Prius hybrid car was Japan's best-selling vehicle in June
with sales of 22,292 units, industry groups said Monday, as recently introduced
government tax breaks and subsidies helped to boost demand for fuel-efficient
cars.

It is the first time Toyota's gasoline-electric hybrid, including both old and
new models, has garnered the No. 1 spot, topping even minivehicles, which have
engines of up to 660 cc. Sales were up 257.8 percent from a year earlier,
according to the Japan Automobile Dealers Association.
Japan's top automaker rolled out a fully remodeled version of the hybrid car in
mid-May with retail prices starting from 2.05 million yen, nearly 300,000 yen
less than the previous lowest-end model, and with better fuel efficiency at 38
kilometers per liter.
In the June bestseller list including minicars and imported vehicles, Suzuki
Motor Corp.'s WagonR minicar came in second with sales of 16,185 units, down
4.9 percent from a year earlier, according to the Japan Mini Vehicles
Association.
Daihatsu Motor Co.'s Move and Tanto minicars came in third and fourth with
sales of 14,935 units and 13,243 units, respectively.
It is the first time in 18 months that a non-minivehicle has taken the top spot
since Honda Motor Co.'s Fit subcompact car ranked No. 1 in December 2007.
Toyota widened the gap with Honda, the second biggest Japanese automaker and
Toyota's main competitor in the hybrid race. The Prius took not only the No. 1
slot in June but also fifth place in the January-June period within less than
two months of its new version's debut.
In addition to government tax breaks and subsidies, a JADA official said
Toyota's strength also came from its extensive sales network and higher fuel
efficiency.
Honda's Insight hybrid, which hit the Japanese market Feb. 6 with a starting
retail price of 1.89 million yen, got the No. 7 spot in June with sales of
8,782 units and 11th place in the first half of the year with sales of 36,457
units.
During the first six months through June, minicars dominated the top spots with
Suzuki's WagonR ranking first for the sixth straight year, with sales of
111,599 units, down 2.1 percent from a year earlier. Daihatsu's Move and Tanto
came in second and third.
Honda's Fit placed fourth with sales of 65,589 units, down 33.1 percent.
Toyota's Vitz and Passo ranked sixth and seventh with sales of 50,451 units,
down 26 percent, and 47,950 units, up 21.2 percent. The Corolla placed tenth
with sales of 44,586 units, down 44.4 percent.
Nissan Motor Co., Japan's third-largest automaker, dropped out of the top ten
ranking during the six-month period while its Serena minivan placed 10th in
June with sales of 6,657 units, down 0.9 percent.
==Kyodo