Toyota Prius cedes Japan car market leadership to Honda Fit in Jan.

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Toyota Motor Corp.'s Prius hybrid surrendered its leadership in Japan's passenger car market in January for the first time in 20 months, with Honda Motor Co.'s subcompact Fit likely to capture the top slot, industry sources said Tuesday.

Overall vehicle sales in January, excluding minivehicles with engines of up to 660 cc, tumbled 21.5 percent from a year earlier to 187,154 units, falling for the fifth consecutive month, the Japan Automobile Dealers Association said the same day.

While sales of the Prius began falling year on year after the government subsidy program to promote eco-friendly car purchases ended in September, Fit sales have been robust due to the launch in October of a hybrid model with a starting price of 1.59 million yen, the most inexpensive in Japan among vehicles powered by electric motors and gasoline.

The sales rankings do not include minicars, but the Fit is likely to have become the front-runner in January for the first time since December 2007 even if minivehicle data are included, the sources said.

In January, Fit sales totaled about 15,000 units, up around 10 percent from a year earlier, with Prius sales at some 14,000 units, down an estimated 40 percent, according to the sources.
The Prius apparently lost some of its potential buyers to Toyota's all-new, fuel-efficient Vitz subcompact, which hit the market in December.

Among best-selling minivehicles, Daihatsu Motor Co.'s Move and Tanto sold some 9,000 units each between Jan. 1 and 28, and Suzuki Motor Corp.'s WagonR about 8,000 units, according to the sources.

The official sales rankings data are due to be released by the Japan Automobile Dealers Association and the Japan Mini Vehicles Association on Friday.

In January, passenger car sales excluding minicars dived 23.8 percent from a year earlier to 167,574 units. Cargo vehicle sales climbed 7.5 percent to 18,863 units, while bus sales tumbled 25.5 percent to 717 vehicles.

Source;
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/business/news/20110201p2g00m0bu085000c.html