Fit Trumps Prius

The former king of the sales charts in Japan has been usurped. The Toyota Prius has held its position throughout 2010, but now it is Honda’s Fit that has taken pole.

Not only did the “Eco Car” incentive scheme perhaps not prove so “Eco” after all, but now we can see how it was also distorting the sales of new cars. Smart Prius buyers all made sure they got their purchases in prior to the end of this government scheme nominally in aid of boosting environmentally-friendly vehicle sales. So as soon as the bonus money ran dry in October, Prius sales started to drop, and it seems that now the new car market is righting itself again.

This latest generation Fit is once again an attractive blend of excellent packaging, sharp pricing and frugality. With the addition of the hybrid version as well, you can see why it would be riding high in the sales charts even in this environment of disappointing new car sales in Japan.

Source: The Truth About Cars