Japan December 2013: Honda Fit leads, Vezel lands at #25

Honda Vezel

* See the Top 30 best-selling models and Top 53 All-brands by clicking on the title! *

* The Full Year 2013 Report is here! *

New car sales in Japan are up a splendid 19% year-on-year in December to 254,464 registrations, bringing the final 2013 total to 3,262,522 units, down 4% on 2012. The Honda Fit is the most popular model in the country for the third consecutive month with 22,573 sales, up 159% thanks to the third generation of the model. In fact the Top 7 best-sellers are unchanged vs. last month, with the Toyota Prius at #2 (+1%) followed by the Toyota Aqua (-19%), Toyota Corolla (+119% thanks to the new hybrids), Nissan Note, Serena and Toyota Vitz aka Yaris.

Nissan X-Trail

The new generation Honda Odyssey pushes the nameplate up to #8 this month thanks to 5,006 sales, its first time inside the monthly Top 10 since August 2004, while the new Nissan X-Trail is back inside the Top 20 for only the 2nd time in the last 3 years at #12 with 3,595 units, the nameplate’s new record monthly ranking, beating the #15 it hit back in September 2010. The Mazda Axela remains at #16, the nameplate’s best-ever monthly ranking, thanks to 3,015 sales up 360% year-on-year.

Mazda Axela

The Toyota SAI is up 3 spots on November and 541% year-on-year to #21 with 2,478 sales, its highest ranking in the country since March 2010 (#19). Finally the big event of the month in Japan: the first appearance in the ranking of the mini-SUV Honda Vezel at #25 with 2,207 sales. The Vezel is the direct competitor of the Nissan Juke which hasn’t been seen inside the monthly Top 30 since last September but peaked at #13 in September 2011. Let’s see if the Vezel can do better with the help of its hybrid variant.

Previous month: Japan November 2013: Honda Fit confirms pole position, Odyssey at highest in 9 years

One year ago: Japan December 2012: Subaru Impreza and Forester break records

Full December 2013 Top 30 models and Top 13 All-brands Ranking Table below.