Japan Full Year 2013: Toyota Aqua celebrates first year on top

The Toyota Aqua is #1 at year-end for the first time in Japan.

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New car sales are down 3% year-on-year in Japan to 3,262,522 registrations in 2013. This year the Toyota Aqua breaks 4 consecutive years of Toyota Prius domination to take the lead for the first time over a full year in spite of sales down 2% to 262,367 units, vs. 253,711 (-20%) for the Prius. This is the first time a new nameplate leads Japanese sales since 2009 when the Prius first took the lead. The fight was tight however, with the Prius holding the year-to-date #1 spot in June and July and topping the monthly charts 3 times vs. 6 for the Aqua. The 2014 ranking is almost impossible to predict, with the Honda Fit (#3 this year) dominating the ranking over the last 3 months of the year thanks to the third generation kicking, above the Prius and Aqua almost at the same level…

The Nissan Note delivers its best-ever annual volume in 2013.

With the new generation now in its first full year, the Nissan Note is up 73% and 3 spots on 2012 to rank 4th with 147,634 sales, the nameplate’s best annual figure by far and first time above 100,000 units, beating the 93,925 sales it hit back in 2005. The Toyota Corolla is also back above 100,000 annual sales for the first time since 2010, up 26% and 3 ranks to 101,664 thanks to the new hybrid versions launched late in the year.

Toyota Crown sales are up 173% in 2013 in Japan.

All due to new models hitting the market during the year, the Toyota Crown is up a whopping 173% and 18 spots on 2012 to #8, its best annual ranking since 2008, the Toyota Spade up 83% and 16 ranks to #13, Subaru Forester up 183% and 30 spots to #19 and Mazda Atenza up 329% and 53 spots to #30. Finally, notice the VW Golf back inside the Top 30 at #29 with 23,858 sales. Brand-wise, Toyota continues to flatten all competition, selling 3 times as many cars as the next most popular manufacturer at 45.8% share (-7%) vs. 15.1% for Nissan (-3%) with Honda (-16%) rounding up the podium like last year. Notice Subaru up 17% at #5, Volkswagen up 20% at #9, Mitsubishi down 9% and two spots to #9 and Mercedes up 28% to #10.

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

Previous year: Japan Full Year 2012: All-new Toyota Aqua most successful launch in 20 years, tickles Prius

Two years ago: Japan Full Year 2011: Toyota Prius leads in difficult year

Full Year 2013 Top 30 models and Top 60 All-brands Ranking Tables below.