Japan January 2014: Nissan X-Trail, Honda Vezel & Toyota Harrier all break records!

The Honda Vezel is already #9 at home this month!

* See the Top 30 best-selling models and Top 13 local brands by clicking on the title! *

New car sales in Japan debut the year with a blast: up a whopping 27% on January 2013 to 292,446 registrations. And it’s also a very eventful month in the models ranking: the Honda Fit celebrates 4 consecutive months in pole position with 26,869 sales, 3 times its score from one year ago and no less than the nameplate’s third biggest monthly volume ever behind the 34,161 it reached in March 2012 and 27,980 units from September 2011. The Fit confirms it is a serious contender for the Full Year 2014 pole position, with the Toyota Aqua at 22,885 sales (+2%) and Toyota Prius at 20,162 sales (+14%) also strong this month. In fact, the entire Top 7 best-selling models are unchanged on December, with the Toyota Corolla solid at #4 and 10,868 units (+125%) and the Nissan Serena up 25% year-on-year at #6 thanks to the new hybrid variant. But it’s below that things get agitated…

Nissan X-Trail

Boosted by the new model, the Nissan X-Trail shoots up 184% year-on-year to #8 with 6,616 sales, the nameplate’s very first time in the Japanese Top 10 in its 14 year career, beating its previous best of #12 reached last month. Launched in December, the Honda Vezel breaks both new ground and into the Top 10 for its first full month in market, up to 9th place with 6,235 units. The Honda Odyssey is down 3 ranks on last month but up 1330% year-on-year to #11 with 5,278 sales. But wait there’s more…

Toyota Harrier

Now that the hybrid variant is on sale, the Toyota Harrier new generation (aka Lexus RX) is up to a best-ever 14th position thanks to 4,617 sales, up an out-of-this-world 8145% on January 2012. The Mazda Axela (aka Mazda3) delivers a third month in a row at an all-time high 16th spot with 4,476 units, up 278% year-on-year, confirming it could be here to stay inside the Japanese Top 30 this year and for the first time in the nameplate’s history at home. Finally notice the Toyota SAI enjoying a 5th consecutive month within Japan’s 30 most popular models at #27 with 2,667 sales, up 760% on January 2013.

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

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

One year ago: Japan January 2013: Toyota Crown up to #8, a 4-year high

Full January 2014 Top 30 models and Top 13 local brands Ranking Tables below.