Japan 1996: Toyota Crown & Starlet up, Honda CR-V impresses

Toyota Crown 

* See the Top 30 best-selling models by clicking on the title! *

In 1996 the Toyota Corolla is the best-selling model in Japan for the 28th year in a row with 223,244 sales, down 5% on 1995. It is followed by the Toyota Crown, up one spot and 6% year-on-year thanks to the new generation of the model at 137,676 units, ahead of the Nissan March down one but stable at 131,830 sales. The Toyota Starlet is up 25% to land in 4th place with 121,749 units.

Toyota Starlet

The Toyota Mark II stays 5th at 114,726 sales while the Honda Odyssey is down two spots and 12% to #6 and 110,274 units. The (surprise) success story of the year is the Honda CR-V, up 435% to #7 with 102,828 sales for its first full year in the country. The 8th model to sell more than 100,000 units this year is the Toyota Estima at #8, down 10% on 1995.

Honda CR-V (US version)

Notice also the Subaru Legacy up one spot to #10, the Toyota Ipsum landing directly at #11 with 88,765 sales for its first appearance in the Japanese year-end ranking, while the Honda StepWGN is #13 at 82,315 units. The Honda Civic is down 8 ranks and 30% to #14, the Toyota Hilux is up 100% to #19, the Nissan Bluebird up 25% to #20, the Nissan Largo up 45% to #22 and the Toyota Land Cruiser up 177% to #23.

You can check out every monthly Top 30 for 1996 here

Previous year: Japan 1995: Toyota Corolla, Crown and Nissan March on top

Next year: Japan 1997: Toyota Corolla and Nissan March on top, Honda StepWGN up to #5 

Full Year 1996 Top 30 Ranking Table below.