Japan Imports March 2013: VW Beetle & Mercedes A-Class up

VW Beetle

* See the Top 20 best-selling models by clicking on the title! *

Sales of imported models in Japan are up a very healthy 7% year-on-year over the first Quarter of 2013 to 85,596 registrations, 21.9% of which are Japanese models produced abroad and reimported into the country. There is a lot of movement over the period in the models ranking, however the Top 3 models are back to normal – hear identical to the FY2012 ranking – after a crazy Q4 2012: the VW Golf leads the way with 4,868 sales albeit down a painful 36% year-on-year, followed by the Mini at 4,037 units (-7%) and the Mercedes C-Class with 3,858 sales (-22%).

Mercedes A-Class

Below, the wilderness starts: the VW Up! maintains itself at a brilliant 4th spot thanks to 3,691 units sold, the VW Beetle is up 4 ranks vs. Q3 2012 and 10 vs. FY 2012 to land in 7th place with 3,250 sales, the Mercedes A-Class is up from outside the Top 20 to #9 at 1,798 units, the Volvo V40 makes its very first appearance directly at #12 with 1,496 sales and the Audi Q3 does the same at #20 and 899 units. Pfew!

Previous post: Japan Imports Full Year 2012: VW Golf #1, Mini at record heights

Previous Quarter: Japan Imports Q4 2012: Mercedes C-Class #1, VW Up! lands at #4

Full Q1 2013 Top 20 Ranking Table below.