Suzuki WagonR tops new car sales ranking for 2nd month

Suzuki Motor Corp.’s WagonR minicar retained the top spot for the second straight month in Japan’s new car sales ranking for January, with 16,876 units, down 1.0 percent from a year earlier, data released by industry bodies showed Thursday.

Low-priced, fuel efficient minivehicles with engine displacements of up to 660 cc accounted for half of the top 10 spots, according to the data released by the Japan Automobile Dealers Association and the Japan Mini Vehicles Association.

Daihatsu Motor Co.’s Move minicar came second, selling 15,786 units, up 14.4 percent, and Daihatsu’s Tanto minicar ranked third with sales of 11,027 units, down 6.4 percent.

Toyota Motor Corp.’s hybrid model Prius joined the top 10 list, ranking 10th with sales of 5,730 units, up 9.2 percent.

Honda Motor Co.’s Fit subcompact, the best-selling subcompact in the month, ranked fourth with sales of 8,723 units, down 42.2 percent.

Sales of Toyota’s Passo subcompact, which ranked fifth, jumped 47.9 percent to 7,278 units due to the marketing of its Passo Sette minivan in December last year.

Among other minicars in the top 10 list, Honda’s Life ranked sixth with sales of 6,826 units, up 15.0 percent, and Suzuki’s Alto came ninth with sales of 6,082 units, up 10.7 percent.