Honda Insight Becomes First Hybrid to Rank as Best-Selling Vehicle in Japan

Some good news for Honda and for hybrid fans too. The Honda Insight was the number one selling vehicle for the month of April in Japan.

According to sales figures from the Japan Automobile Dealers Association, Honda sold 10,481 units of the Insight last month alone. The new Honda Insight was released in February 2009 in Japan. It was the first time ever that a hybrid car held the lead in Japanese monthly sales.

And Honda is doing well overall in Japan, with its Fit being the best-selling vehicle for 2008 and still going strong this year, topping sales for March and coming in second to the Insight for April.

Still, with falling auto sales in the US (including hybrids), a key market for hybrid vehicles, and US gas prices at very consumer-friendly low-levels, it will be a struggle for Honda, or any automaker with a hybrid on the market, to achieve the same thing in the United States. And Europe too will prove to be a challenge, given the market power of diesels in the largest markets there such as German, France and Italy.

Press Release

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. today announced that Insight ranked as the industry's best-selling car among new vehicle registrations* in Japan for the month of April 2009, with sales of 10,481 units (source: Japan Automobile Dealers Association). It is the first time in history for a hybrid model to be the industry's best selling vehicle in Japan for any monthly sales period.

Fit was the industry's best-selling car among new vehicle registrations in Japan for calendar year 2008 and the fiscal year ended March 31, 2009. Fit was also the industry's best-selling car for the month of March 2009, for the fourth consecutive month since December 2008, until it was displaced by Insight to become the industry's second best-selling car in April 2009, with sales of 9,443 units. It is the first time Honda has occupied the industry's top two best-selling car positions.

Since its introduction on February 6, 2009, the all-new Insight has been very well received by a wide range of customers due to its excellent environmental performance, easy-to-use packaging, light and comfortable driving and affordable pricing.

* excluding mini-vehicles - under 660cc

Insight sales in Japan (source: Japan Automobile Dealers Association)
Sales of Insight was announced February 5, 2009, and began February 6, 2009