Congratulation to Toyota, especially to Toyota Prius
The Prius ranked top for the first time, the Japan Automobile Dealers Association said. The figure represents the cumulative total for both old and fully remodeled Prius models.
The automaker rolled out the latest version of the Prius hybrid in mid-May amid intense competition with rival Honda Motor Co.'s Insight hybrid hatchback that took the top-seller position in April.
Honda's Insight fell to third place in May, with sales of 8,183 units. The Insight was the first hybrid car to rank top.
Honda's Fit compact car came in second behind the Prius with monthly sales of 8,859 units, the association said.
In the April auto ranking, the Fit was also second, while the Prius ranked 21st.
The latest data showing hybrid cars securing two of the top three slots reflect the growing popularity of fuel-efficient hybrid cars.