Honda’s N-Box Becomes Japan’s Best-Selling Vehicle for 12th Month

September 6, 2018

Tokyo- Honda Motor Co.'s N-Box minivehicle retained its top position in Japan's new automobile sales rankings for the 12th consecutive month in August, industry data showed on Thursday.

Sales of the N-Box soared 53.9 pct from a year earlier to 15,509 units, largely outpacing those of the second-ranking Spacia minivehicle of Suzuki Motor Corp. at 10,974 units, according to the data from the Japan Automobile Dealers Association and the Japan Light Motor Vehicle and Motorcycle Association.

Of the top 10 vehicles, six were minivehicles with 660 cc engines.

Extended-height models with sliding rear doors, in particular, are attracting strong demand, according to the light vehicle association. The attention of minivehicle buyers is shifting from fuel efficiency to safety equipment, it added.

Three of the remaining four top 10 names were hybrid compacts--Nissan Motor Co.'s Note, coming in third, and Toyota Motor Corp.'s Aqua and Prius, in sixth and 10th, respectively. Jiji Press