It may well be a sign of the times, but Honda would have to more than happy with the sales results of its Insight hybrid.
For the month of April, Honda’s new cut-price eco-warrior topped the sales charts in Japan. The success of the Insight marks a place in the history books for Honda, being the first hybrid vehicle to reach the number one sales spot, outselling petrol-powered rivals.
The sales figures as tracked by the Japan Automobile Dealer’s Association (JADA), show that Honda sold 10,481 Insights, bumping Honda’s own Fit (our Jazz) into second place and the Toyota Vitz (sold here as the Yaris) into third. (JADA’s figures don’t include sales of 660cc Kei cars however which would otherwise alter rankings slightly… maybe they classify them as ‘toys’.)
Coupled with the existing success of the Fit, which enjoyed best-seller status for 2008, Honda now holds the number one and two selling spots. The first time in its history it has done so.
The Insight’s nearest rival, the Toyota Pruis, finished the month in 21st place. With the third-generation Pruis just around the corner and a new aggressive pricing structure up its sleeve, you can bet Toyota will be aiming to displace the Insight on the sales charts.
