Toyota Prius 'top-selling hybrid'

04 March 2010

Despite global recalls, car buyers in Japan have remained loyal to Toyota, making its flagship hybrid vehicle Prius the top-selling model in the home market.

According to figures released by the Japan Automobile Dealers Association, Prius became the best selling car for the tenth straight month - selling over 27,000 models in February.

Over the past few months, the crisis-hit manufacturer was forced to recall as many as 8.5 million vehicles worldwide due to various complaints that included braking problems with the third-generation Prius. Toyota offered new software to fix the problem since last month.

Other defects behind the recalls - including sticky accelerator pedals and faulty floor mats - did not affect any models sold in Japan.

The car continued to be buyers' favourite due to its reputation for delivering superb economy by switching between a petrol engine and electric motor. Meanwhile, tax breaks and other government incentives also helped in boosting its sales.

Toyota said that the Prius - which is also the world's top-selling hybrid - has a big backlog of orders, with a waiting list lasting about six months.

However, company officials also admitted that a few orders were cancelled after the recall.

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