In its monthly report, Japan Automobile Dealers’ Association said that in January 2011 Toyota’s Prius had been knocked off the number one position it had occupied for the last twenty months in the country by Honda’s Fit supercompact.  In January, Toyota had sold 13, 711 of its Prius cars, which was 38.5% lower as compared to sales figures in January last year, while Honda sold 14,873 Fit cars, an improvement of 13.9% over the previous year.
Honda’s Fit had last overtaken Toyota’s Prius in March 2009 to emerge as Japan’s best-selling car, before it was toppled off that position by Toyota Prius.  So now the Honda Fit occupies the top slot in Japanese sales charts for the second time.  In total, in July 2010, Honda recorded sales of 3.5 million Fit cars, while in comparison the sales figures for Toyota were about two million Prius cars in September 2010.
honda fit hybrid
Undoubtedly, Toyota’s gas-electric Prius is the best selling hybrid in the world, and was also  Japan’s favorite for close to two years till in January this year Honda’s Fit subcompact which is a much more traditional vehicle and much cheaper too, dealt it a knockout punch.
The redesigning of the Prius two years ago saw its sales zooming, and for very sound reasons too.  The new third-generation Prius not only looks better and drives better, it also has more equipment and gives amazingly good fuel mileage.  Despite this, now Toyota’s Prius has been overshadowed by its top rival Honda’s Fit.  One possible reason why the Japanese seem to favor the Fit over the Prius now could be the large size of the Prius and its expensive price tag in a country mostly dominated by small cars.  Honda’s subcompact gas-electric Fit with a price tag of around ¥1.59 million (approximately $19,331 U.S. calculated at the present exchange rate), costs about $3,500 less than Honda’s Insight as well as Toyota’s Prius.  Commenting on this difference, an analyst had previously suggested it was time Toyota considered slashing the price of the Prius.
Toyota Prius sales also took a beating after most incentives from the government for green cars ended in September.  However, though the incentives have been withdrawn, tax benefits for green cars will continue till April 2012.  Sales of the Honda Fit were not affected as much since it is much cheaper and underwent remodeling recently.  The Honda Fit – the gas-electric hybrid model and the traditional gas-engine models – went on sale in Japan in October 2010.  The new hybrid Fit will also go on sale this year as the Jazz model in Europe, though not in North America.
But it is not just better sales figures and a better price that distinguishes the Fit.  It has also won several awards, such as Japan Car of the Year for 2001-2002 as well as 2007-2008.  Also, it was declared as best small car in 2006 by Top Gear, and as the Best Hatchback for the Money by the U.S. News and World Report.