The Odyssey minivan, produced by Honda Motor Co., became Japan’s best-selling motor vehicle in June for the first time since its debut in October 1994, surpassing Toyota Motor Corp.’s Vitz passenger car, industry officials said.
This is the first time since 1963 that any motor vehicle made by Honda has become a best-seller in Japan. Honda sold a total of 14,640 Odysseys in June, outpacing the 14,180 Vitz sold in the same month.
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The Japan Automobile Dealers Association will release collated sales figures for all motor vehicles made by Japanese automakers on Thursday.
The Vitz, a roundish compact car with high fuel efficiency, was the best-selling car for the five-month period through May after its sales outpaced those of Toyota’s Corolla, another passenger car.
The Odyssey, restyled last December, has proved very popular, with Honda selling more than 10,000 units in March and every month since then.
The latest model is available with either 2.3 liter or 3.0 liter engines, and can accommodate either 6 or 7 people.
