Honda's Insight hatchback makes lightning fast entry into top-10 list

Friday Mar 06 2009 - Kyodo News

Honda Motor Co.'s Insight hybrid hatchback, which only made its showroom debut Feb. 6, made the top-10 sales list for February with monthly sales of 4,906 units, an industry body said Thursday. The Japan Automobile Dealers Association attributed the five-door, gasoline-electric hybrid's entry to the list to its high fuel-economy and affordable sticker price.

The main customer groups of the Insight were middle-aged and senior drivers, as well as people with families, it said. In contrast, Toyota Motor Corp.'s Prius hybrid hatchback fell to 12th from January's fifth place with sales of 4,524 units, down 22.2 percent, according to data released by the association.