A U T O     B U Z Z

Imported Car Sales Up in Japan; Honda Fit Aria Helps

The new Honda Fit Aria aka Honda City, built in Thailand is helping push imported car sales in Japan.

TOKYO--Sales of imported cars, trucks and buses in Japan rose for the second straight month in January, due to strong sales of new Japanese-brand passenger models made overseas.

Sales of imported vehicles rose 3.2% from a year earlier to 15,486 units, the Japan Automobile Importers Association said Thursday.

"Remodeled cars and new additions to product lineups continued to be the main contributors to the sales increase, although their impact is running out at a faster pace than before," a spokesman at the association said.

He said two models played key roles in the rise; the "Fit Aria" compact sedan that Honda Motor Co. makes in Thailand and launched in Japan in December, and the "Voltz" sports utility vehicle that Toyota Motor Corp. makes in the U.S. and has sold in Japan since August.

The "BMW Mini," launched in Japan in March last year, also continued to help boost overall imported car sales, but it is unlikely the trend for that model will continue after February given sluggish overall demand, the spokesman said.

[ BUZZ MAIN ]