Honda N-Box Regains Crown as Japan’s Top-Selling Car in 2022

After placing second the previous year, the Honda N-Box “tall wagon”-style minicar has returned to top position in a 2022 Japanese passenger car model ranking. The N-Box saw sales of 202,197 units, up 7% year on year. Last year’s top passenger car brand, the Toyota Yaris, meanwhile, experienced a 20.8% drop with 168,557 units sold, putting it in second place.

Although the N-Box appears compact, it has a spacious interior and has helped maintain the popularity of minicars. It is also favored for its range of safety features. Five out of the top passenger cars were minicars, and all were the “tall wagon”-style, designed to work around limited standards to provide the maximum amount of interior space. The Toyota Corolla, which placed sixth the previous year, underwent some minor design changes and this boosted its sales by 18.7% to 131,548 units in 2022. As a result, it accelerated into third place.

Created by Nippon.com based on data from Japan Automobile Dealers Association and Japan Light Motor Vehicle and Motorcycle Association. Yellow highlighting indicates minicars.

(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo © Pixta.)