Prius Top Seller in Japan for 2009

The Japan Automobile Dealers Association (JAMA) is reporting the Prius has continued its hot streak in Japan. In fact, it's the number one car in Japan for 2009, the first time a hybrid has taken the title.

JAMA is reporting Toyota sold 208,876 Prius in 2009, which is almost 3X as many as they sold last year. Sales have been pushed by a government incentive program. The incentives add up as much as 294,500 yen (just over $4 thousand) on a car that can cost between 2.05 million to 3.27 million yen depending on the options drivers want.

According to a Business Week source, Toyota makes about 200,000 yen off of each Prius it sells. Although that's less profit than they would make on a Crown (1 million yen) or the Lexus LS (2 million yen).

The government incentive program is set to end on September 30.

Ever since the third generation Prius launched in Japan, it has topped the sales charts.   And it has stayed there despite the very long waiting list.  If you order a Prius today in Japan, you won't get it for months.  And so, because of the long waiting lists, the Prius has a very good chance of becoming the top selling car in Japan for 2010, too.