Had no idea it sold so poorly in Japan.

http://e.nikkei.com/e/fr/tnks/Nni20101115D15JFN03.htm

 

I wonder why?

For what it is (well, at least the U.S. version), it's sporty and distinctive and easy to drive.


How's the Corolla doing?

 

Wow...that's quite sad for a once-storied model.Not sure about 2010, but here's the 2009 top 10:
Toyota Prius … 208,876
Honda Fit … 157,324
Toyota Vitz … 117,655
Toyota Passo … 98,883
Honda Insight … 93,283
Toyota Corolla … 90,178
Honda Freed … 79,525
Nissan Serena … 78,836
Toyota Voxy … 71,426
Nissan Note … 65,745

 

Weird. They must be charging too much for it.

 

Probably too many competing models in the same segment. They're eating up their own sales by other vehicles.

 

weird, didnt know they sold that bad..

 

Good post, Mike. I didn't know the Japanese didn't care for it, either.

At one time, a number of years ago, in a buisness-deal Honda gave Isuzu a number of Civics to sell (in re-badged form) as the JDM Isuzu I-Mark, after Isuzu dropped that vehicle from the U.S. line-up. (the American I-Mark, you'll remember, was an actual Isuzu desgn). In return, Honda got the Isuzu Rodeo to sell as the Honda Passport and the Isuzu Trooper (the famous flip-over-special) to sell as the Acura SLX.

In the U.S., of course, the Accord is the mainstream sedan. The American Accord, though, is larger than the non-U.S. Accord, which is sold here as the Acura TSX.

 

Isn't a Civic a compact? Is it just other compacts are doing better like the Corolla?

 

Yea the article is a bit misleading it calls a Civic a mid-size but it's a compact and here it states compacts but probably mean sub-compacts.

 

The Civic is considered mid-size car in Japan and many other Asian and European countries, while the Fit is considered a compact and the Accord a large car.

 

Yup you hit it nail in the head.

Also, I think it has something to do as well with the vehicle taxation structure in Japan.

Hence why the Lancer/Lancer EX (9th gen) over there is known as Galant Fortis

 

The Corolla is sold as a smaller car in Japan (Corolla Axio -- see Wikipedia article on Corolla), to fit into a tax bracket defined by physical exterior volume. The export model is larger and, to my knowledge, is not available in JDM.

I'm surprised too, but size being a major factor in the Civic's domestic failure is very believable. Compact buyers tend to favor the more usable boxy hatchbacks like the Fit, and various other JDM-only models that I can't recall.

 

Sooooooo.... no more civic type R?

 

Amazing the difference in cultural tastes. Never ceases to amaze me.

The Civic is one of America's all time best sellers. Yet, Japan prefers these gawd-awful "things" making up 5 of their top 10 (2009)...


Nissan Note...



Toyota Passo...



Toyota Voxy...



Nissan Serena...



Honda Freed...



Notice these are in a similar segment. A segment that doesn't even exist in America. Unbelievable.

The rest of the top 10 in Japan are cars we have - Prius, Yaris, Corolla, Fit, and Insight. Five of the top 10 are vehicles that Americans wouldn't touch with a 10' pole!

 

You know what, in Japan, they actually call a few of these vehicles with their own classification which is known as "1BOX" and I guess it speaks for itself......

Anyways, here's a JDM car that some people would say really looks like a shoebox (although personally, I kinda like it)








I heard that it's quite a popular JDM import in New Zealand and I've seen one for myself in-person in Hong Kong last year.

And here is an LHD converted unit (because these sell like Hotcakes in Peru):






Weird shape but it looks like a great compact-size MPV/minivan. Exterior may not appeal to some but interior is quite good, the panoramic roof is a nice touch, aircon is really reliable (CALSONIC) and engine and gearbox is great (MR20 engine + Xtronic CVT is a superb combination).

Two cents