Tokyo - KUNA
Toyota Motor Corp.\'s Aqua hybrid topped Japan\'s new car sales ranking in February, extending its winning streak to five months, data released by an industry body showed Wednesday. Sales of the Aqua grew 11.7 percent year-on-year to 24,526 units, according to the Japan Automobile Dealers Association. Toyota\'s Prius hybrid came second with 23,473 units, down 34.6 percent, followed by Honda Motor Co.\'s N Box minicar with 22,353 units, up 8.8 percent. Five of the top 10 models were minicars with engines no larger than 660 cc, reflecting interest among consumers in its fuel efficiency and affordable price. Japan\'s new passenger car sales fell 12.2 percent in February for the sixth straight month of decline, as the expiry of government subsidy program for the purchase of fuel-efficient cars in September sapped consumer demand.