Toyota defies recall debarcle

After a recall scandal which saw Toyota's most popular models facing safety fears, most expected the manufacturer to suffer.

However, it doesn't appear that such a public relations crisis has damaged Toyota's home-grown sales, as its Prius hybrid model has become the best selling car in Japan, according to figures by the Japan Automobile Dealers Association.

Beating the Suzuki Wagon R, sales of the third generation Prius topped 277,000 in the financial year - attributed to government subsidy schemes. The best imported cars included German manufacturers like Volkswagen, who sold 40,664 units as reported in The Independent.

Despite the braking issue affecting 8 million Toyota models including the Prius, the world's largest car manufacturer enticed over 35,000 eco-minded car buyers to purchase the model in March alone.

A spokesperson for the Automobile Association was cited in The Daily Mail as commenting: ''Despite the recall trouble, the automaker cannot keep up with surging demand for the Prius.''

With the rising cost of petrol and more people embracing greener technologies, it is expected that fuel efficient cars such as the Prius will become increasingly popular in the UK, as the manufacturer recovers from its recall strategy. During February 2010, it is reported that sales of the model have doubled from January to February 2010, showing that consumers are starting to regain trust in the Japanese manufacturer.

 

Stephen Armstrong, Ramsgate, Renault Clio

C.F. Millard, Bradford on Avon, Citroen C1