Toyota's problem car tops sales lists

The US government has accused Toyota of hiding a "dangerous defect" and this week announced the proposed penalty for failing to alert

regulators to safety problems quickly enough.

But Toyota – which has recalled more than eight million vehicles worldwide over issues including braking problems with the Prius – sold 35,546 units of the gas-electric vehicle in Japan last month, the Japan Automobile Dealers Association said yesterday.

The group said the Prius was Japan's top-selling car for an 11th consecutive month in March.

Toshiki Miyake, a spokesman for the association, said: "Despite the recall trouble, the automaker cannot keep up with surging demand for the Prius."