Toyota gets 120,000 orders for Aqua hybrid in first month [video]

Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday the number of orders for the fuel-efficient Aqua compact hybrid has reached about 120,000 as of the end of January, some 10-fold its monthly sales target in just about a month after its debut.

The figure was the second-highest level for Toyota, following a record 180,000 orders for the third-generation Prius hybrid unveiled in May 2009.

Toyota said the vehicle has proved popular due to its fuel economy. The automaker claims the Aqua has achieved the world's best fuel efficiency for a hybrid at 35.4 kilometers per liter under new testing methods close to actual driving conditions.

The earliest delivery of the vehicle for new orders will be in July since the number of orders has outpaced production capacity. The company is stepping up production to shorten the schedule.

Meanwhile, subsidiary Daihatsu Motor Co. said the same day it has received more than 70,000 orders for its fuel-efficient Mira e:S minivehicle in the four months after its release last September, well above its monthly target of 10,000 vehicles.