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Honda Accord Unseats Toyota Prius as King of Cali

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Honda Accord

The Honda Accord is the new King of California

The automotive king of California has been unseated: the Toyota Prius’ reign as the top-selling car in America’s largest market has ended after more than 48 consecutive months on top. The usurper:  the Honda Accord.

15,611 Accords sold in California through the first quarter of 2014, while Toyota sold 15,318 Prius models in that same amount of time. Honda’s margin of victory is certainly a narrow one, and there is more than enough time for the Prius to reclaim its throne by the end of the calendar year, but putting the Accord atop the heap in one of the most competitive marketplaces on the planet has got to leave Honda feeling pretty confident going forward.

Furthermore, the Honda Civic took third place in the scrum with sales of 14,627, topping the Toyota Camry (14,389 units) and Corolla (13,350).

No other vehicle sold greater than 10,000 units during the first quarter in California.

While the top five remained largely unchanged, there was a great deal of change in California during the first quarter of 2014. Registrations of Chrysler brands grew immensely, with Jeep registrations climbing 57 percent, Ram registrations increasing 49 percent, and Fiat improving 78 percent.

Tesla, on the other hand, fell off 36 percent in California during the first quarter of 2014. Volvo and Volkswagen also saw diminishing returns.

California’s first quarter auto sales have the state on pace to reach pre-recession sales figures.

Gallery: 2014 Honda Accord

Whether the Honda Accord manages to hold off the Prius for the rest of the year in a state that tends to be at the forefront of green driving technology remains to be seen, but the task certainly seems achievable with a slight lead a quarter of the way through the year. Will the Accord succeed, or will the Prius reclaim its throne as the once and future king of California?