Ford has reinforced its claim that the Focus compact was the best-selling car worldwide last year with new data from a New Jersey analysis firm.

According to automotive data company R.L. Polk, which is headquartered in Woodcliff Lake, N.J., registrations for new Ford Focus vehicles increased to 856,587. The figure marks a 16.1 percent jump from the previous year, USA TODAY reported.

Much of the model's success was due to buyers in China, where new-car registrations grew to 303,481 and marked an 85 percent increase year-over-year.

"Our success with Focus is the result of Ford's connection to our customers all over the world," Jim Farley, a Ford executive vice president, said as quoted by USA TODAY.

Perhaps the new data can put to rest the Ford vs. Toyota debate. Two years in a row, the Japanese carmaker has contested Ford's claim to have the world's best-selling vehicle, saying the Corolla is actually the No. 1 car.

The Ford Focus claimed a 2013 second-quarter title back in October. Focus sales in China were up more 137 percent compared with 2012, to a total of 202,380 vehicles, making China the single biggest global market for the car, according to Ford.

"The new Focus looks high-tech and meets my aesthetic expectations," Xiao Bing, a salesmanager for a Beijing IT company, said in a Ford statement. "It has significantly changed from the previous model. The car's handling is great. When I test-drove it, the new Focus cornered smoothly. Overall, it's the best combination of looks, performance, value and fuel economy."

Sales for the Ford Focus reached 1.02 million in 2012, according to earlier data from Polk. The Toyota Corolla came in at second place with 872,774 in sales. Ford F-Series finished at No. 3 with 785,630 models sold in the U.S., according to a Ford press release.

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