Toyota's Prius hybrid is the bestselling vehicle in California for the second year in a row as more people buy cars that adhere to strict emissions regulations.

The electric Tesla Model S, which recently became registered in every state, followed closely at third place, Bloomberg reported.

The four-model Toyota Prius lineup racked up 69,728 in California sales, beating out the Honda Civic in second place.

The Prius is also the bestselling hybrid line worldwide and includes the main hatchback, the v wagon, c subcompact and a plug-in electric version. 

Across the U.S., the Prius came in at No. 17 by volume with total sales of 234,228.

According to the California Auto Outlook report issued by the California New Car Dealers Association on Thursday, Tesla's Model S saw 8,347 in sales.

California, the country's most populated state, is the biggest American market for cars and trucks, according to Bloomberg. Sales last year comprised 1.71 million new vehicles, which accounts for 11 percent of the 15.6 million purchased around the country.

The Golden State's emissions regulations are among the strictest in the world and "disproportionately higher" compared with the U.S. average, Bloomberg reported. The emphasis on minimizing greenhouse gases has influenced plug-in sales.

Of last year's California vehicle sales, 9.3 percent were electric or hybrid autos, in comparison with the national average, which is just 3.82 percent.

Toyota recently issued a recall for 1.9 million Prius vehicles after an issue in the software used to control the boost converter in a module that is part of the hybrid system. The software flaw can reportedly make the car stall or lose power.

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