Prius Sales Tank Even With Higher Gas Prices

people need large suv's because their a$$es have gotten so fat sitting in line at the fast food joint.

 

I like this comparison. I agree that it would be neat to see a hybrid marketed this way. It really helps someone to visualize the costs. Comparing monthly fuel costs or even yearly fuel costs from the EPA window sticker doesn't resonate with a lot of ppl. I believe that your method would have a much larger impact because people would be shocked at the potential for savings.

 

How are non Hybrid car sales doing by comparison? Booming?

 

Is it really that bad? The fact that there is Prius inventory on the local Toyota lots near any one person means the Prius is in the tank? I duno ... the Prius is the most popular car in all of Japan. Sales for last year were very nice. Even last month . . . . did you happen to notice this chart in another thread? Maybe see which car is way ahead of the pack? . . . . up over 47% from last month?

March 2014 Dashboard - HybridCars.com

And if you factor in the puny amount of states that the PiP is being sold in - compared to nation wide released vehicles ... the PiP is still beating out most of the competition.

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Not trying to be a wet blanket or anything . . . . but for the last 2 or 3 decades, the middle class (primary market) has been getting smaller & smaller. Factor in the nature of the new globalized economy and then perhaps one can see the true miracle of how great Prius sales still are. Had Toyota begun manufacturing the Prius (as originally intended) here in the deep south of the U.S. - Toyota could have made a boat load on the Prius, even if they were selling it for less - because of the cheesy yen/dollar exchange rate. But even with the poor exchange rate - Prius sales are not too shabby ... that's all I'm sayin' . . . .
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Yes doing pretty darn good, some analysts think we could hit 16,000,000 total sales this year, based on sales to date. 16 Mil would exceed the 15.5 Mil last year and would be really good.

The % hybrids/plug-ins running about 3.3% this year 2014 vs. 3.8% in 2013. The official data are found at ElectricDrive.org

 

Via Fuel Economy (Power Search for combined mileage at least 35 mpg, fuel type: gasoline types checked, model year: 2013-2015), I spotted 0 mid-sized gasoline powered non-hybrids that got over 35 mpg combined on the EPA test.

Ditto for CR's overall mileage at The Most Fuel-Efficient Cars | Best Cars for Gas - Consumer Reports. But, their test is nothing like the EPA's test.

Please give examples (make and model year) of these "midsize cars from the 90's" that the Prius compares to. Per Compare Side-by-Side, the Civic is a compact and Prius is a midsized car.

 

April 2014 Dashboard - HybridCars.com and December 2013 Dashboard - HybridCars.com also confirm the hybrid take rate along w/total auto sales.

 

I've wanted a Prius since the second gen. Now I'm in the market and I think I might get a 2014 4 with solar roof. Winter gray with dark interior. I thought about waiting for the next generation but I think the lower prices will be better for my needs. Plus the Prius 4 will have enough to keep me interested. My current car doesn't even have cruise lol.

 

Many people talk about how the "odd" look of the Prius hurts sales. Maybe I'm weird, but I think the Prius is beautiful. Most cars look boringly similar to each other; the Prius is distinctive and interesting.

 

I should own a Prius, but I don't so I feel qualified to give my opinion on this. My wife has a 2010 Package 5 and I drive a RX400h hybrid. Things that keep my from buying a Prius: Uncomfortable drivers seat. It does not adjust enough ways. Very noisy interior. It is a little slow for my driving style. I have driven hers fully loaded with 4 people from CA to FL and it was pretty bad in the mountains at altitude. We got 33 mpg on that trip mostly due to the speed limit being 75-80 the entire way.

I talk Prius with lots of my 40 year old friends and most of them like the idea but don't like the looks of the car. Many of the shop Prius and end up in a TDI Jetta (which is pretty fun to drive BTW).

And finally 50 mpg is not a big deal anymore. It was in 2005 when most economy cars were as slow as a Prius and got 30 mpg. Now cheap cars are much faster than a Prius and get 40 mpg (highway).

 

The RX400h hybrid to a Prius comparison... And you got the 33 mpg and the RX cost how much...

 

I had a 2011 Prius Two for three years. I just traded it in for a 2014 Toyota Avalon Hybrid XLE Touring. I am 76, 5'8" and not overweight. The driver's seat in the Prius was not comfortable for me and I just was unable to get it adjusted right to suit me. I'm glad I traded it for the Avalon. The Avalon seats are comfortable and with all the power adjustments, no problem. I had to take about a 10 MPG hit but it was well worth it. Nothing like a big luxury car. You just know you are not going to give up your RX400H Hybrid for any kind of Prius (I don't think).

 

You only get 30mpg doing 80mph w/ 4 people ... you're right of course - that is really sucky Fortunately - you have friends who coincidentally all look at the Prius 1st, then all hate it's style - then they all look at, then decide to buy the TDI. Please congratulate all your friends for me, who coincidentally bought the TDI. It's wonderful when auto buyers can make a high enough income that they can afford higher diesel fuel costs, & the higher maintenance cost. The irony is if I made those kinds of decisions, our customers would go elsewhere as they likely wouldn't trust our judgement - I'd fear they might think we'd make similar decisions regarding their services & products. Otherwise - I'd be right there with you.
BTW, the thread's kind of a zombie now, as the OP's point was limited to sales during a particular time frame, as well as a season during particular fuel costs. Not that it's bad to go way off topic or to just keep the thread going anyway.

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While almost everything that's been said against the Prius is accurate, it ignores the main reason people buy a Prius, MILEAGE. I didn't buy a Prius to get 40 mpg "on the highway", I bought it to get over 48 "all the time". We leave on a 6,500 mile road trip the end of the month that will include western CO, WY and MT, so I'll find out soon just how comfortable (or not) the seats are and what my mileage will be like in all kinds of terrain. My guess right now is the seats will be more comfortable than those in my van and I will get more that 24 mpg. The goal is to pack the same amount of cargo to get a good comparison with the van the Prius replaces.

 

DoubleDAZ,

I just did a 900 mile trip up to Wisconsin Dells, prob. 60% 4 lane at 63-68 mph and 40% rural roads at 45-55mph and got 55.08 mpg with 2 people, 1 dog and luggage, using Ethanol free gas and 44 psi in tires, FYI.

Dave

 

Thanks for the info, Dave. I'm really looking forward to our trip and seeing what kind of mileage I'll be able to get in the mountains, etc. I don't plan to drive any differently. I've always watched traffic lights to slow early if they are red, or turn red, etc., and I accelerate with traffic. I imagine Ill get to use "B" mode a few times, it should all be interesting.

 

4 year old CPO RX with 3ok mileage was $25k in 2010. 4 year old CPO Prius with 30k was $20k in 2013. I was not comparing the 2. Just saying I was a hybrid owner/fan. The seat in the Lexus is almost as uncomfortable as the prius .

Regarding the 33mpg trip. Our inverter completely failed 3 months after that trip. The car has felt slow for the past few months and my theory is the invereter has been failing for a while and causing performance / mileage issues. I will report back if the part ever becomes available . We are in a V loner now and getting better mileage so that is more evidence that our Prius was under performing. The Prius should beat the V in mileage.

 

Apparently, people are dealing with the higher prices. The main reason people are flocking to larger crossovers and small SUV's is the room. Two things rule the roost for family vehicles here in the north country, AWD and cargo space. For those that don't need as much cargo space, they buy a Subaru.

Now I bought my v specifically because of the cargo space, And gas mileage. It's the only such offering out there now. Hopefully as technology eve loves, there will be better (and affordable) choices in the larger car segment. They've done a great job in the hybrid sedan market, but mostly with smaller trunks.

Some smaller SUVs are doing a great job increasing efficiency, like Mazda. I came close to getting the CX5, but bailed due to the dealer, and the gas mileage drop. But for an AWD vehicle, it does pretty well. As time goes by, mileage plus great looks and versatility will win the day, whomever gets to that point. But prices have to come down. When people see a $24k to $30k Prius on the lot, many end up with Corollas, Focuses and other vehicles.

I knew the driving tradeoff when I bought my v. Just about any car out there is more fun to drive, better interior, and far less money. For me, the combo of cargo room and mileage won out. For many, it simply doesn't. It'll be interesting to see how Toyota competes from here on out as other brands really poor design and tech money into their vehicles. I can easily see a Ford Focus being a hybrid car, and others.

 

About EPA mileage "estimates"...

Yes, many new cars are claiming to get 40+mpg. We just lemon law-ed our 2013 Dodge Dart 1.4L turbo that had a EPA claimed 39 hwy, 28 city MPG. Its "real world" driving average was almost always 22-25 mpg for 80% hwy, 20% city driving! It literally SUCKED!! We have too many coastal hills around our house, always in the turbo= BAD MPG! So as far as all those 40+ mpg cars,, yea, right- drive them around here....

Having owned that first gen, first mod year Dart, I would never buy another first mod year car! Let someone else get the bugs worked out. Every first gen Model year will have some glitch, or bug, that will be fixed in the 2nd model year. Our 2014 pri 3 has been flawless! (Except I do not like the Nav, but it works OK). I bet you could make a killer deal towards the end of the year on one. But selection would be more limited. We used "true car" to get a quoted price, took it to the closest dealer, and they matched it. Our Pri was just $1500 more than a Mazda 3 with similar options, which was the closest competition, but then the Mazda was a first mod year car.......

 

I fully understand the sensibility of avoiding first year models. However, blind application of that approach nearly lead me down the wrong path. In 2001, my 1987 Camry oil leak had reached to point of no return, requiring a new car. One of the surprise vehicles that popped up was the 2001 Prius. It matched my needs and desires exactly...except this "Hybrid" having lots of unique stuff. Fortunately the warranty on this stuff was longer than the regular components. I'm still driving that car...the most reliable Toyota I have owned.

I'm glad I made the decision I did and so have many other Prius owners. Generally, what you say is recommendable, but not universal.