Featured OH No! Toyota Might Ditch the Prius c, v (lowercase v for the Prius v wagon) and Plug-In Hybrid

Toyota Updates Prius Family Sales Projections; Prius v Future Uncertain

Capcom, we may have a problem...

Glad I got the project v when I did!

Bill the Engineer

 

Gas doesn't stay cheap forever. Its the usual trend that happens when gas goes down. Everyone wants to buy SUV and trucks right now. Once gas goes back up, everyone will want smaller cars. I doubt they would get rid of either one. Toyota sells a good amount of the C and v (lowercase v for the Prius v wagon) every month. The C is actually more popular in Japan than the regular lift back Prius, so they would never permanently get rid of it.
Even if Toyota gets rid of these cars, there's no reason to get rid of your car. Don't fall for the low gas prices. Think about the future of higher gas prices before you make your decision.

 

if they stop making them uglier maybe would help! When I buy my 13 42000km v (lowercase v for the Prius v wagon) loaded I could have a 15 demo v (lowercase v for the Prius v wagon) 3 8000k for only 2000$ more but the new front design was so ugly even my wife did not want it

 

I've said this from the beginning, the Prius v (lowercase v for the Prius v wagon) a real disappointment as it gets 20% less MPG than the standard prius for pretty much the same specs except a slightly larger trunk.

 

No matter what the gas prices are, in cars that use gas at all, we use half.

Toyota Updates Prius Family Sales Projections; Prius v Future Uncertain

The article merely states that the original projections about market dominance by 2020 is abandoned because gas prices are lower and other types of cars are competing. It also says that they may not create Gen 2 of the Prius C or the Prius v (lowercase v for the Prius v wagon). Combined they sold one-third of all Prius cars. Meanwhile the 2016 offerings are quite progressive in safety gizmos.

Regardless these existing cars will be supported in dealer service for many years to come, doubtless.

There would inevitably come cars that we like more. Until then, we have a great vehicle for the right reasons.

 

Wow...that's big news.
Bisco has a classic PiP better shine that baby up for history.
I do not see how PiP2 sells without CA green HOV stickers, but I was convinced we were going to get one.

 

I could see the v going away. The c seems reasonably popular now in CA. Even if if the c gets axed for the US, I would expect it (aka Toyota Aqua in Japan) to continue to be sold in Japan.

When I was in Japan a few months ago, I saw a much higher ratio of Aqua vs. regular Prius (liftback) than I see in the US. The regular Prius is probably just a bit to big for many over there.

Yep. I can see the PiP2/Gen 4 PiP or whatever also being a tough sell given that the CA green HOV stickers have hit the limit. Maybe it will go away.

 

It needs to be sold globally with the 7 seats. This easily offsets the reduced MPG and would result in many more sales.

 

Amen to that...
Folks buying the v want the room and exceptional reliability. It's also a big plus to get great gas mileage, even if current fuel prices are low.
Toyota is clearly missing the boat by not offering the three-row version in North America/US markets---and keeping its "styling" contemporary, but middle-of-the-road.
It's a great car that could be made better with a few minor tweaks. It's dissapointing that Toyo execs are apparently out of touch with what consumers really desire.

 

Well, the PIP really poorly.

The price tag was waaaayyy too high to begin with especially since you really get nothing special with your $7k premium paid over the base model. I think that was a major issue, along with the limited driving/battery range.


iPhone ?

 

There are lots of incentives to buy a PiP without the HOV stickers which the Prius used to have.

The Plug-In-Prius in my opinion is probably going to overtake the Prius in popularity over time because of the numerous additions everywhere of charging stations. It is good because when you need gas, you had better have a vehicle that uses gas.

Having electric power is awesome, and why I got the C. I believe the PiP would have been considered if the price was lower. I run the car in EV as much as I can. Hearing no ICE sounds while the car is on is great. I would like a hybrid less if I drove a Sterling.

 

Why change a thing? Toyota could sell 100% of the production run as roomy taxis.

 

Market conditions don't necessarily mean there's anything "wrong" with the v. However, my '13 wagon has depreciated almost 50% in 3 years, which doesn't endear it to me.

 

I agree you: PiP as EV-lite made perfect sense to me but not to anyone else as far as EV buyers

I do not know, seems like the other auto cos. are heavily discounting full EV's meanwhile Toyota trying sell Plug-ins with normal mark-ups for cars. In combination with generous Fed and some state incentives and heavily discounted price in the first place, EV-lite seem like a head-scratcher to many. Take away mandates and incentives (if Toyota had the PiP years ago) it might have been a winner.

 

that is a very poorly written and confusing article. 'too early to tell whether c, v, and pip will be returning to the u.s.? what does that mean? how can one return if one hasn't left?

you get the feeling that a longer conversation was cherry picked to create a misunderstanding of toyota's intentions. possibly to further someone's agenda?

 

Meh.

An article from the third-tier auto web site.

I don't see the Priussy going away, even though sales are pretty middling for this subtype. As others point out they sell well overseas, and the fact that the G4 is artificially expensive now makes the c look a little bit more like a good buy.
I've never figured out the whole v thing, so I have NO idea if the current G4 will get the stretch treatment....and neither does whoever wrote the article.

".....Toyota Division general manager Bill Fay says it is too early to say for sure whether the Prius c, v (lowercase v for the Prius v wagon) and plug-in hybrid will be returning to the U.S...."
(Translation:...... I have a deadline, and Toyota is being tight lipped, but I have to write SOMETHING!)

If I'm Toyota I'm keeping the c, and seeing if the G4 sells well enough to justify shoehorning a larger battery calling it a PHEV, and maybe putting a Pip subtype on the streets in 2017.
As long as they keep making a Yaris-sized econobox, they can keep the c on the street.

They've already telegraphed their punches with the Pip when they put the G4 on the streets.
Hyundai's new hybrid was designed to be a BEV, PHEV, and a hybrid, and they've been bragging about it from day one.
The G4 wasn't - they just want to (continue to) be the benchmark hybrid.
They still have the option of producing a compliance PHEV---they DID eventually sell all of their Pips, but that was back when there were almost no other competitors.

I'm thinking that if the G4 falls short, then who knows?
The "c" may be the last man (kid) standing.

Trucks and SUVs are more profitable than ecoboxes, and so far Toyota has been reluctant to avoid some of the same mistakes that GM made.
Hyundai and Kia are nipping into their (former?) market and India and China want to be car manufacturers....not just consumers.

It will be fun to watch!

 

What were the GM mistakes, and did you mean to say reluctant to make the same mistakes or reluctant not to make the same mistakes?

 

Toyota is falling into the same trap that GM did with planned obsolesces and by lethargy to respond to the market.
Even some of their trucks (Forerunners especially) feature reworked sheet metal over last year's drive-trains.....and we won't even go into their dealerships.
Almost all of their vehicles are getting bigger and more expensive, and their 'value' over other brands....isn't.
They're not GM yet, but they're not as agile as they used to be, and that stomping and snorting that's getting closer and closer behind them??? That's their competition.

 

undoubtedly, it could happen. but we have been hearing this refrain for quite a long time now.