Prius c United States annual sales volume.

I agree that the C is better looking than the liftback, but I like the prime's headlight configuration.

 

I think it has more to do with the fact people have no idea the Prius C exists than it being incompetent. Subcompacts easily drift into the low $20k's anymore so I don't think price is the only issue. I expect with the 2018 update the sales will jump. Let's face it, the Prius family has never been known for its looks but I think the 2018 c has a chance as being seen as a crossover instead of just another hybrid. Toyota needs to stop the whole "drive it till it stops selling" routine and give this car some tv spots. The Kia Niro has a huge ad campaign and it is a direct competitor. I guess their spending too much time on the Scion I mean Toyota C-HR.

 

The Kia what? I've never even heard of this thing... *goes to look* OOOHHH... that thing is a pretty nice little CUV. Too bad it's from Kia.

 

Be careful dissing the Korean cars.
I remember back in the day when Japanese cars were these weird junky little rust boxes, and then they went on to become the benchmark for automotive reliability.

If past is prologue the same things is going to happen with makes like Hyundai and Kia, and meanwhile they're starting to bag on the Japanese for being the 'lazy Asian" and the trend @ Yota now is outsourcing to backwater places like Texas, Indiana, and Kentucky.

If current trends continue, Toyota is going to become a much less trustworthy brand while Kia and Hyundai's quality will at least reach parity.

I'd keep my eye on China's manufacturing quality too.
They want to build cars too, and the cycles are accelerating, so they might beat Korea to the top of the heap.....

 

I agree, they are moving in the right direction... but they're not quite there yet. They have the looks, but not the reliability... yet.

 

isn't niro much larger than c?

 

Yes.
It's a 40-ish MPG baby-ute/crossover, and it's being billed as the "non-Prius looking" hybrid.
It doesn't even have a CVT....but it DOES have enough hybrid components to bust 40MPG if driven by an adult.

It's also not a fair compare with pricing.
As expensive as Priussys are, they're generally 3-4 thou cheaper than the Niro.

 

Base Niro is $22,890. That's almost what I paid for my 2012 PC 4. I paid $22,858 in Jan 2013.

 

I think I asked in a different thread if Prius c get's or needs a refresh.
I think in comparison now, to Gen 4 Prius, and Prius Prime, and even Prius v, Prius c, is looking a bit dated and lack-luster.

Guess, I've always been a little disappointed that Prius c, as the smallest Prius hasn't been able to really offer significantly better gas mileage than the standard Prius.
I like small hatch-backs, but when I looked at Prius in 2013, it just didn't really make sense to me to buy a Prius c, even an upper end Prius c, vs. a Prius II, which I felt came standard very well equipped, for around the same buy in price.

I think in the intervening years, and certainly today the price gap between the two products has widened.
But the Prius c still competes against every other manufacturers small hatch. Fit, Golf, Fiesta, Spark.
And maybe more detrimentally, Prius c, competes against "Newer Used" vehicle choices. Is it more appealing to drive off the lot in a brand new Prius c, or a 2-3 year old, in very good shape, regular Prius with a luxuriously appointed trim line? Or really any used vehicle in a 2-3 year timeline.
Spartan, sub-compact NEW Hybrid Prius vs. potentially a much more well appointed vehicle, 2-3 years old? Is a tough choice to make.

The Prius c, does battle on a crowded battlefield. And some of it's worst enemies might look very familiar...maybe even related.

 

Sold my 2011 Kia, to buy the 2016 Prius C3. The engine was beginning to tick, a sign that the inner cylinders were wearing out, the skirts of the pistons wear away, causing piston slap. A very common issue, some think it is a valve tapping, but it is not. This was with 35,000 miles and very good servicing. The Kia is not bad, but the engine design basically sucks, all of them use the same engine block, different sleeves to make the size of the engine.

 

A lot has to do with gas prices. Watch sales go up as gas prices do

 

As a prior C owner, it did everything right, but as its aging it starting to look dated. Toyota did a better job with the Gen 3 Prius, the Gen 3 is aging well and still looks fresh, even up against the Gen 4. The C needs a make over.....