Featured Can Toyota Save the Prius

Model 3 sales will keep rising... Honda, Hyundai-Kia hybrid sales will keep rising too. Prius thrived without competition, but now that they have to compete with cars with smooth edges and lines that aren't an increasingly ostentatious/obnoxious design, this might be the end for the Prius.

Either that or they can do what VW did and let a factory in Brazil keep building the original VW bug for many decades after they discontinued them... Sure would love to buy a brand new 2020 Gen 2 that's identical to the 2009 Prius. That'd be a dream come true for sure! They'd probably sell really well too! There's so many loyal Gen2 owners out there!

 

sales will likely keep sinking as long as gas prices are low. can they save it? it was always just a bridge...

 

A very successful bridge... And we're definitely past that bridge and at a whole new crossroads... Now that so many Toyotas come with a hybrid option, so many other makes of vehicles as well, it's time to get ready for Toyota to lead the way with Hydrogen. Oh, err, I mean, never mind.

 

the article claims 2019 will get CarPlay?

 

Prius is probably the only hybrid that anyone has ever made any serious money on. Toyota has covered their R&D a long time ago and if they want to compete they could lower their price. With gas prices as low as they are people just aren't as interested in hybrids as they once were. I bought another one because I liked the car hybrid or not.

 

How are the sales in the home market? I don't know about the regular prius, but the c model (Aqua) has been a consistent performer in the Japanese sales charts. It's only the USA sales that have gone bad. They were never huge to begin with, just a bit of extra gravy.

The Prius used to be the nicest car that qualified for a carpool lane sticker in California. I posit that this sold a huge number of Priuseses; an outsized effect on sales.

Now that it isn't the fanciest car eligible for a sticker it is getting a lot less left-coast love.

 

it sounds like they'll be giving gen5 a go, and see where it goes from there. gas can't be low forever, but i said that about interest rates a long, long time ago

 

Wow... Who wouldn't want a 2019 if it has CarPlay? This is gonna be a huge success for them!

 

No one will buy one because of association with Apple. It does not have Safety Sense 2.0. That will be a bigger reason not to buy one.

 

now that the bridge is done, I don't know. I was wondering this question even before this article came out. I saw the Chevy Volt increase many of its features for 2019, virtually doubling its charge speed & putting more goodies inside like heated steering wheel, vented seat Heating & More. So - what did they do next? Right after announcing all of the new 2019 features - & starting production? They killed it - despite not only being a hybrid plug-in, but one with an EV range of over 50 miles all electric, & albeit cramped - seating for 5. Yep, these are tough times for small to midsize cars that are very efficient.
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safety sense suite is not 2.0?

 

I'd like to think that canceling the volt is them doubling down on electric and hybrid electric with a brand new design... But then again... There's a reason why Detroit was once a city of 1.7 million and is now down to a four hundred thousand. American car companies don't know how to thrive, just last gasps to try and survive. Or maybe they made a deal with big oil and decided to just build low MPG trucks until Tesla takes the last of their market share in the truck arena?

 

We are still a long way off before going full EV for the very reasons everyone here already knows. Prius and Insight were the first successful mass market hybrids, but Prius fielded with a better product...but they were/are still both ugly. Some Hybrids and EVs in general are beginning to look more mainstream, but "most" still look just like what they are...some getting uglier. Top 10 vehicles sold in US are neither though. When the manufacturers learn to give the mass public EV/hybrid vehicles (all types) with the same function/look/price as ICE...they have no mass competition other than those that compromise for fuel costs. This is coming from a 2 time Prius owner and RAV4 HV owner. To be fair, we also have a fully modded Tacoma that gets crappy mpg and a beautiful sports car that gets REALLY shitty mpg.

Best selling cars and trucks in America in 2018 - Business Insider

 

maybe as a general rule that's true - but gen II Volt (2016-2019) that just got axed was definitely not ugly, yet it was one of the 1st to get killed off.
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The biggest problem "I" had with the Volt was the tax writeoff game the Dealerships played so you essentially didn't get it...they did. The second was the mpg after EV and the third was it's a Chevy...and all that infers. For those that bitched about the missing 5 seat....the Gen III Prius DOES NOT comfortably hold an adult in the middle back...even just going to lunch.

...and I was very careful to say "most".

 

I think if the Prius is going to maintain (regain?) market share, they should get back to what made the car a winner to begin with.

Solid engineering, pleasant and practical styling with form-following-function, good utility, non-frustrating levels.

Fugedabout "edgy".

 

"Edgy" being PC for ugly? While beauty is in the eye of the beholder, subjectively speaking, gen IIIs were the least "edgy" so far. People buy what looks good 1st...that's in their price range.

 

Seems the answer is very simple.
To regain market share, create a new Prius-E that is all electric

 

The answer is very simple The cool things about the prius has diminished Now it looks odd but still has the best fuel economy. Be the first with a new battery, plugin, solar panels with 100 miles ev and 500 miles gas and sales would shoot up Where did the wireless charger go?