New Owners Talk to ABC News?

I'm surprised they didn't say "We couldn't find a recent purchaser to interview."

Gas is going up.

And I didn't see any on my Dealer's lot.

Even if they are there, isn't that the normal life cycle of a car? First you can't find them and they're sticker or over? Then there are more and you can start to deal. Don't we want more and deals? So more people will start to buy them?

I want more available so more people will buy them.

 

I was somewhat surprised the original post was legitimate as I did see the piece tonight. What a piece of fluff! Must be a slow day for news. Too bad the Toyota spokesman didn't stick up for the car by quoting sales figures. Maybe that part was edited out.

The only customer footage was some guy climbing in the back seat. I don't remember him speaking.

Do you think GM will get equal time when gas goes back to $3/gallon and the SUVs are sittling on the lot?

 

This must be it

The Once Hot Prius Falters As Gas Prices Fall

All One One Page

Sound Bite Version:

Row upon row of unsold Priuses, Toyota's supposedly hot-selling hybrid.

"There's no question that demand for the Prius is not as high as it was, say, a year ago," explained Jesse Toprak of the auto Web site Edmunds.com.

Toyota anticipated strong market demand and ramped up Prius production -- pushing supply past demand. Today, it takes an average of 30 days to move a Prius off the lot. Adding to the glut, Toyota responded to repeated consumer complaints that they just couldn't find the car. Unfortunately for dealers, Toyota's response came a tad late.

Sales of Prius have been flat for a year, but according to Jim Press, president of Toyota Motor North America, that's no problem.

"Now we can start to satisfy consumer demand and start to sell in the mainstream," Press contended. "Obviously, what we're trying to do is to bridge from the vehicle that was attractive to environmentally conscious customers to the mainstream."

To do that, Toyota dealers will be doing something unprecedented -- they will be offering incentives to Prius customers. The incentives, offered by specific dealers as need be, involve loans and leases, as well as dealer discounts from the sticker price.

"We're now in a more normal situation where demand and supply reflect reality and that requires marketing," Press said.

The question though is whether Prius is more than a niche vehicle, whether it can expand to the mainstream as Press wants.

"You might as well just get a four-cylinder regular car for $16,000 or $17,000 and get very similar gas mileage to those hybrids without having to pay the premium price," said Toprak.

There is also the fact that the federal tax credit for the purchase of hybrids is being phased out this year just as the Environmental Protection Agency is due to come out with revised mileage calculations -- a double whammy.

The EPA figures are designed to better reflect driving habits of motorists. Bad news for Prius and the hybrid fleet as a whole.

 

I saw this on the prius owners group board. Thank goodness ABCnews does such good research:
from http://www.aiada.org/newsroom/newsDetails.asp?id=57259

Last month, Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., reported best-ever January sales of 175,850 vehicles, an increase of 9.5 percent over January 2006.

In January, TMS posted sales of 14,322 hybrid vehicles. The Prius hybrid sedan posted best-ever January sales of 8,299 units, an increase of 4.1 percent.

 

Hey, ABC News, how about you drive by any car dealer in the US, and tell us how many SUV's and large pickup trucks are lining the lot?

How can anyone watch the news after seeing the hatchet job on the Prius? Just makes you want to believe every word they say. Not.

Harry

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dipper @ Feb 12 2007, 07:50 PM) [snapback]389252[/snapback]</div>

I saw the story on "World News Tonight." More drive by journalism. I'm glad they ran it, though. It made my wife perk up when she heard "incentives."

It made my laugh when they said that the Prius would get mpg similar to other 4 cyl cars. The picture they flashed was of a Nissan Versa, which gets 28/35 mpg. Even if the Prius is revised to say 45/45, that's a significant difference.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bkrell @ Feb 13 2007, 01:05 PM) [snapback]389706[/snapback]</div>

Also, the 28/35 for the Versa is based on the current "inflated" MPG's. When it receives the new "realistic" ratings, it'll probably be something like 23/31.

 

Half empty or half full, it's all the meme you want to get out.

Let me propose an alternate headline and view of the facts presented

PRIUS Sales Hold Firm Despite Falling Gas Prices and Government Incentives

Sales of Toyota's Prius Hybrid have held steady and even shown year over year rises in most months, despite falling gas prices and decreasing government tax incentives.

Fears that the Prius was a one-shot fad are fading as solid demand continues in spite of increased production which has resulted in greater availability and the elimination of earlier waiting lists.

The Prius recorded best-ever January sales, perhaps boosted by Toyota's decision to start offering incentives on the sexy hybrid. Toyota has restated it's committment to making the Prius a 'main stream' vehicle choice.

While it has yet to threaten the Camry and Corolla for top spot in the hearts of Toyota buyers, the Prius has vaulted into third place in Toyotas automobile sales pantheon, selling over 100,000 units a year, a number which would be the envy of many models both foreign and domestic.

Industry Total Hybrid sales were up 11% in January as Hybrids approach 2% of the US Light Duty Vehicle market.

By way of Contrast, sales of Ford's perennial best-sell F-150 pickup fell 15% in January as Ford fell to #4 in US Auto sales passed by Daimler Chrysler with it's auto sales down 32.5% from a year ago and it's total Light Truck sales down 9.8%.

 

Good work Tempus; I would only add that Prius leads or is near the top in customer satisfaction, resale value, and low maintenance costs.

Any new buyers who are able to agressively negotiate purchase prices now are likely to be feeling pretty darn smug a few years hence. If quoting media fluff helps with that, I say bless 'em every one.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dipper @ Feb 12 2007, 07:50 PM) [snapback]389252[/snapback]</div>

Oh man, what a joke. They don't mention January sales are actually up compared to last year. Neither do they mention that the reason there are enough of the Prius to match customer sales (after 3 years of the current model!) is that Toyota is apparently planning on nearly doubling the number of Prius sold in the U.S. this year, to 200,000 vehicles - hardly a niche vehicle. I think the Subaru Outback sells <30,000 units/year. (http://www.soultek.com/clean_energy/hybrid_cars/hybrid_car_types/toyota_prius_hybrid.htm)