I bet gagrice wouldn't take a Prius if it were offered to him for free!
You should know me by now. I would hold onto it until they are in short supply and sell it at a profit. Of course I would only drive it with a disguise so none of my friends would see me driving it. Similar to being seen on a moped.
Toyota is announcing today that they now expect to be able to release a plug-in Prius using lithium-ion batteries by the end of this year, neatly one-upping Chevy's Volt in the process.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Wow, and that's despite the fact that it is a little wider and more powerful than the current model.....
It all makes the Volt seem kind of irrelevant, considering that neither of these new Priuses is expected to be priced anywhere near the Volt's estimated $40K starting price. But I assume that the Volt will still beat even the plug-in Prius's electric-only driving range. It had better if Chevy's hopes for it are to pan out.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Really?? I haven't seen anything about the EPA numbers at all. All I've seen are the various 'leaks' to the hybrid sites. I was expecting 50-54 mpg. Is this from a Toyota dispatch?
And since 1980 VW has gone backward to where now the best vehicle they have for the NA market is the Jetta TDI getting 44 Highway.
Actually they haven't gone backward it's just that the vehicles are larger, heavier and more energy-sapping. They are also cleaner, quieter, smoother, safer and more reliable.
Try to sell a 50 mpg 1980's version Rabbit today and you wouldn't be able to sell even one. You might as well be trying to sell buggy whips.
.. at the launch announcement the first numbers announced today were the EPA Fuel Economy ( est ) number combined.
Lentz said that whereas the current vehicle rates 46 on the EPA tests they expect the G3 to get a rating of 50. Adjust your values accordingly. Since I currently get 48 on the G2, I'd expect to get 52-53 on the G3.
The vehicle apparently will be 20-30% more powerful at the same time as a result of the 1.8L ICE replacing the 1.5L ICE.
Expected 75 MPG is Toyota hype. Toyota does not sell well when competing with the diesels in the UK. So they do that to get people interested. They did that in the USA with their Prius rated at 60 MPG when you were lucky to get 48 MPG. Like you always say I will believe it when it is on the Toyota website.
Question, why are they giving UK figures and prices at the Detroit Auto show. Did we switch to pound sterling?
This combined effort means the new Prius will, return around 75mpg and emit less than 100g/km of C02.
All this will come at a cost though, when the new Prius is released in October prices will start from £18,225.
Further details to follow after the new Prius is officially unveiled...
Those are not only values in Imp Gal but they are also test done according to UK testing standards, not the EPA standards.
It has nothing to do with lying but in the fact that the testing procedures are different, nothing more. It's the same problem Honda had with the diesel Accord that was going to get 50 mpg here when converted to US gal. Unfortunately the NADM TSX diesel prolly is only going to get 38-40 if it ever gets launched.
Thus in comparing UK values to EPA values you'd have to deflate the number by 20% for volumetric differences and then deflate that number by another 20% for testing differences.
in gaining only 4 points on the fuel economy rating, Prius also becomes more powerful - why? to cover increased weight as a result of making it bigger? I hope they didn't make it faster at the expense of fuel economy.
When oh when will Toyota produce the wider line of hybrids it has been promising for years now? Still no hybrid Corolla - when? With any luck Honda's new Insight will beat the new Prius's 52 mpg - we need an honest 60 mpg 5-passenger car in the States pronto.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
I believe it's more of an Avensis than a Corolla, but still, sizewise it qualifies. Also, I read that the Insight is going to be rated at 40/43. Maybe the real world numbers will put it closer to the Prius.
"We couldn't measure fuel economy on our customary test loops at home, but we devised a 197-mile substitute in Arizona. This suburban loop had more rural two-lanes in it than our usual Orange County course, but we're still impressed by the 51.5-mpg resultour 2010 Honda Insight EX achieved."
Combine the fact that it is about $5K less than a comparably-equipped Prius, and it looks like at the VERY LEAST in MPH
Well, no, I can say that because the test drive showed the 51.5 mpg number of the new Insight compares favorably with real-world results of the current Prius.
Regardless of what a Prius would do on the EXACT same course, 51.5 is in range with what some of the better numbers on gh.com are for the Prius.
It just shows that the new Insight is capable of Prius-like numbers in real-world driving.
It has nothing to do with lying but in the fact that the testing procedures are different, nothing more.
The only one saying that Toyota people are Liars is Larsb. I think you both missed the key word. AROUND 75 MPG. Hype is not a lie. It is stretching the truth with a certain amount of optimism. With the right driver I have no doubt that any Prius could get 75 MPG in the UK. There are no official EPA or UK mileage figures. So the writers speculate with a little bit of exaggeration to whet the hybrid faithful's psyche.
What is all the todo about the Insight. It is smaller than a Civic and gets worse mileage. Am I missing something here? Not to mention the Prius blowing into the weeds mileage wise in-spite of your test data. I'm Nippon on this one. I think anything less than 60 MPG for the Insight is a joke. Tell me this is not a joke.
You are the only one that mentioned Toyota and liar. I said Toyota Hype Big, Big difference.
Hype
1. Excessive publicity and the ensuing commotion: the hype surrounding the murder trial. 2. Exaggerated or extravagant claims made especially in advertising or promotional material: "It is pure hype, a gigantic PR job" Saturday Review.
The Insight can't get any better numbers than the current Prius. It uses the same IMA configuration that the current HCH uses but it's e-motor is even less powerful.
It's a mini-HCH in the shape of the Prius for aerodynamic reasons. 60 MPG is out of the question. I'm surprised even that it reached 50 MPG in realworld testing.
It's lighter smaller and has less content than the current and future Prius, but it's perfectly placed for the budget conscious. Another way of looking at it is that it's a Honda Fit @ $17000 with a $1500 IMA option. Look at the Fit with it's size, ride, amenities and safety features and there you have the Insight II.
That's a good one lemko, citing the diesel Rabbit of old, when you wouldn't touch such a car with a 10-foot pole, then or now.
I had 2 Rabbits, a '75 that was a hoot to drive (when it was running; what a pile of junk!), then I went and traded it and my wife's Corolla on a PA-built '79 gas version. Better though slower, but still nowhere near the reputed quality of the earlier Beetles. Diesel version? It only had the (meager) power of the old Beetle and what a smoker!
The current Prius is in a whole 'nother league! And I've never considered another VW since.
Honda will be presenting the Insight in the spring that should contend directly with the Toyota Prius
How do you think it will do that when it is EPA rated much lower than the current Prius? I think Honda wasted their time with that thing. They should have learned with the Accord hybrid. Just stick with the HCH and don't try to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
Ya know Gary, I gotta agree with you here. Not really in that they "wasted there time" per se because they weren't going to just sit by and watch Toyota and Ford gobble up the hybrid market. But the Insight mileage can be seen as a disappointment due to the fact that the first gen acheived better mileage than any Prius up to this point and this one will merely match Hondas own Civic hybrid. That's not impressive by any means.
I suppose the problem with the new Insight is that it uses the IMA (integrated motor assist) hybrid system instead of Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive. The latter is inherently more fuel efficient. The only reason the original Insight got such high mileage with IMA was that it was a tiny 2-seater that weighed only about 1800 lbs.
Oh definitely. Plus, it also only came with front airbags and a lightweight structure which probably wasn't very crashworthy. This new Insight will probably be built around the same safety cage (forget what it's called) as the new Civic and come with the same array of airbags, and electronic gadgets that you'll find in an Acura.
I remember posting this on these forums somewhere a few years ago when a Toyota rep said it, and many people guffawed at it and doubted 'Yota could do it. They reduced the size of the hybrid system components and dropped 20% off the weight.
Ninety percent of the Prius's hybrid synergy drive system has been redesigned, with the focus on weight reduction. The lighter components include the transaxle to cut down on torque loss, inverter with direct cooling and smaller motor. In all, Toyota says it reduced system weight by 20 percent and estimates a 50-mpg combined fuel economy rating.
Three selectable drive modes are now offered. EV-Drive uses only battery power for low speed motoring, Eco for optimal fuel economy and Power mode increases throttle response for enthusiastic outings. Additionally, the regenerative brake system, now with discs at all corners, has been revised for improved regeneration performance.
Paired with the hybrid system is a 1.8-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder, replacing the previous 1.5-liter unit. The larger engine features a power bump of 22 hp to 98 hp and torque increase of 23 lb-ft to 105 lb-ft over its predecessor, helping to shave off more than a second from the Prius's 0-60 mph time, to 9.8 seconds. With the additional torque, engine revs are kept lower at highway speeds to consume less fuel. Also helping to improve engine efficiency is an electric water pump, exhaust gas recirculation system and the elimination of all belts under hood.
New exterior styling boasts sharper lines and more distinctive wedge shape, achieved by moving the top of the roof back 3.9 inches to improve rear headroom and aerodynamics. Extensive wind tunnel work further improves airflow through the underbody to drop the coefficient of drag value to 0.25 from 0.26 of the current model.
The redone interior is built partially from plant-derived, carbon-neutral plastics. Cabin comfort improves with an optional moonroof with solar panels powering an electric fan, reducing cool-down periods in warm months. A remote air conditioning system is also offered, capable of operating on battery power alone to adjust interior temperature prior to getting in the car. Reducing driver distractions is a Touch Tracer system that projects an image of audio and info controls on a panel in front of the driver.
Radar cruise control and a self-parking system are also available as options.
There's always the HS250 Lexus which I guess you could say is a hybrid Corolla
Well, I could if I felt like paying $38,000 for a Corolla with leather seats. Needless to say, that was not really what I had in mind....
Oh, and lars: just to be clear, the weight of the hybrid componentry in the new Prius is 20% lighter, the overall car is not. In fact, it seems the overall car is almost exactly the same size inside and out, with 5 additional cubic feet of interior space eked from somewhere. Now using the 1.8, they only managed to improve fuel economy by about 8%, while making it a half second quicker to 60 mph from a standstill (now under 10 seconds for the first time in the Prius's history). 8% aint all that much, if this has to stand for the next five years, during which all the plug-ins and electric cars will make it to market.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Well, Toyota's official position on the HS250 is that it will be "positioned between the IS and ES models". I call that a $38K price tag, but it could be a few thousand lower. Of course, there is no chance it is the $18-20K I would be looking for a hybrid Corolla to cost... ;-)
Plus, it's an Avensis platform with the 2.4 from the old Camry, so it's basically 90% of the Camry's size and weight (witness the tC that uses the Avensis platform and can't manage to get under 3000 pounds curb weight with the same engine and without hybrid gadgetry and batteries). Given that fact, it's high time the ES got onto a unique platform and stopped so much sharing with the existing Camry. I mean, they could sell the Camry hybrid as an ES250H for around $38K starting tomorrow, and I'm not sure why they don't. Not profitable enough for Toyota-the-profit-fiend, would be my guess.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Actually, it could be possible. I read that Toyota wants to have 10 hybrid models on the market by 2010. Now, that could include the Lexus models that already exist now, but who knows, maybe the Insight will challenge them to come up with something cheaper than the Prius.
I just saw an article on MSN.com about the top 10 cheapest cars to own - Toyota dominated with 4 out of the 10 being Toyotas - Corolla, Yaris, Scion XB, and the Pontiac Vibe, which is really a Toyota Matrix. The most any other manufacturers have is one.
Both of my cars are older models on this list! Echo and '07 Matrix. Being cheap to own over their lifetime is one benefit I have always obtained from Toyotas.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
they are admitting that the big "Toyotathon" sales drive from the late fall was a total flop, as they actually underperformed the market in that timeframe.
So get ready to call Toyota "GM Junior", as it seems the BIG cash is rolling out now...
Coming off a sharp sales decline in December, Toyota Division is trying to lure buyers into showrooms with new cash offers for customers and dealers.
....The new cash incentives are a reversal of Toyota's marketing tactics for the past three months, when the division emphasized 0 percent financing, low interest rates and lease programs.
Those incentives generated little interest. Toyota's sales fell 36.7 percent in December, underperforming the market. So for January, Toyota is turning to cash.
Toyota's trucks get the bulk of the support, including $2,000 dealer cash on the 2009 full-sized Tundra pickup and $4,000 customer rebates on the 2008 Tundra.
But dealers are particularly excited about the cash programs on the 2009 Camry, Corolla and Prius--Toyota's three top-selling vehicles.
"Whenever they put something on Camry, that's great," said Brad Paul, owner of Ardmore Toyota in Ardmore, Pa. "The $750 on Prius is a great help. Corolla, Camry and Prius are the big ones. The others are much less a percent of the business."
Toyota has put $1,500 customer cash on Corolla's base and LE trim levels and $1,250 customer cash on all other trim levels. All Camry trim levels are getting $1,000 customer cash and $500 dealer cash.
Overall, Toyota had a 90-day supply of vehicles at the end of December, compared with a 46-day supply in December 2007. Even the Prius ended the year with a 40-day supply. During the first half of the year when gasoline prices were high, the hybrid was getting as much as $5,000 over sticker.
With the new Camry getting the much-improved 2.5L four next month, and the new Prius coming out in about 4 months, how much is the cash really going to help sales though? I guess it could boost Corolla sales - $1500 is a LOT of cash to put on the hood of a $16K car. Toyota needs to be very careful not to fall prey to GM Syndrome in this hard economy.
On a sidenote, they also just announced that Akio Toyoda, a founding family member, will take over as president in June. They are planning on offshoring a lot more of their production in the years to come, and more will come to the U.S. as long as it remains Toyota's biggest market.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Toyota taking risk by double-teaming Insight with current and new Prius
Toyota Motor Corp. plans to keep selling the current version of its Prius hybrid alongside the third generation after the new Prius debuts later this year, a newspaper reports. The strategy: Slash the sticker price on the current Prius so it can go head to head with Honda's cheaper Insight hybrid.
This way they can offer two models that directly compete with each other on the same dealer lot, and the Prius II they will sell, for around $20K according to the article, will still be more expensive than the new Insight for what is a 5-year-old model. Sounds like a winner!
Honda had hoped the Insight would scoop a yet-untapped low-end market for hybrids. But Toyota apparently doesn't want to surrender that crown without a fight. Its answer is to make the current Prius cheaper by simplifying the interior, the Nikkei says.
The question is, how enticing will it be?
The fresh Insight undoubtedly will have more cachet among image-conscious, eco-minded drivers. Why be seen driving a car that has been on the road for half a decade?
Not so sure this is a dumb idea; GM does it all the time with their "Classic" models. Oh wait!
OTOH, I've read that the new Insight has a really cheap interior and not much room in the back seat. Frugal buyers might very well choose the Prius II over the Insight II.
Actually, I thought it was pretty smart. My reasoning was 2 fold:
First, the tooling is already done and paid for so any of the P2's will be pure profit.
Second, Toyota already announced that the Tundra plant was going to stop producing trucks for like 6 months. Maybe they are planning on building the P2's at this plant which preserves the jobs and keeps the new plant viable.
I also think Toyota buyers are a fickle bunch to begin with. It takes a lot to sway a Toyota buyer who is on his 9th Camry :P to switch to a Honda. Even if the price is a couple of grand lower. So this way, the P2 can capture a few of those buyers who might be otherwise swayed by the 8 grand price difference between the Insight2 and the P3.
Comments
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
You should know me by now. I would hold onto it until they are in short supply and sell it at a profit. Of course I would only drive it with a disguise so none of my friends would see me driving it. Similar to being seen on a moped.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
It all makes the Volt seem kind of irrelevant, considering that neither of these new Priuses is expected to be priced anywhere near the Volt's estimated $40K starting price. But I assume that the Volt will still beat even the plug-in Prius's electric-only driving range. It had better if Chevy's hopes for it are to pan out.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Really?? I haven't seen anything about the EPA numbers at all. All I've seen are the various 'leaks' to the hybrid sites. I was expecting 50-54 mpg. Is this from a Toyota dispatch?
But that 1980s Rabbit was a tin can deathtrap compared to modern cars, too.
Actually they haven't gone backward it's just that the vehicles are larger, heavier and more energy-sapping. They are also cleaner, quieter, smoother, safer and more reliable.
Try to sell a 50 mpg 1980's version Rabbit today and you wouldn't be able to sell even one. You might as well be trying to sell buggy whips.
Lentz said that whereas the current vehicle rates 46 on the EPA tests they expect the G3 to get a rating of 50. Adjust your values accordingly. Since I currently get 48 on the G2, I'd expect to get 52-53 on the G3.
The vehicle apparently will be 20-30% more powerful at the same time as a result of the 1.8L ICE replacing the 1.5L ICE.
Wonder where the missing MPG went?
Question, why are they giving UK figures and prices at the Detroit Auto show. Did we switch to pound sterling?
This combined effort means the new Prius will, return around 75mpg and emit less than 100g/km of C02.
All this will come at a cost though, when the new Prius is released in October prices will start from £18,225.
Further details to follow after the new Prius is officially unveiled...
That is about $27k for a base model....
We got you........
It has nothing to do with lying but in the fact that the testing procedures are different, nothing more. It's the same problem Honda had with the diesel Accord that was going to get 50 mpg here when converted to US gal. Unfortunately the NADM TSX diesel prolly is only going to get 38-40 if it ever gets launched.
Thus in comparing UK values to EPA values you'd have to deflate the number by 20% for volumetric differences and then deflate that number by another 20% for testing differences.
When oh when will Toyota produce the wider line of hybrids it has been promising for years now? Still no hybrid Corolla - when? With any luck Honda's new Insight will beat the new Prius's 52 mpg - we need an honest 60 mpg 5-passenger car in the States pronto.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
link title
I believe it's more of an Avensis than a Corolla, but still, sizewise it qualifies. Also, I read that the Insight is going to be rated at 40/43. Maybe the real world numbers will put it closer to the Prius.
Well apparently Honda is out of luck because...
The Insight is rated at 40 city/43 highway , which, mind you, is not even better than the CURRENT gen Prius.
Prius > Insight hands down.
Source: 2010 Honda Insight EX Full Test and Video
"We couldn't measure fuel economy on our customary test loops at home, but we devised a 197-mile substitute in Arizona. This suburban loop had more rural two-lanes in it than our usual Orange County course, but we're still impressed by the 51.5-mpg result our 2010 Honda Insight EX achieved."
Combine the fact that it is about $5K less than a comparably-equipped Prius, and it looks like at the VERY LEAST in MPH
2010 Insight = Prius
2010 Insight = Prius
You can only say that if they run the new Prius over exactly the same course.
Regardless of what a Prius would do on the EXACT same course, 51.5 is in range with what some of the better numbers on gh.com are for the Prius.
It just shows that the new Insight is capable of Prius-like numbers in real-world driving.
The only one saying that Toyota people are Liars is Larsb. I think you both missed the key word. AROUND 75 MPG. Hype is not a lie. It is stretching the truth with a certain amount of optimism. With the right driver I have no doubt that any Prius could get 75 MPG in the UK. There are no official EPA or UK mileage figures. So the writers speculate with a little bit of exaggeration to whet the hybrid faithful's psyche.
Whoa- hold on there !! I never said that at all !!
Hype
1. Excessive publicity and the ensuing commotion: the hype surrounding the murder trial.
2. Exaggerated or extravagant claims made especially in advertising or promotional material: "It is pure hype, a gigantic PR job" Saturday Review.
It's a mini-HCH in the shape of the Prius for aerodynamic reasons. 60 MPG is out of the question. I'm surprised even that it reached 50 MPG in realworld testing.
It's lighter smaller and has less content than the current and future Prius, but it's perfectly placed for the budget conscious. Another way of looking at it is that it's a Honda Fit @ $17000 with a $1500 IMA option. Look at the Fit with it's size, ride, amenities and safety features and there you have the Insight II.
I had 2 Rabbits, a '75 that was a hoot to drive (when it was running; what a pile of junk!), then I went and traded it and my wife's Corolla on a PA-built '79 gas version. Better though slower, but still nowhere near the reputed quality of the earlier Beetles. Diesel version? It only had the (meager) power of the old Beetle and what a smoker!
The current Prius is in a whole 'nother league! And I've never considered another VW since.
How do you think it will do that when it is EPA rated much lower than the current Prius? I think Honda wasted their time with that thing. They should have learned with the Accord hybrid. Just stick with the HCH and don't try to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
I remember posting this on these forums somewhere a few years ago when a Toyota rep said it, and many people guffawed at it and doubted 'Yota could do it. They reduced the size of the hybrid system components and dropped 20% off the weight.
Ninety percent of the Prius's hybrid synergy drive system has been redesigned, with the focus on weight reduction. The lighter components include the transaxle to cut down on torque loss, inverter with direct cooling and smaller motor. In all, Toyota says it reduced system weight by 20 percent and estimates a 50-mpg combined fuel economy rating.
Three selectable drive modes are now offered. EV-Drive uses only battery power for low speed motoring, Eco for optimal fuel economy and Power mode increases throttle response for enthusiastic outings. Additionally, the regenerative brake system, now with discs at all corners, has been revised for improved regeneration performance.
Paired with the hybrid system is a 1.8-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder, replacing the previous 1.5-liter unit. The larger engine features a power bump of 22 hp to 98 hp and torque increase of 23 lb-ft to 105 lb-ft over its predecessor, helping to shave off more than a second from the Prius's 0-60 mph time, to 9.8 seconds. With the additional torque, engine revs are kept lower at highway speeds to consume less fuel. Also helping to improve engine efficiency is an electric water pump, exhaust gas recirculation system and the elimination of all belts under hood.
New exterior styling boasts sharper lines and more distinctive wedge shape, achieved by moving the top of the roof back 3.9 inches to improve rear headroom and aerodynamics. Extensive wind tunnel work further improves airflow through the underbody to drop the coefficient of drag value to 0.25 from 0.26 of the current model.
The redone interior is built partially from plant-derived, carbon-neutral plastics. Cabin comfort improves with an optional moonroof with solar panels powering an electric fan, reducing cool-down periods in warm months. A remote air conditioning system is also offered, capable of operating on battery power alone to adjust interior temperature prior to getting in the car. Reducing driver distractions is a Touch Tracer system that projects an image of audio and info controls on a panel in front of the driver.
Radar cruise control and a self-parking system are also available as options.
Well, I could if I felt like paying $38,000 for a Corolla with leather seats. Needless to say, that was not really what I had in mind....
Oh, and lars: just to be clear, the weight of the hybrid componentry in the new Prius is 20% lighter, the overall car is not. In fact, it seems the overall car is almost exactly the same size inside and out, with 5 additional cubic feet of interior space eked from somewhere. Now using the 1.8, they only managed to improve fuel economy by about 8%, while making it a half second quicker to 60 mph from a standstill (now under 10 seconds for the first time in the Prius's history). 8% aint all that much, if this has to stand for the next five years, during which all the plug-ins and electric cars will make it to market.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
I was just quoting it as an example, that's all.
Plus, it's an Avensis platform with the 2.4 from the old Camry, so it's basically 90% of the Camry's size and weight (witness the tC that uses the Avensis platform and can't manage to get under 3000 pounds curb weight with the same engine and without hybrid gadgetry and batteries). Given that fact, it's high time the ES got onto a unique platform and stopped so much sharing with the existing Camry. I mean, they could sell the Camry hybrid as an ES250H for around $38K starting tomorrow, and I'm not sure why they don't. Not profitable enough for Toyota-the-profit-fiend, would be my guess.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
So get ready to call Toyota "GM Junior", as it seems the BIG cash is rolling out now...
Coming off a sharp sales decline in December, Toyota Division is trying to lure buyers into showrooms with new cash offers for customers and dealers.
....The new cash incentives are a reversal of Toyota's marketing tactics for the past three months, when the division emphasized 0 percent financing, low interest rates and lease programs.
Those incentives generated little interest. Toyota's sales fell 36.7 percent in December, underperforming the market. So for January, Toyota is turning to cash.
Toyota's trucks get the bulk of the support, including $2,000 dealer cash on the 2009 full-sized Tundra pickup and $4,000 customer rebates on the 2008 Tundra.
But dealers are particularly excited about the cash programs on the 2009 Camry, Corolla and Prius--Toyota's three top-selling vehicles.
"Whenever they put something on Camry, that's great," said Brad Paul, owner of Ardmore Toyota in Ardmore, Pa. "The $750 on Prius is a great help. Corolla, Camry and Prius are the big ones. The others are much less a percent of the business."
Toyota has put $1,500 customer cash on Corolla's base and LE trim levels and $1,250 customer cash on all other trim levels. All Camry trim levels are getting $1,000 customer cash and $500 dealer cash.
Overall, Toyota had a 90-day supply of vehicles at the end of December, compared with a 46-day supply in December 2007. Even the Prius ended the year with a 40-day supply. During the first half of the year when gasoline prices were high, the hybrid was getting as much as $5,000 over sticker.
http://www.autoweek.com/article/20090119/FREE/901199995
With the new Camry getting the much-improved 2.5L four next month, and the new Prius coming out in about 4 months, how much is the cash really going to help sales though? I guess it could boost Corolla sales - $1500 is a LOT of cash to put on the hood of a $16K car. Toyota needs to be very careful not to fall prey to GM Syndrome in this hard economy.
On a sidenote, they also just announced that Akio Toyoda, a founding family member, will take over as president in June. They are planning on offshoring a lot more of their production in the years to come, and more will come to the U.S. as long as it remains Toyota's biggest market.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Toyota Motor Corp. plans to keep selling the current version of its Prius hybrid alongside the third generation after the new Prius debuts later this year, a newspaper reports. The strategy: Slash the sticker price on the current Prius so it can go head to head with Honda's cheaper Insight hybrid.
This way they can offer two models that directly compete with each other on the same dealer lot, and the Prius II they will sell, for around $20K according to the article, will still be more expensive than the new Insight for what is a 5-year-old model. Sounds like a winner!
Honda had hoped the Insight would scoop a yet-untapped low-end market for hybrids. But Toyota apparently doesn't want to surrender that crown without a fight. Its answer is to make the current Prius cheaper by simplifying the interior, the Nikkei says.
The question is, how enticing will it be?
The fresh Insight undoubtedly will have more cachet among image-conscious, eco-minded drivers. Why be seen driving a car that has been on the road for half a decade?
Why indeed.....
http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090121/ANA05/901219947/1186-
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
OTOH, I've read that the new Insight has a really cheap interior and not much room in the back seat. Frugal buyers might very well choose the Prius II over the Insight II.
First, the tooling is already done and paid for so any of the P2's will be pure profit.
Second, Toyota already announced that the Tundra plant was going to stop producing trucks for like 6 months. Maybe they are planning on building the P2's at this plant which preserves the jobs and keeps the new plant viable.
I also think Toyota buyers are a fickle bunch to begin with. It takes a lot to sway a Toyota buyer who is on his 9th Camry :P to switch to a Honda. Even if the price is a couple of grand lower. So this way, the P2 can capture a few of those buyers who might be otherwise swayed by the 8 grand price difference between the Insight2 and the P3.