Toyota’s July Sales: What Happened To The Prius? (sales fell 26%)

[Omaha Steve]

http://blogs.wsj.com/drivers-seat/2010/08/03/toyotas-july-sales-what-happened-to-the-prius/

August 3, 2010, 6:10 PM ET

By Jonathan Welsh

Toyota Motor Corp. released its July sales today, which totaled 169,224 vehicles and were down 6.8% compared with the year-earlier period. One model that lost a lot of ground was the Prius hybrid sedan, whose sales fell 26% to 14,102 cars.

The car maker attributed the decline in part to a surge of Prius sales that took place in late July 2009, driven by the Cash for Clunkers program. Sales of many smaller, fuel-efficient vehicles got big boosts during the federal program. Of course recent recalls of the Prius related to throttle and brake electronics also gave potential buyers second thoughts. However there are other reasons Prius may be experiencing a decline in demand.


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Sales of Toyota’s Prius hybrid fell 26% in July.

For years the Prius has been an emblem of fuel efficiency, technological prowess and environmental awareness. Many drivers latched onto them as a way to express their environmental leanings or their desire to own the latest technology. But in the last year or so other hybrid models including the Ford Fusion and Honda Insight have given the Prius competition it didn’t have before.

The coming wave of electric cars may have also contributed to the drop-off in Prius sales. Although they aren’t available yet, coming electric models like the Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt have intrigued drivers who may have previously considered a Prius. Toyota’s own plans to sell a plug-in hybrid version of the Prius that can travel farther and faster on battery power alone may also have some shoppers waiting instead of buying.

[Ruby the Liberal]

1. Their rep is tarnished beyond recognition with the recalls.

People may be turning to other hybrids, waiting for electrics, or hanging on to what they already have until economic uncertainty lifts.

[skipos]

2. Personally, I liked the Fusion way better than the Prius

so I bought me a Fusion. Maybe other people feel the same way?

[tammywammy]

5. My dad got a Fusion last month

It's a nice car.

[GodlessBiker]

3. I own a 2007 Prius. A year ago, I would have bought another one easily. Now, ...

I'll never buy another Toyota again.

[tanyev]

4. We need to buy a car soon, and the Prius would have been my car of choice.

I'm not going anywhere near a Toyota after the recent recall mess.

[Fumesucker]

6. Gas prices don't seem to have taken their usual summer hike..

Indeed, prices seem to have even dropped a bit this summer, that might have something to do with it, economical car sales are heavily dependent on gas price, gas goes up, econocar sales go up, gas goes down and people buy F150s or something similar.