The Toyota Prius, Who Is Laughing Now?

Is the Prius really the shape of things to come? Before you all go off and haul me to the loony bin, take a look at these facts.

The Prius doubled its November sales over those of last year, to 16,737 vehicles sold. Now that’s only about two-thirds of those sold in the Prius’ best month, May, which saw more than 24,000 out the door.

But lets put this in perspective.

The Prius is outselling the complete lines of Acura, Saturn, Buick, Subaru, and Mercury!

It is selling at a rate almost equal to that of Cadillac and of Volkswagen’s entire lines. Those brands beat the Prius by less than a thousand vehicles each in November.

So who is still laughing at the best selling Hybrid now?

Not me.

Shredmo - 12/5/2007 2:15:36 PM

+2 Boost

I'm still laughing. There are a lot of cars that sell well that I wouldn't consider buying. In all honesty, I don't drive enough to make a Prius worth while. Personally, a Corolla, Base Accord or a Civic would be much better, if I wanted such a car.

The environmental image is lost on me. I commute by bike whenever possible, so this car appears environmentally unfriendly, just as any motor vehicle does. If you are gonna cheat on the environment, might as well do it with something worth while ;)

EnnNorak - 12/5/2007 3:06:14 PM

-1 Boost

I'm still laughing too as the incremental increase in absolute numbers is miniscule. It's easy to increase sales when you are starting out at the bottom. My perception is that Toyota did not have the brains to make the Prius somewhat larger and equip it with a small diesel. If they did that and made leather seats available, I might put it on my shopping list. The weight saving due to eliminating the battery pack would make up for a slightly larger, heavier vehicle.

1970toyotamarc - 12/5/2007 4:01:52 PM

0 Boost

Incremental????? Toyota planned on this being a niche vehicle that a few eco-hippies and techno-geeks would buy. The goals was 36,000 a year. Toyota sells that many in 2 MONTHS!!!! Some months it outsells the Fusion. And this is while the Camry still moves about 4-5000 hybrid units. Incremental indeed.

w209w114 - 12/5/2007 2:19:30 PM

+1 Boost

Interesting articleThe Chevy Volt will be laughing sooner than the Prius thinks.

Plug-in Electric, Lithium Ion batteries, E85 Ethanol, Gasoline, Biodiesel, Hybrid. The future is coming in 2010

Lets hope

1970toyotamarc - 12/5/2007 3:58:59 PM

0 Boost

Would this be the Volt that doesnt actually exist yet, or the E85 that causes as much fuel to produce as it saves, or the diesels that dont meet other emissions requirements while still burning fossil fuels? Keep your wish list alive for 2010. In the meantime hundreds of thousands more of us will do our part with Priuses.

Rupert - 12/5/2007 5:35:41 PM

+4 Boost

E85 KILLS TREES AND DESTROYS THE RAINFOREST!!!

It drives up corn prices! It causes world hunger! It gets WORSE mpg!!

Trees are being destroyed in Indonesia, Brazil and the African Congo to plant palm trees to get palm oil for use in bio-fuels!!!
An area the size of Wales is destroyed each year!

1970toyotamarc - 12/5/2007 6:37:48 PM

+1 Boost

re:cane sugar.

First, the US and most of the world cannot support a crop like cane sugar (which makes very good biodiesel).
Second, Brazil is destroying rainforests and using up valuable cropland to fuel their vehicles. How is this progress, I ask?

Rupert - 12/6/2007 2:00:47 PM

+1 Boost

But the ethanol they use is from sugar cane plantations, which are in giant areas of what used to be rainforest. Cut down trees to reduce emissions...makes so much sense.

SX123 - 12/5/2007 2:53:32 PM

0 Boost

Toyota always laughs and those who dislike Toyota have a bitter smile

austin219 - 12/7/2007 5:52:08 PM

+1 Boost

And the truth shall overcome these underminding renobs!!!!!!!!!!

1970toyotamarc - 12/5/2007 3:57:04 PM

0 Boost

Month after month, the Prius gains converts. There is no denying its efficiency, features, practicality, and style. It consistently ranks as the car owners would most likely buy again, so dont expect these sales numbers to decline anytime soon. The only thing that will stop me from trading mine in on the next gen will be if Toyota or Lexus makes another hybrid model that even more fully combines all these attributes.

theoptimisticpessimist - 12/5/2007 4:06:46 PM

-2 Boost

The Prius is the car of the short-term future, the Prius plug in will give it a little longer life. the the real car of the future is the Honda FCX Clarity.

w209w114 - 12/5/2007 4:14:58 PM

0 Boost

Please tell me the story, I as well as the rest here want to laugh too.

1970toyotamarc - 12/5/2007 6:39:59 PM

+2 Boost

we know the story, the tale, the fiction of the Volt. I too am laughing. Hey GM is the maker of the EV1 and the pretty exceptional (if pricey) hybrid SUVs. So they can do eco as well as anyone else. But the Volt is a joke, and will continue to be until it shows any semblance of reality.

w209w114 - 12/6/2007 9:59:56 AM

0 Boost

I saw the volt in person at an auto show and it looked very doable to me. The versatility of the vehicle to run on pretty much anything is what makes it better than a Prius anyday but people missed my point. I know that Chevy will take this car into production because they need it BAD. Just look at how much they are spending on it.

mikeydred20 - 12/5/2007 6:49:28 PM

+1 Boost

Another attempt by Agents to put Acura down who cares if the Prius outsells Acura it all about price point right?

Agent009 - 12/6/2007 10:00:05 AM

0 Boost

Put down Acrura? Now that is a twist

TTRaceRR - 12/5/2007 10:55:19 PM

+2 Boost

The economy of it is at least reasonable, but why not put the drivetrain in an attractive body? That has got to be the most butt-ugly car I have ever seen! Redesign the body and it might just win over the haters, including me.

w209w114 - 12/6/2007 10:01:59 AM

+1 Boost

No kidding. I think it has 13" or at best 14" wheels that look like doughnuts

writer - 12/6/2007 3:25:09 PM

+1 Boost

I'm sure you folks may have seen this already. Here's an eye opening review of the second generation Prius,

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=718900859924733158&q=TOP+GEAR+PRIUS&total=17&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0

austin219 - 12/6/2007 7:06:16 PM

+1 Boost

By the way this is the third generation Prius. I hope all of you uneducated, narrow minded people grow up and research b4 u begin to dog on the one day #1 selling car in the world.........THE PRIUS.... O YEAH almost forgot lets give up some love for all of those who like to give props to those concept VOLTS.... The thing is the PRIUS IS saving people money in gasoline now......... NOT IN 2011..... GROW UP FOOLIO's

austin219 - 12/6/2007 7:07:42 PM

0 Boost

LAUGH NOW.........

austin219 - 12/7/2007 10:15:40 AM

0 Boost

I FORGOT TO MENTION, BY THE TIME VOLT MAKES ITS APPEARANCE ON THE STREETS, TOYOTA WILL HAVE PRODUCED ABOUT THREE OR FOR NEW VEHICLES AVAILABLE IN A HYBRID.
TOYOTA..........#1........FOR REASONS......:}