Toyota, which has dominated the market for gasoline-electric cars so far, is looking to take back the crown after Honda’s new Insight became the first hybrid ever to top the best-sellers’ list in Japan last month…
Introducing the third-generation Prius, Executive Vice President Akio Toyoda said the upgraded model…costs about $3,000 less than the previous version…
Although gasoline prices have nearly halved since peaking last July, automakers expect growing interest in the fuel-saving technology with consumers continuing to trade in big SUVs in favor of small cars, even in the United States…
The new Prius will start at $21,620, or at least 300,000 yen less than what executives had originally said the car would cost.
With an eye on competing with the Insight, Toyota will also take the unprecedented move of…selling the entry-level grade of the previous Prius in Japan at the same price as the Insight’s $19,190.
The about-face came after Honda’s Insight became an instant hit after going on sale in Japan in early February. Honda sold nearly 10,500 Insights in April, more than double its target of 5,000 units a month.
Competition is good. Competition is fun. It ain’t going to be a bed of roses for management-types; but, it should help out us ordinary garden-variety consumers.
I still think although electric/hybrid cars are improving they still need to improve a lot more before I will buy one. I live in Europe and new small European diesel cars have very low emissions and can compete with hybrids in terms of being green.
I have this nagging feeling that the hunger for a plug-in Prius is because people have in mind a place to plug it in and have someone else pay for fillups.
#10 Check how many non-US carmakers build here in states that make unionization very difficult and who offer huge tax breaks and other gifts to get the carmaker to put a factory there, thus cannibalizing the market for American nameplates. The American makers and unions have contributed to their own demise but giving away the store to Japanese and Germans has not helped and now the pain is being spread to all taxpayers. Brilliant policy, US govt.
23 years ago my diesel Rabbit got 50 mpg, and diesel was cheaper than gas then. It was also lighter and much less complicated than a hybrid.
#20 – Dallas,
$49,900. I think that’s not so bad when much lower fuel and maintenance costs are factored in for the duration of the car. I WANT ONE!!!
Now. How do I get my Manhattan parking garage to charge it for a fee?
I’ll wager that Obama’s latest “edict” about future US cars getting 35MPG, comes with a convenient loophole for the US automakers, not having to make electric cars. It will go something like this. “If they can demonstrate a concerted effort to meet the 35MPG goal, then they don’t have to make electric cars to stay in business (or pay back the bailout bucks).” We’ll see.
The new Honda Insight sure is a great hybrid car. But I’d still choose the Prius any time of the day.