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Toyota Prius, Camry Hybrid and Honda Civic Hybrid are the real winners for the month of May. (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/in-the-news/t-may-hybrid-and-fuel-efficient-non-hybrid-sales-breaking-records-yet-again-4879.html#post30736)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2007_Honda_Civic.jpg Wayne Gerdes - CleanMPG (www.CleanMPG.com) - June 1, 2007

The 2007 Honda Civic. Multiple powertrains including a 197-horsepower high performance Si, a 51 mpg gas-sipping hybrid and an all-around 140 HP performer with two body styles, represents one of the most diverse vehicles in the industry. A dedication to providing advanced safety technology truly set the Civic apart from the competition.

The fuel efficient Hybrids and non-hybrids are continuing to increase overall market share as gasoline prices rise to levels never seen before in the US on an inflation adjusted basis.

The Toyota Prius hybrid gas-electric mid-size sedan posted best-ever May sales of 24,009, a massive increase of 184.9 percent over May of 2006. The Toyota Camry Hybrid reported sales of 6,853 yielding a new monthly total sales record, some 117.3 percent above the May 2006 period. The third stand out included the Honda Civic Hybrid with a 50.4 percent increase in sales for the month vs. May 2006. The HiHy sold 3,312 units, down 15.2 percent. The Lexus RX 400h hybrid reported sales of 1,746 units for the month, down 16.3 percent. The Ford Escape Hybrid and Mercury Mariner Hybrid combined sales of 3,214 units yielded an 8.0 percent gain vs. the same selling period a year ago. The Honda Accord Hybrid sales fell yet again to 439 units for a loss of 18.8 percent vs. the year ago period.

For the fuel efficient non-hybrid automobiles, the Corolla continues to lead all sales with an all-time best-ever sales of 45,238 units for the month of May, an increase of 4.7 percent over the year-ago period. Honda Civic sales saw a healthy increase to 39,993 units, an increase of 32.6 percent. The Toyota Yaris subcompact posted best-ever May sales totaling 10,949, an increase of 30.5 percent over the same period a year ago.

Overall sales YTD (year to date) of the “Big 7” Hybrids listed below showed an increase of 54.3 percent vs. the year ago comparison period. This month is the first in quite some time where all 4 of the fuel efficient hybrids including the Prius II, HCH-II, TCH, and FEH all saw gains vs. the performance hybrids which again all saw percentage losses.

May 2007 Hybrid sales summary:

||Month to Date|||Year to Date|
Make and Model|May 2007|May 2006|DSR* % Change|May 2007|May 2006|DSR* % Change|
Toyota Prius|24,009|8,103|+184.9%|76,747|38,460|+98.0%
Toyota Camry Hybrid|6,853|3,032|+117.3%|22,540|3,118|+617.2%
Honda Civic Hybrid|4,520|2,890|+50.4%|13,895|13,154|+4.8%
Toyota Highlander Hybrid|3,312|3,755|-15.2%|11,909|15,404|-23.3%
Ford Escape Hybrid/Mercury Mariner Hybrid|3,214|2,862|+8.0%|10,938|10,111|+7.3%
Lexus RX400h|1,746|2,006|-16.3%|7,095|10,003|-29.6%
Honda Accord Hybrid|439|520|-18.8%|1,702|2,849|-40.7%

May 2007 fuel efficient Non-hybrid sales summary:

||Month to Date|||Year to Date|
Make and Model|May 2007|May 2006|DSR* % Change|May 2007|May 2006|DSR* % Change|
Toyota Corolla|45,238|41,550|+4.7%|165,722|159,992|+2.8%
Honda Civic|39,993|29,006|+32.6%|137,288|138,744|-1.8%
Toyota Yaris|10,949|8,065|+30.5|37,367|15,797|+134.7%

DSR*: Daily Selling Rate - There were 26 selling days for the May 2007 sales month vs. 25 for May 2006. There were 127 selling days for the year through May 2007, 1 more then through May of 2006.

Sales of performance hybrids (the AH in particular) shows an ever increasing disparity vs. the high fuel economy hybrids once again.

Thanks, this is very interesting. Is any sales data available on other FE non-hybrids such as Fit and Versa?

I never did understand the whole "hybrid muscle car" phenomenon. Why turn an already fast car (like the v6 Accord) into an even *faster* car instead of engineering the already-fast car to be fuel-efficient? Considering the poor sales of "muscle" hybrids and the comparatively brisk sales of "eco" hybrids, I guess I'm not the only one who's pondered this point.

If we could reach the level of hybrid cars where low FE cars owners and/or behaviors will look like the smokers look today, (in my entourage at lease).

PM

Hi Lightfoot:

___Yes, it is but with the Fit and Versa’s lower FE, I left them behind due to their non-attainment of the magic 40 mpg figure in any test schedule. I wanted to include the Aveo and Focus as well but again, they did not meet my own self imposed 40 mpg highway on the 85 – 07 EPA test cycle. The new Sentra is also doing well.

May 2007 fuel efficient Non-hybrid Honda Fit and Nissan Versa sales summaries:

||Month to Date|||Year to Date|
Make and Model|May 2007|May 2006|DSR* % Change|May 2007|May 2006|DSR* % Change|
Honda Fit|5,361|5,248|-1.8%|18,156|9,040|99.3%
Nissan Versa|9,039|NA|NA|30,247|NA|NA
DSR*: Daily Selling Rate - There were 26 selling days for the May 07 sales month vs. 26 for May 06. There were 127 selling days for the year through May 2007, 1 more then through May of 2006.
NA: Not Applicable due to non-availability in the year ago period.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

I never did understand the whole "hybrid muscle car" phenomenon.

That is a very good way for the one having a lot of cash and no real intention to do someting for the global warming to look like conscienced citizens. That's the king of thinks your Bush and our Harper like. I disagree it is not a "better than noting solution". I stop here.

PM

Wow, twenty-five thousand :eek: Prii sold last month? Incredible.

:woot: Go Prius go! :woot:

According to GCC, the AH will be dropped from the next Accord lineup and they will bring the diesel to the US.

Andrew

Hi Andrew:

___We have heard that for quite some time ourselves … The sooner the better in fact :(

___Good Luck

___Wayne

According to GCC, the AH will be dropped from the next Accord lineup and they will bring the diesel to the US.

Andrew

The only way a hybrid Accord makes sense is to redesign it around I4/IMA2. Then it would cost less, get better FE, and have a limited EV mode. In other words, it could compete with the Camry hybrid.

The trend seems to be encouraging. It also might be interesting to track the average fuel economy of the vehicles sold in the previous month.

We had a meeting at work just now, and people asked me about my Prius.

One guy was convinced that a Prius gets good city mpg, but only got 25 mpg highway! Can you believe that? I told him I get over 30 mpg climbing hills, and that there was no way I'd ever get that low an mpg. I told him I get 50 mpg or better highway this time of year. I told him of my recent "Sunday drive," where I used pulse and glide to get 80 mpg for 20 minutes.

I also told him there was an awful lot of mis-information and myths about the Prius and other hybrid cars. I also told him the lowest mpg highway I get is 44 in the winter, so his "25 mpg highway" was completely false.

Harry

I never did understand the whole "hybrid muscle car" phenomenon. Why turn an already fast car (like the v6 Accord) into an even *faster* car instead of engineering the already-fast car to be fuel-efficient? Considering the poor sales of "muscle" hybrids and the comparatively brisk sales of "eco" hybrids, I guess I'm not the only one who's pondered this point.

Has me scratching my head too!! kevin