Is the Toyota Prius hybrid about to render itself redundant?

[Right Lane Cruiser]

"A weird-looking one that is not as practical as its siblings will struggle to notch up sales once the current appeal of driving a look-at-me hybrid fades..

David Thomson - DRIVESOUTH - November 14, 2009

Is the Prius really not as practical as other Toyotas? --Ed.

Here's a startling proposition to put to you as Drivesouth tests the third-generation Toyota Prius: the standard-bearer of Toyota's hybrid revolution is bound for extinction, perhaps within a time frame so short that this version will be the last.

The reasoning behind this provocative suggestion has nothing to do with the impending demise of hybrids; quite the opposite in fact.

Internationally, Toyota has passed the landmark of two million hybrid sales (including 1.4 million Prius sales). It took almost 10 years for the company's hybrid sales to reach one million, but only two years and three months for the second million. In a matter of months, a hybrid version of its best-selling model - the Corolla - will go on sale in Europe, and that car will play a key role in Toyota's next petrol-electric target, which is one million hybrid sales a year. Beyond that, Toyota's goal is to offer a hybrid variant of every model in its range as soon as 2020.

Locally, Prius II has claimed some 1230 new car sales here (along with many more used imports) and Toyota NZ has been successfully offering hybrid variants within the GS, RX and LS models of its premium Lexus line for some time now. The hybrid variant of the Camry, which has of late accounted for about 15% of Camry sales in North America, is set to go into production in Australia. It will go on sale here in the first half of 2010.

It's a case of when, rather than if, hybrid variants of other Toyota models - Corolla included - will follow.

Hybrids, I submit, will soon be so mainstream within the Toyota model range that a weird-looking one that is not as practical as its siblings will struggle to notch up sales once the current appeal of... [Read More]

[Ophbalance]

Uhm... how is it not practical??? It's one of the few hatches they have offered. Unless they think the wagon would do better?

[WriConsult]

How on earth is a trunk-based Corolla or Camry more practical than a hatchback Prius?

It is common for me to transport both my child and a bicycle at the same time. In any hatchback, including our Golf or a Prius, you do still have to remove the bike's front wheel and fold down half the rear seat, but it's basically pretty easy and you can get a bike in or out of the car in a few seconds. In fact, most hatchbacks can pretty easily transport at least 2 bicycles in this manner.

Now this summer I rented a Corolla for a week. Getting the bike in or out required removing the child seat, folding down both halves of the rear seat, carefully threading in the bike, folding the left side of the rear seat back up, and reinstalling the child seat. A job that takes minutes, not seconds, even if my child isn't already in the car when I'm trying to load/unload the bike.

The (much thirstier) Camry might be a little easier than the Corolla, but it still isn't going to haul 2 bikes under any circumstances. And you can completely forget about hauling large items like dressers, large chairs, bookcases, exam tables (a requirement for my wife's job), appliances, etc. in any sedan that I know of.

[Dream'R]

The author is referring to the Toyota models sold in New Zealand. Most are those built for the Asian markets. The Corolla line includes a wagon and several 5 door "squared" hatch models, including some available with diesel and manual transmissions.

We visited New Zealand earlier this year. If you enjoy driving/riding on winding two-lane blacktop through stunning scenery, you can't beat the south island. Home of Bert Munro, made famous in the movie,"The World's Fastest Indian".

Cheers,

Roger

[WriConsult]

Oh, I should have realized NZ gets all these goodies that we don't.