Prius c Sales Off To a Great Start

[xcel]

1,201 sold in the first four days on the market!

Wayne Gerdes - CleanMPG - March 16, 2012

2012 Toyota Prius c - $18,950 to start and a 50 mpgUS combined rating yet worth far more than its larger Prius hatch sibling with the same EPA rating.

Toyota this morning released an interesting piece of news describing how its B-Segment Prius c hybrid sales are off to a very quick start since going on sale March 12.

In its first three days, 1,201 c’s have reached new owners making it one Toyota’s fastest-selling vehicles and eclipsing Honda’s Insight-II, Civic Hybrid, CR-Z, Ford's Fusion hybrid, Chevrolet’s Volt and Nissan’s LEAF sales for the entire month of February.

We will just say it is more than just its fuel economy but also the content, historic reliability and a starting price that the lower income public can actually afford. This is especially true when you consider the total cost of ownership which in a few years may reveal that the c is the lowest cost car in America over 5-years!

All in, there is only 3 2012 cars in the B-Segment worth considering. The Accent and Rio are value and design leaders. The c provides everything else and more.

Bob Carter, Group VP and GM of the Toyota Division:

“A number of factors drive the auto market. Fuel prices and a starting price under $19,000, the timing for Prius c could not have been any better.”

From a manufacturer perspective, the c is the type of offering that provides dealership appeal and will definitely help Toyota overcome its recent troubled past. Just ahead of Toyota on the monthly sales chart is Ford and while they have a tremendous lineup up current and future cars and trucks, as gas prices rise, Toyota has an affordable product that is both available and makes sense today. Well most of the lineup does as the Tundra, FJ Cruiser, 4Runner and Venza are quite a bit off the mark.

Automobile Manufacturer's US Sales Rank - February 2012 vs. February 2011 Comparison and Total Sales

1. GM February Sales up 1.1% with 209,306 vehicles sold.
2. Ford February Sales up 14.4% with 179,119 vehicles sold.
3. Toyota February Sales up 12.4% with 159,423 vehicles sold.
4. Chrysler February Sales up 40.4% with 133,521 vehicles sold.

It is called c and it “does not take any $*#^ from nobody.”

[bestmapman]

I just checked with my local dealer and they don't have any yet. They are not sure when they will be getting any. Darn, I wanted to go test drive one.

[ksstathead]

Tough couple of years for Toyota, but Prius line leads them back. Hatch, PiP, v and c all going strong.

Folks at priuschat that understand momentum, psi, and speed impacts are rocking the mpg with the c.

[Kinder]

Prius c looks fantastic! I hadn't expected Toyota to pull it off, but they sure seem to have a breakthrough car with this one. Buyer's remorse on my 2012 Accent that I bought last August? Well, I am taking solace in Wayne's comment that it and the related Rio are still worth considering.

If I was buying today, I'd probably still end up with an Accent for three reasons: the larger cargo space and 25% lower price of entry make a big difference for this one-car family of three, and finally because I very rarely am in city traffic. Still, the c is turning my head, and with only a slightly different set of circumstances, would be in my driveway.

[herm]

What will Honda do with the Insight?

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Originally Posted by herm

What will Honda do with the Insight?

What Insight?

Either give up or replace it with a Fit Hybrid.

[xcel]

Hi Herm:

$3K on the hood in the under the table manner in which Honda does such things could get them to move? With the YEN where it is at against the $ however, that would be an expensive proposition.

Colin, good idea. They have it in Europe so why not? I can tell you why not? $'s.

Wayne

[echoman]

This just flew to the top of my hybrid list!

[Jay]

The official sale date was March 12, but in CA and many other places the cars went on sale March 5. Hawaii customers got theirs even earlier. Dealers in CA are selling +$1000 over MSRP and stock mostly the expensive level III and level IV models so buyers are getting gouged pretty badly for now.

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Originally Posted by Jay

The official sale date was March 12, but in CA and many other places the cars went on sale March 5. Hawaii customers got theirs even earlier. Dealers in CA are selling +$1000 over MSRP and stock mostly the expensive level III and level IV models so buyers are getting gouged pretty badly for now.

Hawaii's in a different Toyota region. March 5th was the soft launch. March 12th was the big launch.

Some dealers are selling > MSRP, but there are dealers dealing if you find the volume sellers.

I want my wife to test one but online inventories suggest my close dealers don't have any. We need to head south 50 miles to test. (Don't tell her, but I'd even consider the Four if that's what it's take to get her in one instead of an ICEV. Never mind the acceleration feel the heated seats. ).