Mar. 08 Hybrid and fuel efficient non-hybrid sales – Hybrids selling very well

[xcel]

The Fuel efficient hybrids had a bang up month with the Yaris earning the star of the show in the non-hybrid ranks.

Wayne Gerdes - CleanMPG - April 1, 2008

The 2008 Toyota Yaris was recently named the lowest total cost new vehicle to purchase and own in America by Consumer Reports. Besides the low total cost in terms of a low initial purchase price, frugal nature at the pump and its resale, the Yaris offers a fun-to-drive experience for the entry subcompact purchaser.

Two of the Yaris’ best attributes include its 1.5L VVT-i producing 106 HP while receiving a 29 mpgUS city/36 mpgUS highway per the 08 EPA for the MT equipped models. The second is an EPA-certified ULEV-II (Ultra-Low Emission vehicle) rating. With gasoline prices pushing upwards of $3.50/gallon and the Yaris available at just $11,350 to start, is it any wonder why America is finding the Yaris a good value?

The fuel efficient Hybrids and non-hybrids are continuing to increase overall market share with the Big 6 Hybrids (not including the FEH) showing an overall 7.9% increase thanks mostly to the TCH and HCH-II sale increases. The Big 5 fuel efficient non-hybrids had an overall sales increase of 5.7% although Corolla sales are still having trouble gaining ground even after its recent redesign. It is all about fuel costs …

Hybrid automobile sales

The Toyota Prius posted March sales of 20,635, an increase of 16.0% over March of 2007. We are still expecting to see 200,000 Prius sales this year.

The Toyota Camry Hybrid achieved sales of 6,930 units, up 45.0% vs. the March 2007 sales period.

The Honda Civic Hybrid saw total sales of 3,769 sold, up 44.3% compared to the March 2007 sales period.

The HiHy sold 2,239 units, down 3.6% for the March 2008 vs. March 2007 comparison period. The HiHy’s sister, the Lexus RX 400h hybrid reported sales of 1,570 units for the month, up 14.9% vs. the year ago sales period.

The FEH/MMH twin’s sales saw 2,008 units sold, a fall of 14.3% compared to the March 2007 sales period.

Fuel efficient non-hybrid automobile sales

The ubiquitous Honda Civic continues to lead the fuel efficient non-hybrid sales list with total March sales of 32,740 units vs. 29,721 in the March 2007 sales period, up 18.6%.

Corolla sales continue their fall-off with 25,109 units sold for the month of March, a decrease of 21.3% vs. the year-ago period.

The Toyota Yaris subcompact posted March sales of 12,953 units, a segment leading 83.2% vs. the same period a year ago.

Another stand out in the segment includes the Honda Fit. Total March 2008 sales of 6,835 vehicles showed another excellent increase of 73.8% over the March of 2007 sales period.

MINI Cooper sales also had a good showing with unit sales up 17.3% to 4,289 automobiles compared to 4,235 vehicles cars sold during the same period a year ago.

For the first time, we have Smart ForTwo sales to report. With no comparison period to compare, 1,734 units were delivered in March and a total of 3,476 units were sold from Mid-January 2008.

March 2008 Hybrid sales summary

		Month to Date			Year to Date
Make and Model	Mar. 2008	Mar. 2007	DSR* % Change	Mar. 2008	Mar. 2007	DSR* % Change
Toyota Prius	20,635	19,156	+16.0%	42,907	39,682	+09.5%
Toyota Camry Hybrid	6,930	5,144	+45.0%	14,801	11,277	+33.0%
Honda Civic Hybrid	3,769	2,813	+44.3%	7,322	6,520	+13.8%
Toyota Highlander Hybrid	2,239	2,501	-03.6%	6,320	6,203	+03.2%
Ford Escape Hybrid/Mercury Mariner Hybrid	2,008	2,523	-14.3%	5,225	5,457	-3.0%
Lexus RX400h	1,570	1,471	+14.9%	3,929	3,965	+00.4%

March 2008 fuel efficient Non-hybrid sales summary

		Month to Date			Year to Date
Make and Model	Mar. 2008	Mar. 2007	DSR* % Change	Mar. 2008	Mar. 2007	DSR* % Change
Honda Civic	32,740	29,721	+18.6%	77,532	68,140	+15.3%
Toyota Corolla	25,109	34,355	-21.3%	67,047	88,195	-23.0%
Toyota Yaris	12,953	7,614	+83.2%	30,377	19,186	+60.4%
Honda Fit	6,835	4,235	+73.8%	15,641	8,837	+79.3%
Mini Cooper	4,289	3,655	+17.3%	10,164	8,073	+25.9%
Smart ForTwo	1,734	NA**	NA**	3,476	NA**	NA**

DSR*: Daily Selling Rate - There were 26 selling days for the Mar. 2008 vs. 28 for the 2007 sales month and 76 total selling days through March 2008 vs. 77 through March of 2007.
** Smart ForTwo sales in the U.S. started in mid January 2008.

Canadian fuel efficient Toyota sales

In Canada, Toyota Hybrid and fuel efficient non-hybrid automobile sales were highlighted by the Yaris selling 3,613 units, up 10.6% versus the same month in 2007. The 2009 Canadian Corolla did not follow its sales performance in the US with total sales of 5,543, up 51.6%.

Once again, the Toyota Camry Hybrid outsold the Prius with 771 units, up 44.4% compared to the March 2007 sales period.

The Prius sold 347 units, an increase of 59.2% compared to the March 2007 sales period.

The HiHy saw 156 models sold, up 300% compared to March 2007. Its sister, the RX400h saw 92 units sold, an increase of 15% over the same period in 2007.

All four of the Canadian Toyota Hybrid models plus the Yaris and Corolla set new all time March sales records.

For the industry as a whole, truck and SUV sales took yet another beating, pulling down total sales from the Big 2.5 as well as the Asian Big 2. GM total March sales were down almost 19%, Ford down 14%, Chrysler down 19%, Toyota down 10% and Honda, off 3%.

[BailOut]

When I bought my Yaris I had never even heard of it before, and it was the first my salesman had worked with.

When I joined YarisWorld.com a month later I was like the 300th member despite the car being sold elsewhere in the world for the previous 6 years.

However, this car seems to be growing on Americans, and between rising gasoline prices and the positive media coverage it is starting to garner I'm starting to feel downright trendy.

[Indigo]

Well... what's not to like?It's small, reliable, inexpensive, and very fuel efficient. Only two things would make the Yaris better: a four-door hatchback option, and a CVT transmission option.

[pumaman]

Originally Posted by Indigo

Only two things would make the Yaris better: a four-door hatchback option, and a CVT transmission option.

To those I'd add gauges in front of the driver and cruise control.

[pdk]

Originally Posted by Indigo

Well... what's not to like?It's small, reliable, inexpensive, and very fuel efficient. Only two things would make the Yaris better: a four-door hatchback option, and a CVT transmission option.

Don't forget an HSD version.

[ATL]

my good friend ryan just bought a yaris this afternoon

PS wayne, I love these monthly reports on the cars we all hold near and dear

[gandalf]

Is it possible to add information on the Versa? I own a Tiida. It's the same thing except it has a 1.5L HR15DE engine instead of the 1.8L MR18DE. It would be interesting to know how it is doing. I know it isn't as efficient as the Corolla or Civic. But the version we get here with the smaller engine doesn't fare too badly at all...

Have been waiting for another Versa hypermiler to show up in this forum...

My recent 3 tanks have been dismal... Spent a month in army reserve service and the short trips did not help. Back to my usual work commute now and hoping for 42+mpg tanks again...

[smsimpson83]

the yaris is available with cruise control.... i want a yaris for my wife with HSD..... that would be freaking insanely awesome.... that makes me wonder from you guys.... if the yaris was offered with HSD, what kind of FE do you think it would garner??

my guess would be in the 60's pretty easily.

[xcel]

Hi Indigo, Pumaman and PDK:

___HSD-II would be a wonderful addition to a vehicle the size and weight of the Yaris, wouldn’t it

___ATL, thanks!

___Gandalf, I would love to include a lot more vehicles but the monthly updates are an awful pain to produce. Some of it is as simple as C&P’ing but other data has to be built upon previous data which also has to be held and updated. To build this one, I started about 01:00 PM with a few short breaks and uploaded the final product a little after 05:00 PM.

___I did try and access Nissan’s media website to try and get you some Versa numbers but that website has been FUBAR for over two weeks now?

___Steve, 60 should be a slam dunk as I am sure Toyota would allow their VVT-i efficient European/Asian 1.0L in it with HSD-II on top of that pushing maybe 2,550 #'s. A lot of guys here are already licking their chops for that one! Toyota's goal is to hybridize their entire lineup by 2020 but who wants to wait 12 years for that

___Good Luck

___Wayne

[shifty35]

Wayne, no Smart data?