Archive for the ‘Prius News’ Category

Toyota Prius

According to an article from The Wall Street Journal’s Market Watch, on April 30th, Toyota announced global cumulative sales of its hybrid vehicles have surpassed 4 million units. Toyota has always been a leader in quality, fuel efficiency and value, and its dominance of the rapidly growing hybrid market illustrates their commitment to producing environmentally-friendly and technologically advanced vehicles for the mass market.

Although the Prius, which came to North America in 2000, may be most familiar hybrid brand to those of us here in Oregon and across the US, Toyota’s first hybrid vehicle was actually a minibus, the Coaster Hybrid EV.  Debuting in Japan in August 1997, production of the Coaster Hybrid continued until 2007.

According to Toyota, the Prius C and Prius V models, two very recent additions to the family, have already made up approximately 250,000 of those 4 million units sold. Now in its third generation, the Prius makes up the lion’s share of those sales at 2.6 million units. Toyota hybrids don’t stop at the Prius, though. Toyota sells 18 hybrid passenger vehicles across 80 countries. The best-selling passenger car in North America, the Toyota Camry, added the Camry Hybrid to its line in 2006. For those in the market for an SUV, Toyota offers the Highlander Hybrid with seating for up to 7 passengers.

The pace of hybrid vehicle sales has been steadily increasing for Toyota, which hit the one million units sold milestone in May 2007, a decade after the Coaster Hybrid EV premiered. It took 27 months for Toyota to reach the two million mark, and only 18 months to pass three million, which it did in February 2011.

Looking for your own hybrid Toyota? Check out our selection of new and used vehicles on our website 24/7 @greshamtoyota.com!

J. D. Power and Associates, long respected as the leading automotive industry expert group, has released its 2012 U. S. Vehicle Dependability Study, and Toyota swept the field.

Three of the top five brands in dependability rankings were Toyota Motor Corp. brands – Toyota, Scion, and Lexus all ranked well above average in the study’s namesake category.

In addition to sweeping the dependability rankings, Toyota earned awards in eight of the 14 model segments, more than all other manufacturers combined. The next-ranking manufacturer, Ford, only earned three.

Among the models earning recognition for the automaker were Lexus ES 350 and RX 350, Scion tC and xB, and Toyota Prius, Sienna, Tundra, and Yaris.

Looking for your own dependable Toyota car, truck or SUV? Check out our selection of new and used vehicles on our website 24/7 @greshamtoyota.com!

Last week, we outlined the first in a “family” of 2012 Prii with the spacious Prius V. Toyota hinted at a wide variety of different Prii for the coming years, including possibilities of a minivan, SUV, and even a convertible – but no one expected this.

As Motor Trend reports, the Prius Sports Coupe is currently in the works for 2014 – a model that will add a whole new dimension to a vehicle that was thought of only as a fuel-saver for those in a specific demographic. Although this one won’t make its debut for a few more years, it does provide a glimpse into an evolving hybrid market and the future of Toyota.

The image displayed on the right is one artist’s vision of what the Prius Sports Coupe might look like. The development of this model represents the gravitation toward hybrids that are more fun to drive as they increase in popularity and become more mainstream. Insiders of the situation report that the next generation of Toyota hybrids will incorporate the plug-in hybrid unit, rear-drive platform, and a manual transmission option.

Other future rumors include Prius as its own separate brand under the Toyota umbrella, potentially where all Toyota hybrids will fall. Toyota may also be developing a new hydrogen-powered sedan for the coming years, all of which we are excited about. Stay tuned for more news as it develops here and on Facebook!

Looking for your own innovative Toyota car, truck or SUV? Check out our selection of new and used vehicles on our website 24/7 @ greshamtoyota.com!

Perhaps the greatest challenge in creating fuel-efficient vehicles is achieving a large enough size to fit the whole family without sacrificing big bucks at the pump.

Enter the 2012 Prius V.

As Motor Trend reports, the second in the “family” of 2012 Prii presents a more fuel-efficient option to the consumer who enjoys the space of vehicles in the crossover and SUV categories. Toyota noted that Americans often seek increased comfort and more cargo space in mid-sized vehicles rather than cramming more passengers into a third row seat, so the 58% extra space is utilized for extra passenger comfort and cargo space.

The “V” in this Prius stands for versatility, and it delivers exactly that. Despite being 238 pounds heavier than the standard Prius, it still delivers an impressive 44 city MPG. Also reported was a “level of driving elegance that’s simply absent from the normal car”. They were especially impressed at how such a large hybrid could handle so smoothly around the California curves. Rather than targeting existing Prius owners who need more room, Toyota is launching the Prius V to provide a better option to Crossover and SUV owners who aren’t excited about $4.00/gallon fuel prices. The company predicts this model to account for 15-20% of 2012 Prius sales.

We’re excited for the new lineup of Prii, each with their own unique personality and benefits. Read the full article and stay tuned for more information as it rolls out!

Looking for your own innovative Toyota car, truck or SUV? Check out our selection of new and used vehicles on our website 24/7 @ greshamtoyota.com!

Continuing with a commitment to develop innovative future vehicles, Toyota has is releasing new additions to the Prius family. Last week’s New York Auto Show set the stage for a reveal of the crossover Prius V and a tri-engine electric plug-in version. As reported in a recent New Jersey Newsroom, each vehicle will compete in different car segments.

The Prius V will be one of the newest additions to the crossover segment and is set to compete with the likes of the Honda Crosstour and Nissan Murano. The roomier Prius V achieves only slightly less gas mileage than the original, with an estimated EPA rating of 42 MPG city and 38 MPH highway. This is an impressive feat for a full-sized family ride. Other features include folding second row seats and an Entune multimedia entertainment system.

Competing in an entirely different niche is the Prius Plug-In Electric vehicle. So far, 160 “test” vehicles are already on the road. The new plug-in goes a step further than the original Prius, allowing the driver to use a third power system. The addition of the third has already proved useful in increasing mileage between power-ups.

We can’t wait to see the latest Prius models hitting the pavement early next year.

Looking for your own innovative Toyota car, truck or SUV? Check out our selection of new and used vehicles on our website 24/7 @ greshamtoyota.com!