Comments on: Toyota Plans Two New Hybrids

By: Janice

Janice — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 02:28:02 +0000

nice! something to look forward too, been looking for a SUV type of van hybrid that ca be use for a family outing. Doesn't have anything yet on autopartswarehouse.

By: Bubba

Bubba — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 08:20:47 +0000

That depends on what "good mileage" is.

By: nycsolar

nycsolar — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:26:48 +0000

Actually, I believe there was an article some time ago, that said the amazing thing was that with the new Prius (2004 on) Toyota was making money on each car, as well as introducing all this new fancy technology. So, I am assuming that with Priuses and Wiis, the manufacturers are actually limited by availability of materials.

By: Shines

Shines — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 23:48:03 +0000

Hey Paul Rivers,
You say: most people I know would never consider anything smaller than the Prius for safety reasons.

The Civic is smaller than the Prius and it is now outselling the F150 which was the best selling vehicle in America.
So I don't know who the people you know are, but it's not most people...
Clearly more people are realizing they don't need trucks (SUVs and Pickups) to get themselves around.

By: altoids

altoids — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 23:14:25 +0000

@Schaffer:

>>Clearly Toyota could have increased production more in these five years. Why haven't they?

They are limited by battery production.

By: Tom Schaffter

Tom Schaffter — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 13:58:59 +0000

Why hasn't Toyota's Prius production caught up with demand??

There have been waiting lists at most dealers, most months, for almost FIVE YEARS -- since the introduction of the 2004 model.

Has anything similar ever happened in the auto industry? I doubt it.

Clearly Toyota could have increased production more in these five years. Why haven't they?

I don't believe it's because they are losing money on each sale, as some have speculated. If R and D are included in the cost, it may be Toyota hasn't broken even yet, but that will only happen by selling more.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 15:58:42 +0000

Batavier and Paul Rivers,

Those same comments were thrown around before the Prius came on the market. I never said they needed to keep making hybrids only. I am surprised that so many people on this site get hung up on hybrid technology. Any car that uses energy more efficiently and pollutes less is up for consideration. Clean Diesel or all Electric for example.

I never specifically mentioned going with a car smaller than the Prius just not making bigger cars simply because we can. I own a Prius and while it has seating for 5 it only fits 4 adults comfortably.

By: Paul Rivers

Paul Rivers — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 14:43:48 +0000

“People want to save money on fuel not keep the current 50 mpg and get a bigger car.”

I disagree – most people I know would never consider anything smaller than the Prius for safety reasons. And those are the reasonable people – you can imagine that the kind of people who drive a midsize SUV for “safety” reasons are even more unlikely to.

By: Batavier

Batavier — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 10:23:14 +0000

Smaller cars normally do not need hybrid technology to get good mileage.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 19:58:40 +0000

No need to get bigger. I have seen an large number of GEO Metro’s on the road lately. They all look like they were pulled out of the dump and worked over to get them back on the road. People want to save money on fuel not keep the current 50 mpg and get a bigger car. I will take a 4 passanger car with 70 mpg as soon as it hits the streets. Toyota deserves a lot of credit but this is not looking like a good direction.