2013 is the year the Toyota Prius marks its sixteenth year in business. It’s gone through a lot of modifications, hybrid train developments, and expansions into other body styles from its original four-door Corolla-looking sedan. It has evolved from a car that only eco-conscious, quirky people would buy into something that everybody recommends and wants. How is the Prius doing now and what’s next for this pioneering hybrid model?
The Prius, Then and Now
It was in 1997 when the Prius was introduced to the Japanese market. It would arrive in American shores three years later, amidst skepticism that it didn’t have enough power and didn’t go fast enough€”and it didn’t look special for a hybrid car. In fact, it looked a lot like the bland and boring Toyota Corolla€”which, despite its lack of cosmetic appeal, was nonetheless reliable and a market favorite. Moving on, Toyota updated the Prius and added a few tweaks here and there, all the while continuing to develop its Hybrid Synergy Drive. The result? The third-generation Prius, a hybrid that can achieve 51 mpg in the city and 49 on the highway€”a 22% increase from the second generation. There have been rumors that the fourth-generation Prius would be even better, achieving a mileage rating of 60 mph.
Prius Sells Three Million
The company behind the world’s most popular hybrid announced that as of the end of June, it has crossed the three-million unit threshold in cumulative Toyota Prius sales worldwide. Earlier, Toyota reported that the cumulative global sales of their hybrid vehicles topped the five-million unit mark as of the last day of March. The company’s hybrid lineup is composed of the Camry Hybrid, Avalon Hybrid, Highlander Hybrid, and Yaris Hybrid, in addition to the Prius lineup. The Prius line was reported by Reuters to account for 70% of the 5.125 million unit sales Toyota has sold since the Prius was first released.
The Prius is the vehicle of choice in environmentally-conscious states such as California, where the Prius reigns supreme as the best-selling vehicle. Celebrities and Hollywood stars can be seen driving their Prius cars or parking them in front of quaint coffee shops and posh lifestyle stores. The model is currently in the markets of over 70 countries worldwide, and Toyota is doing its best to expand its reach to meet the demands of their customers around the world.
The Future of the Toyota Prius
What most people are looking forward to is the next-generation Prius. Toyota has not sent out any specifics yet so what we have now are rumors which may possibly be true: the new Prius will retain its aerodynamic shape; it will be built in the United States; it will have a lighter lithium-ion battery pack; and it may have all-wheel drive. But what’s really important when you speak of hybrids is mileage. Will the new Prius achieve 60 mpg or would it have a more €conservative€ 55 combined mpg? Nothing is final as of now, so we’ll have to wait until the new Toyota Prius is unveiled in the Detroit Auto Show either in 2014 or the next. And so, the waiting game begins.
