Few cars have been discussed as heavily as the Toyota Prius in recent times. First hitting the roads in 1997, it was the first mass-produced hybrid vehicle in the world and is therefore viewed as a pioneering car in eco-friendly driving. Fast forward to today and there are hundreds of different hybrid vehicles on the market, so where does the Prius remain and is it still a desirable automobile?
Continued Success
More and more motorists are turning towards hybrid vehicles as there is a shift in attitude towards eco-friendly driving. It is a competitive marketplace, yet the Prius remains a popular choice with motorists. There have been a handful of generations that have been unveiled in its history, all of which have been a huge hit despite the growing competition.
Fourth Generation
The most recent generation, and clearest indicator into the modern consumer’s take on the Prius, is the fourth generation. First shown in 2015, the fourth generation made improvements in agility, aerodynamics and ride and handling, whilst also introducing a new modular platform for lower centre of gravity. In addition to this, the fuel economy of the Prius has improved by an average of around 10% with each generation – this has ensured that it remains ahead of the pack when it comes to hybrid vehicles.
Dip in US Sales
Although the Prius remains very popular, it has also seen a dip in sales in recent times. This is not attributed to the competition, but instead due to a fall in gas prices in the United States. It still performed well in other areas of the world, but sales fell in the States by around 26% in 2016. This is not to do with the car itself but instead the market, and the Prius still made up about 70% of the hybrid market in the US that year.
Government Incentives
The Toyota Prius remains a very desirable car for many motorists and particularly when you factor in the Government incentives in certain countries. In the UK, for example, plug-in car schemes have been introduced in a bid to encourage motorists to switch to plug-in electric cars. Therefore, the sales of electric cars in the UK, and many other countries around the world, has rocketed in recent years. They are easy to find too, with specialists like RRG Group being just one place.
There is little doubt that the Prius remains the leader of the pack when it comes to electric vehicles. It remains a very desirable car as more and more motorists are making the switch, so as long as Toyota maintain their image of being pioneers in hybrid technology, this only looks set to continue.
