Toyota Prius sales pass Ford Explorer in US
Americans bought more Toyota Prius hybrid petrol-electric hatchbacks in 2007 than Ford Explorer sports utility vehicles, the top-selling SUV for more than a decade.
The change of fortune, buried in US vehicle sales data for 2007 and unthinkable a few years ago, will find an echo at this year’s Detroit auto show, which starts on Sunday.
While Prius sales soared 69 per cent in 2007, demand for the Explorer was less than a third of its 2000 peak. Many Americans are replacing truck-based SUVs with crossover vehicles, which are built like cars, thus offering a smoother ride and better fuel efficiency. Toyota began selling the Prius in North America in 2000, the same year Explorer sales reached a record 445,000 units.
FT.com / Companies / Autos - Toyota Prius sales pass Ford Explorer in US
Toyota Prius sales pass Ford Explorer in US
Discussion in 'Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News' started by jkash, Jan 10, 2008.