Other Toyoa Hybrids, not offered in the US

Their comments about the quality of the interior was interesting. In this day and age of uber-critical reviews of cheap interiors, one would think the US market would get the tuning of Europe and the interiors of the Japanese models.

How the heck do they compute those MPG figures?

 

[quote="JimboPalmer, post: 1877818, member: 49727"

None involve actual driving.[/quote]
Humm !!!

 

I don't really understand why the prius interior is not more upscale. I doubt it would cost much more. Does anyone have insight?

As for the suspension tuning, american roads are often more coarse than european ones. American hybrid drivers also tend to pump up their tires, both of these things give a rougher ride if you use the same hardware and tuning. The gen IV prius is rumored to improve suspension hardware, which would allow a firmer suspension and less body roll even with a supple ride on american roads.

Those japanese and european mpg figures are just way off, given really bad tests. Ignore them.

 

In this day and age of quality interiors, Toyota is still behind. Most everyone knows what kind of a perception a car makes when you first step inside. I don't think there is a cost/benefit relationship that Toyota understands yet. A simple look at Camry sales and discounts would easily point out that they are losing out in the type of car premiums that Ford now enjoys. I seriously doubt that the additional cost of improving interior quality and components would even approach the discount they have been giving.

 

While I agree with you, if Toyota saw a marketable demand for higher quality interior in these US-spec models then they would have acted on it.

Perhaps they assume the average American owner that would go for a Prius would also be the type to not scrutinize interior? Giving more priority on the utility rather than the personality of the machine. After all, there are plenty of High-end interiors around other makes/models. I'm sure their savings add-up to a considerable figure.

Before getting my 2010 Prius 4, my base desire was the leather interior... steering wheel feel alone sold me [vs. hard plastic]. Toyota is remarkable in terms of interior design. There are plenty of cheap plastic pieces adorning the cabin, yet the ergonomics are flawless. Mounting the HUD centrally is perfect for the hyper miler such as myself.

 

My only interest is the hybrid minivan, the Estima.

Bob Wilson

 

I has surprised to watch the 1.5 1NZ-FXE inside the Corolla Axio. NHW10/11 has a sedan successor!!
This engine seem to last forever in production...since 1997, and keep up in several models...

 

Corolla Axio is based on Yaris platform, so... thats why it gets Yaris Hybrid engine.

 

probably because Japanese models they tested were very expensive ones... otherwise, Japanese and American Toyota's of same price get similar quality plastics in interior.

Europe gets nicer... but thats changing, new Corolla, while cheap, has very nice interior with soft plastics.

 

That Alphard HV is one fugly minivan...yikes!

 

But you get hybrids WE don't get.

The Estima is fairly popular here as a grey import and there are a few hybrid variants.

Toyotas are getting too expensive here. The cheapest Prius is only £100 cheaper than the cheapest Lexus CT200h. That's crazy. The Lexus is the same car with a nicer badge and only £100 extra gets you that.

 

That's no too unlike our US market. Here a base CT200h starts at $32,050 (USD)

Although a base Prius is priced around $24,000... if you opt for a high-end package with options then you will be right up there around $32,000.

For a buyer here, if maximizing $/value, getting a gen I Honda Insight or gen I prius would be the most "cost effective".

My certified used '10 prius 4 (nav., solar roof, leather) was $22,000 w/ 36k on the ODO. Not a bad bargain indeed.

 

Europe: 92-Percent of Lexus Are Hybrids – Signs Of Toyota's American Future? - HybridCars.com

 

August 2013 Dashboard - HybridCars.com
First thing you should notice that though Lexus sells a much lower percentage of hybrids in the US, it sells more hybrids in the US. The leaders are the CT200h, ESh, and RX450h with these three selling over 28,000 year to date.

The next thing is the next big thing in the luxury market in the US, the plug-in. Tesla has sold over 12,000 model S this year, more than any single lexus hybrid, and dollar volume is likely higher for tesla's BEV than all of lexus hybrids sold in the US put together. BMW and Mercedes is joining the plug-in luxury car market next year, as Porsche did this year. I don't even know if I would include the ct200h as a luxury car, its doesn't seem to hit most of the boxes I would check. I would say the trend in luxury is definitely the plug-in.

The author is clueless about american regulation. There is no attempt to tax gasoline at very high rates. There isn't going to be a co2 tax, or higher taxes based on engine displacement. The only thing the law says is you get fines if you don't hit cafe numbers (these favor hybrids), and you get cafe bonuses for hybrids, plug-ins, flex-fuel, and cng. The US currently buys many more hybrids than europe. Lexus just sells so few cars in europe the percentage numbers look good.

It would be nice if Lexus brought over the ISh, especially if its sold at only a 2,500 euro difference, but they likely want to sell the ESh here instead.

 

Nice! Spinning reality in order to take credit away from a certain car manufacturer, the hybrid sales in Europe, and(>5 million hybrids sold worldwide) is a big deal.

The numbers you are arguing against are not from a survey, but actual sales, have nothing to do with Tesla which imo, is in a league by itself. The trend in luxury plug-in is only Tesla!

 

It's because they don't offer a diesel. Or should I say hybrid options are popular where Lexus don't offer a diesel. Where a diesel is offered, Lexus don't offer a hybrid option.

Don't always rely on stats my friend

 

Huh,
I was saying that article left much to be desired. Lexus does much better in the US than Europe, and even though hybrids are a smaller percentage of Lexus sales here, they sell more hybrids. As Grumpy said, one problem with Lexus sales in europe is lack of diesel availability. You don't get extra special credit for selling a high percentage of hybrids when you don't sell many cars. I big percentage of a small number is still a small number.

What do you think was spinning? I don't think of the ct200h as a luxury car, nor a bmw 1 or audi a3. I don't like the segmentation, but lexus chose to go with it, because if it is a lexus it must be luxury right? The avalon is more luxurious, but it has a toyota badge here, so I guess even though it fits the requirements better, the ct200h is luxury the avalon is not. Its all how you want to cook your statistics.

I posted american sales, versus western Europe(EU16) which Lexus chose to highlight, for both Lexus hybrids and Tesla. That was not a survey. I used 2013 instead of 2012 used in the article, because we have current data, and Tesla was making cars until the very end of 2012.

With western Europe's tax policy, I do expect hybrids to grow in the luxury end of the market. Plug-ins are the elephant in the room. Tesla is starting to export, BMW and Mercedes are both introducing plug ins next year. That same tax policy that favors hybrids over gasoline Lexuses, is going to favor these plug-ins more. Plug-ins are where the segment will be going in both california and western europe. That is IMHO, but its an informed one.

 

The the plug will die as soon as Toyota gets their inductive cord-less charging system up and operational