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Big Hybrids not selling

Discussion in 'Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News' started by subarutoo, Mar 21, 2006.

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  1. subarutoo

    subarutoo New Member

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    Saw this today on Yahoo (from USA Today)


    By Chris Woodyard, USA TODAY
    Tue Mar 21, 6:39 AM ET



    While buyers are still hungry for cheaper gas-thrifty hybrid cars, some of the bigger models are sitting longer on sales lots.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    The smaller Toyota Prius and Honda Civic gas-electric hybrids remain hits that are in short supply. But the luxury Lexus RX 400h SUV and Honda Accord sedan hybrids have been taking longer to sell than their conventional counterparts.


    Ford Motor and Toyota have added some modest incentives to their hybrid SUVs, often a signal that sales haven't met expectations.


    The problem, analysts say, is that the bigger, fancier hybrids often carry a higher price differential compared with their conventional versions. The sticker price of a Toyota Highlander SUV hybrid is $6,590 more than the six-cylinder gas-only model. By comparison, the compact Civic hybrid costs $2,890 more than the most comparable conventional model.


    The Highlander hybrid delivers a government-rated 33 miles a gallon in city driving, 28 on the highway. The conventional six-cylinder model gets 19 mpg in the city, 25 on the highway.


    "The customer will only pay so much" extra for a hybrid, says Tom Libby of the Power Information Network, which provides data to the auto industry. It also helps to have a distinctive look, which the Prius does.


    While buyers "want to be 'green' when they can, it all comes down to price," says Mark McCready, pricing expert for CarsDirect.com.


    But Ron Cogan, publisher of the Green Car Journal, says consumers will catch on to the bigger hybrids.


    The Prius and Civic were easy decisions for buyers worried about high gas prices because of their relatively low prices and high gas mileage. "For the other categories, it's going to take longer to capture the attention of buyers," he says.


    The Lexus RX 400h sat on dealer lots an average of 32 days in February, five days longer than the conventional RX 330, Power reports. Honda Accord hybrid was averaging 49 days to sell in February, compared with 31 for the conventional version.


    Honda spokesman Chris Martin attributes the difference to a new version of the Accord hybrid that only recently arrived at dealerships.


    Incentives starting to show up on hybrids:


    •Ford Escape. Ford announced last week that it will give 0% financing for Escape hybrid in Washington, D.C., and California. Coming after an ad blitz that featured Kermit the Frog, the incentives are "a way to get increased exposure" in two of the nation's hottest hybrid markets, says Ford spokesman Monte Doran.


    •Toyota Highlander. Toyota is offering lower-than-average 3.9% financing on Highlander in many larger cities. After it didn't deliver the big sales expected last year, the company may be "dialing back the sales goal a little bit," says spokesman Bill Kwong.
     
    #1 subarutoo, Mar 21, 2006
  2. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    great news!!!

    maybe that capacity will be shifted to the Prius production instead where it belongs.

    its great to want to shift the hybrid technology to your entire line, but i think we need to address where the need is. there is still wait times to get a Prius around here.
     
    #2 DaveinOlyWA, Mar 21, 2006
  3. jchu

    jchu New Member

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    Altenative Explaination: SUV buyers have different priorities one which are do not require hybrid technology to meet. Therefore, the real price difference seen in the Lexus and Hylander cannot be justified by those buyers... I know, this still doesn't adequately explain the Accord issue!
     
    #3 jchu, Mar 21, 2006
  4. priusblue

    priusblue New Member

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    I think the problem with the accord is the performance versus fuel economy that they chose for it. The hybrid, primarily because it's a V6 gets about 4 mpg worse that I used to get in my 4 cyl. manual accord. So, if people are looking for fuel economy in the Accord, they can pay $7000 less and actually get better fuel economy. Even with a automatic you'd get better mileage.
     
    #4 priusblue, Mar 21, 2006
  5. hycamguy07

    hycamguy07 New Member

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    I cruised through the local toyota dealer today and counted 7 Hilander Hybrids.. Yeah I dont think they 're selling...

    Very pricey!!
     
    #5 hycamguy07, Mar 21, 2006
  6. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Yup. I'm one of those who said Toyota blew it with the Highlander Hybrid and RX400h. They got a bit too greedy when they saw the exceptional sales of the Prius. A HiHy Limited 4x4 (no nav in Canada) is more expensive than a base RX330. Hmm... I wonder... That's Cdn$53k if you're wondering. Fifty three!!
     
    #6 Tideland Prius, Mar 21, 2006
  7. SirGreen

    SirGreen New Member

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    I would love a hybrid Tacoma
    That would be my next buy.
     
    #7 SirGreen, Mar 21, 2006
  8. hycamguy07

    hycamguy07 New Member

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    I would like a Hybrid Tundra! Swee-eet.. But it may not happen in this life time... LOL

    I had looked at the hilander and was standing between two of them , good thing i liked to have fainted at the price $35k (base model)..

    Who needs 4x4 in Fla and its not really off road 4x4 either, is it?
    I would have to agree with Tideland Prius's statment...

    Tideland Prius:
    Yup. I'm one of those who said Toyota blew it with the Highlander Hybrid and RX400h. They got a bit too greedy when they saw the exceptional sales of the Prius. A HiHy Limited 4x4 (no nav in Canada) is more expensive than a base RX330. Hmm... I wonder... That's Cdn $53k if you're wondering. Fifty three thousand dollars....

    Now I wouldn't mind a toyota hybrid based H-3 sized vehicle :D
    Just no limited EV's (not a useful vehicle to this dawg) They make great community cars though..
     
    #8 hycamguy07, Mar 21, 2006
  9. EricGo

    EricGo New Member

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    So called cross-over UV's (high riding wagons from car platforms) is a booming market, and Toyota has the Rav and highlander in that market segment. Hybrids failed so far because of cost, not for lack of utility.

    IMO, if Toyota is able and decides to offer hybrid powertrains at a 1 - 2K price premium over an otherwise identical model sibling, they will be bought avidly. Positioning the tech as the ultimate model trim has a limited consumer base .. obviously.

    It seems to be what car manufacturers do with presumed very attractive new tech. First only in the most expensive lines, then in less expensive models.
     
    #9 EricGo, Mar 21, 2006
  10. jfschultz

    jfschultz Active Member

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    I talked to a hybrid Accord owner. He has been getting 25 MPG which is only 3 better than I was getting in my 2000 V6 LE Camry. My Prius is getting better than double what I was getting with the Camry.
     
    #10 jfschultz, Mar 21, 2006
  11. hobbit

    hobbit Senior Member

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    Yup. Any hybrid built for *power* rather than *FE* is simply
    missing the point. I'm delighted that the price of that ill-founded
    decision is beginning to be paid by the manufacturers. May all
    their "power wagons" and the idiot marketroids who perverted the
    whole hybrid idea like that rot in hell.
    .
    _H*
     
    #11 hobbit, Mar 21, 2006
  12. bgdrewsif

    bgdrewsif New Member

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    Why would I want a Hybrid version of a crappy oversized monster truck SUV???
     
    #12 bgdrewsif, Mar 21, 2006
  13. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Yeah but what about the LS600h? There you have a car competing with the S63AMG, BMW M7 (in some countries).. M5 in others depending on how much they decide to charge for the LS600h, umm... I guess the CLS63AMG? S8, XJR and maybe the Maserati Quattroporte. This has more power than all of them and maybe equal to the AMG models and yet get mileage similar to a regular Camry V6. Somebody's gonna take notice even though you have that much money to spend, wouldn't it be nice to extend your fun with the money saved?
     
    #13 Tideland Prius, Mar 21, 2006
  14. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

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    The thing is the current gen V6 Accord Hybrid (and non-hybrid V6) are FAR faster than your 2000 V6 Camry. I used to take my Z and my Maxima that I sold drag racing [at a track] and I'd bet the AV6 Hybrid is 0.5-1.5 second faster in the 1/4 mile [1 second in the 1/4 mile is huge].

    3 mpg better isn't bad. FWIW, w/my current current commute, my 02 Maxima [255 hp V6] also got roughly 24-25 mpg according to my calculations. I wonder how the AV6H would do on the same route.
     
    #14 cwerdna, Mar 22, 2006
  15. Sarge

    Sarge Senior Member

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    Yeah, no kidding. That's a LOT of cash, and I agree with the other poster who implied fuel economy is not usually at the forefront of an SUV-buyer's mind. ;)

    I think the Camry Hybrid will fare better than the Accord for the simple reason that it is based on the 4-cylinder and proven HSD technology. MPG @ ~40 should make it a success, IMHO. I have heard it will be priced just below the XLE trim (C$37K), which would mean somewhere around C$35-$36K in the Canadian market...?

    One 'larger' hybrid vehicle that I think will be very successful is the Sienna Hybrid when it becomes available. I am sure there are a lot of people who have considered a van for the versatility, but hate those 21MPG figures... (hey, I'm one of 'em!) :eek: Granted, it will obviously be driven by a V6 engine therefore it will unlikely reach 40MPG, though I'm sure Toyota will tune it for efficiency rather than power.... so ya never know. B)

    Toyota is always working on improving their technology, so who knows where the hybrid technology will be at when the Sienna is ready for market...(2008?)

    Just my $0.02.

    - Kevin
     
    #15 Sarge, Mar 22, 2006
  16. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    I was thinking maybe Toyota Canada wants to price the hybrid like an XLE 4 cylinder, so around $30k base, $33k with Pkg "B"
     
    #16 Tideland Prius, Mar 22, 2006
  17. hobbit

    hobbit Senior Member

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    What says the Sienna couldn't get around just fine on 4 cylinders?
    .
    _H*
     
    #17 hobbit, Mar 24, 2006
  18. jfschultz

    jfschultz Active Member

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    I agree. A Sienna can probably cruise well with just 4 cylinders. A significant increase in MG2 power the handle acceleration should allow satisfactory operation with a 4 cylinder ICE.
     
    #18 jfschultz, Mar 24, 2006
  19. Mystery Squid

    Mystery Squid Junior Member

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    Why should I pay more for marginally better gas mileage?

    The only way those things would flly off the lot, are if they managed something like 70/street 60/highway.
     
    #19 Mystery Squid, Mar 24, 2006
  20. dipper

    dipper Senior Member

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    :unsure:

    Uh.... can the much lighter Prius do such a feat? Guess the Prius is not for you either... :lol:
     
    #20 dipper, Mar 24, 2006
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