1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Hybrid Camry

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Wildman, Feb 3, 2006.

  1. Wildman

    Wildman New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 13, 2004
    17
    0
    0
    I'm waiting to see the new Camry hybrid. I have always thought the Prius is somewhat strange looking. The new hybrid Camry will probably get a few fewer MPGs than the Prius, but I might be willing to suffer that. I suspect a lot of old guys like me will prefer the Camry. Toyota expects to build 50,000 Camry hybrids in the US per year with a surge capability to 100,000 using the Japanese plants.

    There are some alternatives:

    1. The CH will fail... not likely. Prius remains supreme
    2. The price and availability of the Prius will improve for the consumer...
    3. Prius becomes a "test bed" with hybrid technology retaining a small market niche
    4. The Prius goes away as Corolla hybrid comes to market

    Watch out for the RAV4 hybrid!

    What are your feelings?
     
    #1 Wildman, Feb 3, 2006
  2. KTPhil

    KTPhil Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 14, 2005
    1,379
    20
    0
    I think price will determine the answer.

    Camry succeeds becssue it is a lot of car for the money, for the masses. If the hybrid premium doesn't pay back for most buyers, they will pass. The Prius is bought not only for economy but for intangible reasons as well. I don't think many buy Camrys for such reasons.

    I don't know the answer, but it will be easy enough to calculate once real-world mpg and the price differential are known. With the Prius, we have nothing to compare to, but we sure will for the Camry.
     
    #2 KTPhil, Feb 3, 2006
  3. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    May 11, 2004
    14,816
    2,498
    66
    Location:
    Far-North Chicagoland
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    I'm leaning towards 2 and 3 combined.

    2) The price of the Prius will become more acceptable as components become more available and the technology becomes more commonplace.

    3) The Prius was the original hybrid testbed for Toyota. First introduced in Japan, then in the U.S. And it passed that test with flying colors. But niche market? I don't think so. Insight perhaps, Prius no.
     
    #3 TonyPSchaefer, Feb 3, 2006
  4. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2004
    44,934
    16,159
    41
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Indeed. My Dad would prefer a Camry Hybrid even though the Prius saves more because the Camry has larger seats that are more comfortable. The size of the Prius' front seats are more akin to the 97-01 Camry than the new one.

    Besides, it's reaching out to the market. It's for those people who say "I want a hybrid but the Prius is way too techy for me." I mean I hope Toyota doesn't dumb down the inner workings of the hybrid system like it did on the Highlander Hybrid and RX400h with that tiny little screen in the IP. I think the HiHy was a mistake on their part by dumbing it down and pricing it too high.
     
    #4 Tideland Prius, Feb 4, 2006
  5. Motorway

    Motorway New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 4, 2006
    20
    0
    0
    Location:
    San Francisco
    I saw the Camry hybrid brochure at my dealership and I believe it listed the MPG's in the high 30's. Quite a drop from the Prius. My salesperson also confirmed the rumor that Prius production will be cut back while hybrid parts get used on the new Camry.

    My prediction: Lower supply and continued high demand will keep the Prius at MSRP (or maybe above as fewer enter the dealer lots.)
     
    #5 Motorway, Feb 4, 2006
  6. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2004
    44,934
    16,159
    41
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    It'll be interesting to see how they price the Camry Hybrid.
     
    #6 Tideland Prius, Feb 4, 2006
  7. JKnight

    JKnight Member

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2005
    108
    0
    0
    Location:
    LA CA USA
    I think that Toyota is positioning Prius as their high-tech car. What constitutes "high tech" will certainly change over time. If hybrid power becomes standard, the Prius will have fuel-cell/hybrid tech, or who-knows-what.

    As I see it, if the Prius model survives, that's great. If not, and the Prius technology migrates to other models and it ceases to be a viable, separate model, that's fine, too, since the technology will survive.

    Jan
     
    #7 JKnight, Feb 4, 2006
  8. Schmika

    Schmika New Member

    Joined:
    May 27, 2005
    1,617
    2
    0
    Location:
    Xenia, OH
    There will alwasy be people who want A0 a smaller car, and B) something that looks unique.
     
    #8 Schmika, Feb 7, 2006
  9. MadHungarian

    MadHungarian Member

    Joined:
    May 30, 2005
    139
    9
    0
    Location:
    Atlanta and Miami Beach
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Two
    TOYOTA: Build a Camry hatchback and when replacement-time comes around I'll buy it, otherwise I'll stick with Prius!
     
    #9 MadHungarian, Feb 7, 2006
  10. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2004
    44,934
    16,159
    41
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Why? Just treat the Prius as the Camry hatchback lol.
     
    #10 Tideland Prius, Feb 7, 2006
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)