Prius price cut in Australia

I thought the original increase was to make the Aussie made Camry hybrid more 'competitive'.

I've read that the Camry isn't doing that well and maybe Toyota lost valuable Prius sales as well?

Still think the RHD Camry would be a seller over here

 

Well, do keep in mind that at current exchange rates, that $34,990 AUD is $36,812 USD. How would you like the US 3rd gen Prius to start at that price? The i-Tech model is $48,386 USD!

I know when the Australian Gen III prices were announced, the Aussies on here were rather upset at the price. I would be. That's crazy by US standards but then again, I don't know the Australian car market and their typical pricing.

 

Canon just cut prices in Australia/NZ on their goods. It wasn't because supply is short (which it will be) but because the differences in currency exchange rates.

 

The Camry Hybrid is doing well, just not with private buyers. The Camry has always been a very popular fleet car, and as companies are trying make themselves appear environmentally aware, they're buying Camry Hybrids. This in turn has cannibalised Prius sales (another fleet favourite). Yet the Camry Hybrid isnt very popular with private buyers unfortunately...

Hopefully Prius sales pick up, although it has too much competition with diesel small cars priced not too close to it, such as the Holden Cruze, Mazda 3, VW Golf, Ford Focus diesels.

 

Cars in Australia tend to be far more expensive in comparison to the US, some are more than double their US price.

It's due to a number of factors...
Car manufacturers and importers tend to spec Australian spec cars far higher than in the US and EU, our base Prius is equivalent to your Prius Three, and the i-Tech is a fully specified Five. I know on most European cars, out base models are middle level models in Europe, or they are tailored to our market specification wise.

It's also because with the exception of the Holden Cruze and Commodore, Ford Falcon and Territory, Toyota Camry and Aurion, all of our cars are imported, which leads to taxes etc which are fairly high in Aus. Lastly our average income is higher than the US, which means cost of living etc is proportionately higher and things are more expensive.

 

And I heard that car companies sell with very little profit margin in the USA and make money on volume. They feel they must have a presence in what is/was the largest car market in the world regardless of profit.

If they have a popular or successful car then they make it big, otherwise they don't.

In the UK the price here (including tax etc) are pretty near the same in £'s as in US$'s, despite the exchange rate not reflecting this in any way.

 

Everything in Aus is expensive. I couldn't believe a can of soda was $4 when I was there. Two sandwiches and a couple cookies at subway was almost $30.

 

I meant a RHD Camry Hybrid. A few tweaks to the Aussie version and it could be sold here in the UK and Ireland. They've done it with other RHD Aussie niche cars so why not the Camry? If they keep numbers below a certain threshold they don't have to do the full type approval. Vauxhall (UK's GM) have done similar with Holden (Aussie GM) RHD models such as the Holden Monaro.

 

I agree 100%, it's low C02 142g/km emissions would make it a good fleet car aswell wouldn't it?

I think it would have probably been too late in the model cycle though, this gen Camry was first released in 2006 and will be replaced early next year anyway, possibly the next gen hybrid?