Featured Toyota Prius Prime Was U.S.’ #1 Selling Plug-In Hybrid In 2018

Now if they’d only start selling 2019’s in 2019.

 

it's hard not to be first in a race with no competitors

 

Ioniq PHEV would provide some competition but Hyundai continues to restrict supply here to a trickle. My parents picked up one a few months ago and really like it.

 

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/761090607/overview/

Can’t have enough of a good thing...
39 in stock nationwide,

Best selling but lukewarm reply with cold feet.

Makes you wonder if 2019.5 or 2020 is in the works for some reason.

 

yeah, one gets the feeling that manufacturers are not feeling the profit love.

congrats to toyota for sticking with it

 

Open Road Toyota Port Moody currently has zero Prius and eight Primes.

 

can't give em away

 

When I was getting some bulk oil the service writer mentioned he was driving one, I assume loaner/demo status.

 

any rebates/dicounts there? that's pretty much the only way you can sell one

 

I don't see any mention. Before you fall out of your seat, these are CDN $'s:

New Car Inventory | OpenRoad Toyota Port Moody

There's at least another $2K to get to the everything but sales tax price...

(Weird how they're all either 20 or 90 km on the odo.)

Addendum: yeah at least $2K. I remember back in 2010 they first print out a bill-of-sale with Documentation "included". Then reprinted it and surprise surprise: $295. I raised a stink, and they took it off, muttering that it was highly irregular. I see in eight years or so that's morphed to $495, even stinkier.

This is one of the cheap one, 40K CDN out the door.



Just playing a mind game, I thought: what would I do, if the offer was our 2010, with 79K kms, babied, for a Prime, even trade? Outcome: I'd pass.

 

Autotrader says 46 '19s and 732 '18s.

 

Which one fines buyers? Ontario?

Bob Wilson

 

Says 60 today, talk about an exponential delivery rate!

 

I ran across this.
Honda Clarity PHEV U.S. Sales: Only EV To Beat It Was Tesla Model 3

 

". . . in December 2018 . . ."

They also forgot about the EV range of the BMW i3-REx: "The Clarity PHEV is spacious for a plug-in hybrid. Additionally, its electric range is on the high side at 47 miles, which is only outdone by the Volt’s 53-mile electric rating."

Bob Wilson

 

"Honda made monumental strides in 2018 with its Clarity Plug-In Hybrid. It outsold its number one rival — the Toyota Prius Prime — in October and December. Now, January brings another win for the Clarity PHEV. Based on official reports from both automakers, Honda sold 1,196 Clarity Plug-In Hybrids in January compared to Toyota’s 1,123 Primes delivered."

 

I prefer a graphical representation for 2018. In the past, I would do a last four months to spot trends (source: Monthly Plug-In EV Sales Scorecard):

• Tesla Model 3 ramp up appeared to have leveled off Prime sales.
• Leaf took it on the chin.
• Death watch: Volt
• Circling the drain: Bolt

Yes the Clarity has improved its market share. Yet we have this curious phenomena that the Prime is not available in all regions.

Bob Wilson