Two Prius at the same time on the market

Have you looked at the Mazda 5 at all? Not as roomy as a Pilot, but 3 rows and still gets 24mpg combined compared to 19 for the Pilot and most of the mini-vans. I think that there has been a lot of speculation that when and if we do get a hybrid mini-van it will be more in this mini-mini-van form factor. Makes sense to me, a hybrid Mazda 5 would probably average in the mid 30s, while a hybrid sienna would be struggling for mid to high 20s. For example, the Toyota Estima Hybrid sold in Japan is 6 inches longer than the 5, but 12 inches shorter than the Sienna. Its an inch wider than the 5, but 7 inches narrower than the Sienna. The mileage on the Estima Hybrid is touted as >47mpg US, but we know the Japanese test cycle to be pretty optimistic.

Image:Toyota Estima hybrid 01.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

According to this article, the main reason its not available here is they don't think a smaller minivan would sell here. So, to my way of thinking the best way to show Toyota they should bring the Estima to the US is for everyone to go out and start buying Mazda5s

Toyota Estima hybrid minivan, 40 MPG but not available in America | Auto News Blog at InternetAutoGuide.com

Rob

 

Yes we have looked at the Mazda5. The wife didn't like it. So that was that.

The Estima was my first choice, until I found out it wasn't available in the US. That's how we ended up with the Prius (in a roundabout way). I think an Estima-sized hybrid minivan would do really well in the US market.

If GM puts its two-mode in a minivan it probably can sell a lot more of those than the hybrid Tahoe, IMO.

 

Estima is an mild hybrid and doesnt really get that good of an mileage...


... Toyota went for most volume application - as family vehicles such as Camry/Corolla sell a lot more than minivans, thus we had Prius... then they came out with HH/RX400h which also have double the sales of Sienna.

But I am sure that when next Sienna comes out, there will be hybrid powertrain for it...

 

Do you know what the real-world MPG for the Estima is (converted to US units)? I believe anything above 30MPG should be a big hit here. 40MPG would create waiting lists longer than for the Prius, IMO.

For some reason I think if Toyota put HSD on the full-size Sienna it still probably wouldn't get as good mileage as the mild-hybrid Estima. The current Sienna is much too big (same as the Odyssey and other "mini" [sic] vans in the US).

I'd like to see a return to the smaller, sleeker, truer mini vans of yesteryears. Though not necessarily as small as the Mazda5 - that's just way too small for many families, including mine. We have two teenagers who play golf AND the cello. You can imagine the kind of space we need!

 

I read somewhere (I think it was in my monthly R&T magazine in one of the summer issue) that the M5 sales have jumped by 25% so far this year. Its not just a wish, it is already happening.

 

I think that was true for the original version out in '00 or '01. I think I had read that in '07 or so they came out with a full HSD based system, very similar to the RX400h. Front was similar to the Camry Hybrid, plus a motor on the rear for psuedo-AWD.

That would be good news!

Rob

 

3rd Gen Estima uses HSD.

Toyota Previa - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

Mazda Sales Jump by 12.8 Percent | Ricart Automotive Group

A significant increase percentage wise. Imagine how a 40mpg Estima-like van would do in today's environment. There'd be blood in the streets...

BTW, saw in the news today that Ford might be thinking of selling part of its stakes in Mazda. Hmm....

 

Mazda5 is size wise same class as Corolla Verso and not Previa... it is smaller vehicle than Previa (and significantly so)... it is slightly larger than Matrix.

Maybe Toyota will bring next Corolla Verso in USA in 2009? New one is being introduced at Geneva in Feb 2009.