Hybrid Sales Are Still Hot, For Toyota Rav4 And Prius

With the higher demand for a sporty crossover SUV, the Toyota Rav4 is dominating the market. With people finally recognizing how great hybrid vehicles are, this has only helped stoke the fire for the small car segment. That means sales for Prius are still burning bright.

America's best selling hybrid car, the Toyota Prius, now has even more members of the family. Toyota now has the Rav4 Hybrid and it is taking the market by storm. If you do not believe me take a look at this story about the Rav4 Hybrid being so popular.

What is this going to do to Prius sales though? With the demand for small SUV's increasing, Prius may seem like it is taking a long trip out to pasture. The opposite is true though. Prius is still dominating the market though, and here is why.

The Toyota Prius Has Dominated What We Know As A Hybrid

I was sitting in a meeting talking to some people that I work with when the question came up what do I teach. I said that I teach the first year students and am also now teaching the Hybrid Automotive classes as well. This discussion blew me away.

People started talking about everything they knew about Prius. How when they think about what a hybrid car is, their thoughts instantly jump to Prius. Which got me thinking, what are first time hybrid owners looking for in a hybrid? My answer was this.

Prius, was the first popular mass marketed hybrid vehicle that actually got the attention of onlookers. It is no wonder why people are drawn to it. It made huge waves in industry sparking all sorts of controversy in the industry. The technology was incredibly advanced for the day.

Prius also was one of the first cars to boast incredible fuel economy with heavily reduced tailpipe emissions, making it feel like owners could contribute to making the world a better place. Prius started a revolution that still continues today.

Ask anyone, what they think of when they hear Hybrid, they will tell you. Car people or not, Prius is the name that is synonymous with the hybrid automobile. Period.

The Toyota Prius Is The First Time Hybrid Owners Choice

Sales for the first half of the year for Rav4 were better than great, they were awesome. at 29,319 units sold, Rav did amazing. This really means that people are catching on to the fact that hybrid cars are a massive part of their future.

Even though sales were really good for Rav4, Prius was still right on the heels at 29,241 units. For a car that is in its 4th generation, this is really impressive. This does mean that people looking to buy a hybrid either for the first time or not, are still considering the proven platform that Prius provides.

Many of my followers that are on the Toyota Prius Owners Club on Facebook still tout to those who are looking, buy a 2nd generation Prius, especially for a first timer. People that are buying second hand Honda's are also quickly realizing that they are piles of garbage. This only makes Prius look more appealing and attract more new and second hand buyers. It only makes sense that a Prius would be the first choice. It is the best.

Conclusion
I love the Rav4 and even more so now that it is a hybrid. I think that it was smart of Toyota to pull the trigger and make it happen. I also still find the Prius to be a very practical and incredibly useful. I wrote an article about the things people haul in there Prius', it is pretty great.

I think that whether you need a commuter or a family hauler, Toyota has you covered for sure. Both models to me are fantastic and the sales really show that.

Check out my other story 3 Reasons Why The Prius Prime Is The Most Advanced Hybrid Yet

See you in the next story where I am discussing why Carista is the best $20 tool for your Toyota Prius.

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Peter Neilson is an automotive consultant specializing in electric cars and hybrid battery technologies. He is an automotive technology instructor at Columbia Basin College. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Automotive Service Technology from Weber State University. Peter is also an Adjunct Instructor of automotive technology at Columbia Basin College. Peter can be reached on Linkedin and you can tweet him at The_hybrid_guy on Twitter.