All future Toyota Hybrids to look the same

omarrana submitted on 10/15/2007 Official AutoSpies Timestamp: 9:27 AM
from: www.egmcartech.com

Tags: Toyota

Toyota

All future Toyota Hybrids to look the same

Of course most people know a Toyota Prius when they see one since it is the most awkward looking car on the road and because it is the world’s best-selling hybrid. But it is the other top-rated Toyota green cars that passer-bys wouldn’t notice until they saw the little blue hybrid logo in the back.

Toyota believes that one reason the Prius has sold almost 140,000 units in the U.S. this year is because of its distinctive looks. The Camry Hybrid on the other hand, which looks exactly like its... Read Article

Comments:

Images hosted in your AgentSpace can now be posted in the comments section using the following syntax (case matters):
[img]IMAGE URL[/img]
Example: [img]http://agent004.myautospies.com/users/150/Sample-Gallery/sample1.JPG[/img]

Catsmeow - 10/15/2007 10:30:52 AM

+1 Boost

that grille would def help the hybrids stand out

reply to this comment

EL34 - 10/15/2007 12:32:34 PM

+2 Boost

The Prius is at the bottom of my list of cars that makes me turn my head.

reply to this comment

enthusiastx11 - 10/15/2007 1:40:23 PM

+2 Boost

the appearance of the prius is one of the most significant reasons it sells so much better than hybrids like the camry. yes, it's a hideously ugly toy car with 14inch wheels, but many people buy these cars as political statements not for their beauty.

it would be wise for toyota to make all their hybrids look the same.

reply to this comment

S4cabriofoxone - 10/15/2007 5:58:29 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

Okay, WOW, we're rollin' on 15s with our Prius! LOL! That was just futile.

I agree that, although they're not pretty, it would be smart for Toyota to create what is almost a sub-brand for its hybrid line. They should be distinctive.

enthusiastx11 - 10/15/2007 9:59:06 PM

0 Boost

xero:

the civic hybrid is a better car in nearly every way...yet it doesn't sell anything close to what the prius does despite being more affordable. as i said, the prius sells so well because it doesn't look like any gasoline cars. it's a political statement.

enthusiastx11 - 10/15/2007 10:02:48 PM

+1 Boost

GS: you totally missed my point and got hung up on an insignificant detail. 15 inch wheels..whatever.

Sunshine1810 - 10/15/2007 2:51:57 PM

+2 Boost

One of the main reasons why people like to buy the Prius over other hybrid's is the fact that the Prius was built to be a hybrid and has only been sold that way. People view it as a technologically advanced car for thinking in this fashion. My mother drives a Lexus RX400h and although it is much better than the RX330 she had before it, I would never buy hybrid as I think diesel/hydrogen is what will power cars in the future. People in the United States complain about high gas prices but compared to Europe and Asia where gas is near $8 dollars a gallon, most cars are diesels.

reply to this comment

1970toyotamarc - 10/15/2007 2:53:00 PM

-1 Boost

Another ridiculous article, filled with inconsistencies, half-truths, assumptions and unsourced quotes.

"Toyota believes that one reason the Prius has sold almost 140,000 units in the U.S. this year is because of its distinctive looks."
Who in Toyota believes this, Toyota is a large coporation, not a person, the company does not believe anything. And looks are but ONE reason.

"The Camry Hybrid...sold just below 40,000"
So selling 10% of your model as hybrids is a failure? I dont think Toyota would "believe" that.

"The push to keep a unified design for all future hybrids is in its final stages of development."
Source, please?

"Cars like the Camry and Highlander Hybrid, while still looking exactly like their gasoline counterparts, will get a different style grille, bumpers or headlights."
This is already the case. Earth shattering news here, huh.

"Toyota will show a sneak peek at a future Prius with the 1/X hybrid concept"
That's a bit of a stretch to call it a look at a future Prius. It's just a concept.

The whole point of this article is once again to diminish the inherent value of the hybrid, by chalking it up to people wanting to LOOK like they are helping the environment. Consumers buy the Prius (like myself) because it is the best hybrid available for many reasons, style being just one. (I personally would have bought the Camry had it been offered as a hatchback.)

reply to this comment

S4cabriofoxone - 10/15/2007 6:00:44 PMView My AgentSpace

+2 Boost

Why do you get so defensive? What about this article set you off? Do you think the whole world is against you, or Toyota? What is wrong with Toyota hybrids being distinctive? Although you don't want to admit it, YES, "looking green" is a BIG factor in buying these cars. People are very fickle.

1970toyotamarc - 10/15/2007 7:20:29 PM

+2 Boost

i would expect more from you S4. I' pointing out some specific faults in that article. If you dont believe that omarrana has it out for Toyotas and hybrids, then you havent been paying attention. And I know you do pay close attention, so I am kinda confused.

I dont get into flame wars (anymore) and only post when its important (now). And it is important to point out these falsehoods that blogs pass off as news. It's bad enough our MSM news cant even get it right. But the misinfornation and lack of journalistic integrity on these sites is just rampant.

I know perfectly well that you set things right when you hear of dissing against your beloved Audi, as rightly you should. I would certainly never question your motives in that case for 2 reasons. One, your posts about Audi are generally on point. Two, your obvious interest (bias, knowledge, and all that goes with it) is pretty clear in your name. So by all means you should be the one to get the Audi facts/opinions out there, without one assuming you have some chip on your shoulder. I would only expect the same.

enthusiastx11 - 10/15/2007 10:07:10 PM

+1 Boost

you missed the whole point.

hybrids are political statements for many drivers. having a car that looks distinctive reinforces that. hence, the prius has sold far better than any other hybrid.

in the end, making all toyota hybrids look the same is a VERY smart move by toyota.

S4cabriofoxone - 10/15/2007 11:35:13 PMView My AgentSpace

+2 Boost

But the thing is, the article is not very faulty. You are as entitled to your opinion as I am to mine--but it is almost a fact that many buyers pick the Prius over Camry or Civic Hybrid models because it looks different. They want a little bit of an image recognition to go along with their "I'm saving the world" mantra. Now, if I remember, you own a Prius and this may not be a concern to you- but it certainly is to the general public.

As enthusiast said, we're not bashing Toyota. They're capitalizing on the market they have driven and it's going to work.

adambravo - 10/15/2007 3:13:07 PM

+4 Boost

What a stupid headline--as if you'd say, "All BMWs look alike". If you read the article, that's not what it says. It says Toyota is trying to identify some design cues they could use on all their hybrids.

reply to this comment

Rupert - 10/15/2007 3:56:12 PMView My AgentSpace

+3 Boost

I think it's a good idea to have a hybrid identity, whether it be a grill or wheels or whatever. It can only be a good thing.

reply to this comment

S4cabriofoxone - 10/15/2007 6:01:40 PMView My AgentSpace

+3 Boost

I disagree. It does get great mileage, but it's image more than anything else. Everybody is after the same thing.

reply to this comment

enthusiastx11 - 10/15/2007 10:08:31 PM

+2 Boost

i don't know why i try houston but..

you missed the whole point.

hybrids are political statements for many drivers. having a car that looks distinctive reinforces that. hence, the prius has sold far better than any other hybrid.

in the end, making all toyota hybrids look the same is a VERY smart move by toyota.

reply to this comment

fuelfool - 10/15/2007 9:39:24 PM

+3 Boost

Those arguing that people buy the Prius for mpg are correct. But so are those who say it's all about projecting a green, enviromentally conscious image. These two groups are the main purchasers of the Prius. The practicality-minded and the image-conscious.

reply to this comment

S4cabriofoxone - 10/15/2007 11:36:11 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

And most of them have a mix of both. If not, the only-fuel-conscious would be buying bikes, and the only-image-conscious would be buying Escalades.

fuelfool - 10/16/2007 1:29:45 AM

0 Boost

While there is certainly plenty of overlap between the two groups, there are also Prius buyers who fall nearly exclusively into the practical mpg group or the "look how green I am" group. Just to clarify S4cabrofoxone, "image-conscious" as it relates to the Prius has nothing to do with the flashy conspicuous consumption exemplified by a vehicle like the Escalade, but rather one's desire to be perceived by others as "environmentally enlightened". As for the assertion that "only-fuel-conscious would be buying bikes" I'll assume you're only joking, as obviously mpg is of most concern to those with commutes too long to consider biking to work.

reply to this comment

1970toyotamarc - 10/16/2007 11:09:59 AM

-1 Boost

hybrids are not political "statements," they are smart choices. And the Prius is the smartest choice of all. Obviously some people choose the Prius on looks. Im sure a whole lotta people choose the Audi over the BMW because of looks. But this article, and several posters here are trying to minimize the real benefits of hybrids by stating people only buy the ones that look like they are making a statement. This is an unwinnable argument, because there is no empirical evidence to support either position. Just looking at raw sales data will not answer this question, so after this, any more arguments will just be redundant. good day

reply to this comment

enthusiastx11 - 10/16/2007 11:19:45 AM

+2 Boost

"hybrids are not political "statements," they are smart choices"

are you really this simple? of course they are political statement! and no, most are not 'smart' choices as it takes years to even have a hope of capturing the additional cost of a hybrid in fuel savings.

why do you think every other hollywood celebrity shows up at events in a prius? (and then drives their mercedes SUV when cameras aren't around)

1970toyotamarc - 10/16/2007 12:49:38 PM

0 Boost

oh arent you so clever. why does every fear mongering, fly-over state republican throw Hollywood into the argument, as if that helps your cause. There are just as many idiots in Hollywood driving around in Hummers (Arnold), brandishing their NRA guns (Heston), as there are eco-consicous folks. But when someone tries to use their celebrity to do some good, like build houses, contribute millions to charities, becoming a environmental crusader, peole like you get all self righteous and vilify them. How can someone live in a nice home, fly on a plane to Cannes, and then still drive a Prius? That's reducing the argument to its most absurd base. I dont hug trees, (right now I'm drinking out of a paper cup, stop the presses.) But anyone who is out there showing the public that they can make good choices (even if it is not all their choices), is okay by me. Anyway, it's just another one of these myths, with no facts behind it, that make people feel good about their own wasteful ways, to say that celebs are only driving Priuses for photo-ops, and then going back to their decadent ways. But if it makes you feel better as you roll out in your 12mpg F-150, then so be it.

And, again, having zero emissions, getting 50 mpg, driving a stylish vehicle (yes, style is ONE factor), having comfortable luxury (backup camera, push button start, cliamte control), a hatchback and room for five with luggage are much more compelling reasons to drive the BEST hybrid than simply to make a political statement.

fuelfool - 10/16/2007 2:59:12 PM

+1 Boost

1970toyotamarc, your angry ranting and intolerance of political thought diversity has no bearing on the fact that, like it or not, the Prius has become a political/environmental symbol. And whether you want to acknowledge it or not, many of the Prius driving celebrities leave a vastly larger carbon footprint than the average non-celebrity. Does this make them bad people, or environmental conservation an unworthy cause? Of course not. But it does make the Prius for many (those in the acting profession and otherwise), a public-facing badge of environmental sensitivity worn to display their green movement bonafides. Bottom line is, image is a powerful motivator and determinate in vehicle selection by many consumers. For toyotamarc to suggest that the Prius is somehow immune to these forces is folly.

reply to this comment

To post a comment for this story, you must first Login.

If you do not have an account, you will need to Register (It's Free!).

	omarrana I hooked up my accelerator to my brake lights. I hit the gas, people behind me stop, and I'm gone.
	View My AgentPage