Among its other notable achievements in the US we would mention the fact that it has topped the EPA’s list of the Most Fuel Efficient Vehicles for 2011. It has been named the Best Overall Value of the Year for the last nine years in a row by IntelliChoice, and has the highest owner loyalty of any mid-size vehicle for four of the last five years according to R.L. Polk. What’s more, over 97 percent of all Toyota Prii (yes, that is the plural of Prius, in case you didn’t know) sold since 2000 are still on the road.
“Since the Prius went on sale eleven years ago not a year has gone by when it hasn’t been the number one selling hybrid vehicle in the U.S,” said Bob Carter, Toyota Division group vice president and general manager. “Prius has become synonymous with the word hybrid and as we see fuel prices starting to rise again, it has accounted for more than 60 percent of hybrid passenger car sales so far this year. Prius paved the way for hybrids and while it is still the hybrid leader in sales and fuel economy, I’m proud to say that since its introduction, 13 other auto brands have seen the benefits of hybrid technology and joined the hybrid market.”
The future also looks bright for the gas-electric hybrid, as in January 2011 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Toyota unveiled the Prius v, the first vehicle to be debuted as part of the Prius family marketing strategy. The car, which goes on sale in third quarter of this year, is a mid-size vehicle that provides more than 50 percent additional interior cargo space than the regular Prius.
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