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Toyota Drops Global Target Sales in 2016 for the New Prius on Lower Fuel Prices

The new, fourth-generation Prius hybrid has just gone on sale today on its home market, but this happy event was accompanied by a less cheerful one for the Japanese company.
2016 Toyota Prius 1 photo
Photo: Toyota
Toyota’s successful hybrid is setting out in the world with a lowered sales target than last year, which is a bit weird considering this is a completely new model that should attract more customers just based on the fact that it’s a more modern car than the aging model it replaces.

Going on sale early next year in Europe and the US, the new Prius has a 50,000 unit lower quota to meet than its forefather, aiming to find between 300,000 and 350,000 new owners, as opposed to last year’s target, which was set within the 300,000 and 400,000 units interval.

Automotive News reports that Toyota is blaming this shift in its 2016 strategy on the lowering fuel prices around the world, something that apparently has an instant effect on people buying cars by making them forget about efficiency when looking for their next vehicle.

Truth be told, though, gasoline prices in the US are at their lowest over the last seven years, something that has had a significant impact on Toyota’s hybrid sales figures. Compared to the same period of last year, 2015’s sales until November are 12 percent down, a tendency that prompted Toyota to temper its 2016 forecast.

The Prius is by far the most successful hybrid vehicle - it’s also the oldest - and it’s always tried to push the boundaries regarding design, forcing people to accept its weirdness based on the fact that everybody should know they’re driving a special car. This fourth generation, though, might have gone a little too far for some people outside the car’s home market, and getting used to its looks could take a little more time.

Which is a shame, really, since the new model’s technical features are better than ever, with Toyota promising a 20 percent improvement in fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions over the previous model. That would mean as little as 70 grams of CO2 per kilometer and a fuel consumption of nearly 3 l/100 km (78.4 mpg).

With these numbers in mind (and taking the design into consideration), Toyota should have no problem maintaining its hybrid crown, but with a dwindling market for this type of vehicles, that may not be enough to meet the Japanese company’s very high expectations.
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About the author: Vlad Mitrache
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"Boy meets car, boy loves car, boy gets journalism degree and starts job writing and editing at a car magazine" - 5/5. (Vlad Mitrache if he was a movie)
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