Hybrid car is no # 1 selling car again

[friendly_jacek]

If hybrid cars were as bad as BITOGers paint them, why they are so popular in Japan?

TheTruthAboutCars dot com reports:

Quote:

Hybrids are especially important for Toyota, where they now amount to nearly half of Toyota’s sales in Japan, says The Nikkei [sub]. For the ninth month running, the Prius is the best-selling car in Japan. February sales of the Prius rose nearly 88 percent compared to February 2011. Its smaller brother, the Aqua compact hybrid (sold in the U.S. as Prius C,) is fourth on the list with 21,951 units sold. Toyota had originally planned for 12,000 Aqua/Prius C a month, and is unable to keep up with the demand. A customer who places an order now will get it around August this year.


http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2012/03/hybrids-top-japans-best-selling-car-list/

 

[spasm3]

They probably have never driven a mustang there!!!!

 

[BigBuck]

Originally Posted By: spasm3
They probably have never driven a mustang there!!!!


That, and the average age in that country is somewhere near 140.

 

[JavierG]

They probably wonder the same about the Ford F series trucks.

 

[zeezee]

You do know that gas is $7 per gallon in Tokyo, Japan right now, right? We will see what most people in the US drive when it becomes prohibitively expensive.

 

[fsdork]

Originally Posted By: zeezee
You do know that gas is $7 per gallon in Tokyo, Japan right now, right? We will see what most people in the US drive when it becomes prohibitively expensive.


Exactly. The gas savings vs. initial vehicle cost takes a long time to balance out at current North American gas prices. Not so in countries where gas is far more expensive.

Also, I would expect their population density leads to more traffic congestion. Hybrids shine in traffic jams. Not so much on the open highway.

 

[Quest]

Originally Posted By: johnachak
I don't live in Japan, nor do I care what they drive there.


Such arrogance!

(*if you don't like to participate in this topic, then don't post...*)

Q.

 

[antiqueshell]

Originally Posted By: zeezee
You do know that gas is $7 per gallon in Tokyo, Japan right now, right? We will see what most people in the US drive when it becomes prohibitively expensive.


Exactly.

When gas stays at 5$ a gallon this year you are going to see the demise of the SUV and even the crossover types of vehicles and the rise of the sub compact and compact car with very small engines and I also think that small diesel engines will become a force in the US market in the next decade.

 

[01rangerxl]

Originally Posted By: spasm3
They probably have never driven a mustang there!!!!


Actually a fair number of higher end American vehicles do make it into Japan, but they are status symbols and not practical for most Japanese car buyers to own. You can get a Mustang, F-150, or Corvette in Japan, but you're going to pay a premium for it.

 

[needsducktape]

I think there is room for BOTH to coexist.

My Dad drives 2 miles to the grocery store and back- and maybe once a month to hike about 20 miles away.
So even if gas hits $5+ it won't make much difference to him, he will continue to drive his JEEP Wrangler 4.0

Now, I have to drive 150+ miles a week and a lot of city driving. -I will always favor a civic,Focus (etc) over a Jeep, Toyota 4Runner, Nissan pathfinder

I think there is a place for both- and frankly, I hope the electric car grows popular. I don't find it threatening. (I don't see gas cars disappearing in our life time! )

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: antiqueshell
Originally Posted By: zeezee
You do know that gas is $7 per gallon in Tokyo, Japan right now, right? We will see what most people in the US drive when it becomes prohibitively expensive.


Exactly.

When gas stays at 5$ a gallon this year you are going to see the demise of the SUV and even the crossover types of vehicles and the rise of the sub compact and compact car with very small engines and I also think that small diesel engines will become a force in the US market in the next decade.


I don't agree. We've been paying that for quite a while up here and SUV's, pick-ups and large vehicles in general are still quite popular.

 

[friendly_jacek]

Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL

I don't agree. We've been paying that for quite a while up here and SUV's, pick-ups and large vehicles in general are still quite popular.


Well, Canada exports oil. Japan import all of it's oil and USA imports most of it's oil. We have a transfer of wealth happening from oil importers to oil exporters. It's obvious to anyone who visited Dubai lately. Russia is doing well lately too.

 

[zeezee]

I drive an 8 yr old subcompact and it is not uncommon for me to drive 500 miles per week in and out of the city for work. I receive pretty decent mileage checks to compensate for it. If I drive to the office, it is 60 to 70 miles round trip and takes me and hour each way. Fortunately, I often have the option to work out of my home office at least 2 days per week.

And I would still like a hybrid if I could justify the cost. But they are only going to get more reasonable over the years. Gas prices will keep going up .

My wife, on the other hand, drives our wagon / crossover. It isn't as good on fuel but she only drives it locally, like to the grocery or local places. I still have to fill up the tank almost twice as often.

But once we are back down to no car payment, there is no reason that I won't consider a hybrid as my next car.

 

[BillyTheKid]

Natural gas will become an option like other courtier already use. They will sell conversion kits in time and the duel fuel options too. I read the 2013 Pickups will already have that option out of the factory. That's the direction the truck and suv will go.