Prius once signaled an owner’s desire to be as green as possible. 20 years ago there was little choice, and although Honda had several goes at hybrid vehicles, none took hold. It meant Toyota virtually had that niche to themselves.
In the 20 years since launch, 35,947 Prius, Prius C and Prius V have been sold.
Over the last few years, Toyota has refined its hybrid drive, originally called “synergy drive” by the marketing department.
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The latest iteration of hybrid drive can be found in many vehicles across the brand, with RAV4 nipping at the heels of Hilux, Australia’s best seller. Hybrids can be found in Corolla, Camry, RAV4, Kluger, C-HR, Yaris and Yaris Cross.
Of the 60,000 sold last year, few were Prius, and of the 17,956 Toyota’s sold last month, only 6 were sold, for a total of 26 for the first 4 months. Only the hydrogen powered Mirai sold fewer, as it is not “on sale’ as such.
Prius had fallen behind the Corolla, Camry, RAV4, Kluger, C-HR, Yaris and Yaris Cross models and its axing was inevitable.
Last year, we asked Toyota’s Australia Vice President Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations, Sean Hanley, why Prius was still on sale given its miserable figures. Mr Hanley said that “Prius remains a pioneering nameplate synonymous with the hybrid drive train”, Inferring it deserved a place on the forecourt, for the time being.
After Camry Hybrid becoming the choice of taxi drivers across the nation, Toyota sold 100,000 hybrids by 2018, increasing to 200,000 in 2021. In some models, such as Rav4, hybrids account for 60% of total sales.
Buyers have spoken with their wallets, and the demise of Prius was only a matter of time. While some may lament the passing of the pioneering name plate, most won’t notice it is gone.
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Alan Zurvas is the founder and editor of Gay Car Boys, Australia's leading LGBTQI+ automotive publication. Before launching GCB in 2008, Alan's automotive writing was published in SameSame.com.au and the Star Observer. With over 16 years of hands-on car reviewing experience, Alan brings an honest, irreverent voice to every review — championing value and innovation over brand loyalty.
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