Small / economy car deathwatch: we've passed "peak econobox" again

[MetroMPG]

Dropping like flies!






Despite adding butch body cladding to try to confuse shoppers into thinking it's actually a hot SUV, sales of Toyota's entry level hybrid have tanked.

Toyota is killing off the Prius C

“You’re probably not going to see Prius C for long,” Toyota vice-president of marketing Ed Laukes confirmed to Motor 1.


“The Prius C has served its purpose well.”

Source: https://driving.ca/toyota/prius-c/au...ff-the-prius-c

[freebeard]

That's an SUV? I thought the 'C' was for compact.

[Vman455]

The c's problems were 1) it wasn't that much less expensive than a Prius Liftback, and 2) it was never more efficient--a problem exacerbated when the Liftback went into its 4th generation at the same time as the c's EPA ratings were lowered by the new correction factor. The Corolla Hybrid will take the place of the c, which is for the better.

[JSH]

The Prius C has been replaced by the Corolla Hybrid. 52 mpg, same platform and engine as the Prius. Basically the Prius in sedan form.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Probably the Prius C was more intended to remain compliant to certain rules in markets where a size-based tax bracket is enforced, or other countries such as Ecuador where hybrid fiscal incentives started allowing anything to benefit (thus becoming more of an excuse to import landyachts relying on the tax break as an indulgence) until a 1.5L displacement limit for the incentive got implemented and nearly erradicated the hybrid offers there. Well, the same drivetrain could still be stuck into the Yaris anyway, at least where in won't be phased out so soon...

[niky]

The C should still continue in Japan. It's still one of the top three best selling cars there, and has regularly been at or near the top over the past few years.

It's just too small for anywhere else. And yes, from experience, the fuel economy benefit versus the regular Prius just isn't there.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by niky

The C should still continue in Japan.

Considering that Japan has so many market-specific models which are hardly available everywhere else, it wouldn't surprise me if Toyota turned an eventual next generation of it into another JDM-only model, with a hybrid version of the Yaris catering to everywhere else.

It's still one of the top three best selling cars there, and has regularly been at or near the top over the past few years.

Because it's not liable to that luxury tax that any car wider than 1,70m is burdened with in Japan. Including the regular Prius.

It's just too small for anywhere else.

I guess you have never been in Uruguay, which has been taken over by subcompacts from Maruti Suzuki and some Chinese automakers. And nowadays with so many crowded cities in every country, a smaller car which is easier to find a parking spot for at a downtown becomes desirable. No wonder in my school days a boy who attended the same school when we were 16 told me his father who had an early Renault Mégane hatchback and a Twingo used the Twingo more frequently.

And yes, from experience, the fuel economy benefit versus the regular Prius just isn't there.

It might not be so advantageous at all on that matter, but it still has reasonable sales arguments which could apply to some markets.

[niky]

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

I guess you have never been in Uruguay, which has been taken over by subcompacts from Maruti Suzuki and some Chinese automakers. And nowadays with so many crowded cities in every country, a smaller car which is easier to find a parking spot for at a downtown becomes desirable. No wonder in my school days a boy who attended the same school when we were 16 told me his father who had an early Renault Mégane hatchback and a Twingo used the Twingo more frequently.

Remember, I also live in a third world market.

What I mean is that the Prius C, for its tech and price, is too small.

At the price point we get it at, despite a 50% reduction in tariff versus regular cars, it still costs twice as much as a Yaris. (looking at the US, base price is still double that of a Mirage, even with the bigger tax incentives there).

This means breaking even is an even iffier proposition than with the regular Prius versus something like a Corolla, because small cars already get great fuel mileage. And there's no fallback on "luxury" or "premium" values with the Prius C, because it's cramped, plasticky and not much better inside than a regular Yaris.

A Twingo, a Mirage or a Maruti Suzuki Celerio is actually much more compact, almost as economical (or even more so, in some cases) and costs a fraction of the price.

It's a similar case to Kei Cars. Sure, the rest of the world would love to have them... but they only work due to tax incentives in Japan. Outside of Japan, the most Kei we will put up with are the Alto (because it's two generations out of date and thus very cheap) and the Jimny (because there's nothing quite like it). High tech and luxurious Japanese market Keis just can't compete in terms of price with global products.

[aerostealth]

https://carbuzz.com/features/most-fu...cars-ever-made

This is a pretty good summary article on econoboxes. Note to Phil Kox. PS we owned both a Honda VX, and a 3 cylinder Sprint.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by niky

Remember, I also live in a third world market.

I didn't forget it, but anyway there are different perspectives. Uruguay had been more welcoming for small European cars even when the Philippines were still supplied mostly American cars, before Toyota started flooding the world with its econoboxes.

What I mean is that the Prius C, for its tech and price, is too small.

At the price point we get it at, despite a 50% reduction in tariff versus regular cars, it still costs twice as much as a Yaris. (looking at the US, base price is still double that of a Mirage, even with the bigger tax incentives there).

Just to remind the 3rd-world Yaris is not the same as the Euro/Jap/USDM one, and I'm sure it might reflect in the price difference too.

This means breaking even is an even iffier proposition than with the regular Prius versus something like a Corolla, because small cars already get great fuel mileage.

Sure the buyer of a Prius C is not the same of the Yaris available in "emerging" markets, even though it might be closer to the Yaris buyer in the US, Europe or Japan. But anyway, in such a small car as the Yaris and the Prius C, hybrids seem to be taking over some market share which otherwise would belong to Diesels which are fading away on entry-level cars in Europe.

And there's no fallback on "luxury" or "premium" values with the Prius C, because it's cramped, plasticky and not much better inside than a regular Yaris.

That's why I considered a Yaris hybrid to make sense in case the Prius C gets phased out, unless some buyers are looking for bragging rights as some regular Prius owners are pointed out to do.

A Twingo, a Mirage or a Maruti Suzuki Celerio is actually much more compact, almost as economical (or even more so, in some cases) and costs a fraction of the price.

Nowadays with start-stop and regenerative braking becoming widespread in normal cars too, the main advantage of a full-hybrid on heavy city traffic decreases, that's somewhat predictable. But the buyers of those are not the same as a Prius C buyer, just like you couldn't expect a Smart ForTwo cater to the same folks looking for a Piaggio MP3

It's a similar case to Kei Cars. Sure, the rest of the world would love to have them... but they only work due to tax incentives in Japan. Outside of Japan, the most Kei we will put up with are the Alto (because it's two generations out of date and thus very cheap) and the Jimny (because there's nothing quite like it).

I remember when the Subaru Vivio and some version of the Daihatsu Mira were available in Brazil in the '90s. Even though the Vivio retained the same engine used in Japan, the Mira resorted to a 0.8L one for export markets. But anyway, microvans such as the Suzuki Carry and the Daihatsu HiJet have a broader international appeal, and nowadays DFSK is exporting some of their Suzuki-based microvans even to some European countries, not to mention the Piaggio Porter which is basically a facelifted older Daihatsu HiJet with a bigger engine.

High tech and luxurious Japanese market Keis just can't compete in terms of price with global products.

I see those high-end kei cars as a niche product just like the Smart ForTwo, but I believe they're not so unsuitable to other markets as they might seem at a first glance.