European Drivers Think Hybrids Are a Good Idea

The following came from a Automotive News Europe and Maritz Research survey of European car buyers:

  • Real-world experience helps convince drivers that hybrids are a good idea. Citing a previous survey of 308 drivers conducted for Toyota, Maritz said the percentage of drivers that said hybrids offered "driving pleasure" increased to 57 from 16 after they test-drove a hybrid. Similar improvements after driving were recorded for "real breakthrough innovation" (72 percent from 48 percent) and high performance (47 percent from 13 percent).

  • Dealers see Toyota as the clear leader in alternative-powertrain technology. Asked to rank brands, 52 percent of dealers named the Japanese carmaker first and 71 percent put it in the top three. No other brand was ranked first by more than 7 percent of dealers. Honda, the only other brand currently selling a hybrid in Europe, got 24 percent ranking it in the top three.

Ed

Reply to
C. E. White
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Your Subject line reminds me of headlines in newspapers that draw a conclusion from spurious data in the article. Just because people in a survey say they offered "driving pleasure" doesn't mean they think they're a good idea, since they're not purchasing the vehicle, but only test driving it.

The REAL conclusion should be based on the sales data of such autos.

Reply to
Larry Bud

We just test drove two toyota Hybrids and found that they offered nothing except additional cost and insignificant gas savings except under certain exacting conditions. The additional $5K cost would not have been saved over several years of fill-ups based on our driving practices.

I ended up purchasing a 4Runner V6 Limited and find it much more comfortable than the hybrids we drove.

Reply to
Leythos

For certain buyers of certain products, the purchase is not based on anything logical. It's all emotion. Sounds like that's what the survey was designed to measure (or guess at). In sales training, it's called "Sell the sizzle, not the steak".

Reply to
JoeSpareBedroom

I suppose you are right. However, I know two people who own hybrids - one is a confirmed Toyota lover, and the other is a confirmed domestic lover - both love their Priuses (what is the proper plural for Prius?). My SO has driven one and she wishes she had bought one instead of the RAV4 she did buy. Maybe hybrids are not all they are cracked up to be, but does it matter? Prius sales are one of the main reasons Toyota sales were up so much in the US this past March. Clearly people want to believe hybrids offer an answer to try to have a decent size vehicle and good gas mileage.

Ed

Reply to
C. E. White

Even if the survey agreed with the market, i.e., 79% (or whatever) like them and 79% actually buy them, it still would be meaningless for the US market. European - mostly short drives over very congested roads (including the 'freeways) by people who are accustomed to what we would call 'downsized' products and high cost fuel.

The hybrids are, and will remain, a very small niche market in the US until they match in size and performance at least the midsized cars, SUVs, etc. That won't happen. The only way they will become a significant market share is for gas to get up to very, very high price.

Harry K

Reply to
Harry K

Toyota sold more Hybrid Cars (Prius + Camry +Lexus Hybrid) in the first 3 months of 2007 than Ford sold Fusions. In fact Toyota sold as many Priuses as Ford sold Fusions - and Ford claims Fusions are selling really well. So it seems to me Hybrids are already a significant market force. In the first 3 months of 2007, 1,861,459 cars (cars only, light trucks are not included) were sold in the US. Approximately 58,932 of these were hybrid cars (again, light trucks are not included). Therefore hybrids represented around 3% of the car market. However, the share of the car market is rapidly increasing and all of the increase is coming from Japanese cars. Ford or GM would kill to gain 1% of market share. Toyota is getting it and a lot of it comes from selling hybrids. The 39,682 Priuses Toyota sold so far in

2007 represent 2% of the US car market. Don't you think Ford wishes they had those sales?

I agree that for many people hybrids offer no real advantage and in fact may actually be more expensive to own and maintain. However, this is not stopping people from buying them. The same sort of herd mentality that got people buying Japanese cars in the first place is now leading people to buy hybrids. So, once again, domestic manufacturers aren't getting it. No matter how good a product you build, if it isn't what people want, you won't sell it. Building the best SUV in 2010 might be a recipe for bankruptcy.

Ed

Reply to
C. E. White

The Civic Hybrid decreases the amount of fuel used per 1000 mi from about 30 gallons (30/40 mpg EPA --33 mpg average in regular Civic) to about 20 gallons (49/51 mpg), saving 10 gallons of gas per 1000 mi driving.

If you increased the efficiency of a truck by the same amount so that a truck that gets 16.5 mpg now gets 25 mpg, you would save twice the fuel, or

20 gallons per 1000 mi driven. Of course, you also need a bigger hybrid system.

The point is that hybrids, diesels and other energy-saving technology has more potential to save fuel in big vehicles rather than small vehicles. That might be where hybrids do the most good as far as saving energy.

Jeff

Reply to
Jeff

Precisely, the only true test of what buyers prefer to buy are the sales figures. You car bet the average buyer would believe the FWD V6 Lexus is more of a "driving pleasure" than a similar Camry. The same would be true of a V6 Camry over a 4cy Camry. The Camry buyers buy more than twice as many

4cy than V6 Camrys.

Price is always the determining factor in a buyer decision. Ask any salesman and he will tell you the most often asked question before a buyers signs on the bottom line is, 'How much is my monthly payment?' ;)

mike

Reply to
Mike Hunter

Ford and GM both have sold hybrids: The Ford Escape and the Silverdo both have Hyrbid options. The Silverado will save about 2 mpg city on the and 1 mpg highway (2x4 only). That an increase of about 10%, meaning a savings of

1850 gallons of gasoline over 300,000 mi of driving.

The Ford Escape and Honda Civic will save about 3000 gallons of gasoline over the 300,000 mi life of the vehicles.

What herd mentality? The original Hondas and Toyotas were really cheap vehicles and not that great (like the old Hyundais). They didn't sell well at first. However, Honda and Toyota and Datsun (now Nissan) improved their vehicles while the US makers offered the same old quality.

Actually, I think the answer is that you need to build an entire line of vehicles, from cheap vehicles (the Korean-made Chevy Aveo) to big cars and trucks like the Silverado) or the Focus to Expedition. They all need to be relatively good quality (considering the competition at the same price).

Jeff

Reply to
Jeff

Apparently, based on your first sentence, the driving pleasure of a

4-cylinder Camry is more than a 6-cylinder Camry. I guess the price at dealer and the gas pump matter.

Unfortunately, the question should be, "what is the price of the car?" The monthly payment doesn't include trade-in and deposit. It does include interest.

Jeff

Reply to
Jeff

That would make sense if such cars were readily available in enough numbers to make a difference. Until then.....

Graham

Reply to
Eeyore

Same is true for most sports cars.

Graham

Reply to
Eeyore

It's mostly emotional for most cars.

Jeff

Reply to
Jeff

Or economical.

Cathy

Reply to
Cathy F.

"C. E. White" said in rec.autos.driving:

LOL!!! So you believe that buying cars with exceptionally high quality and superior value/price ratios is some sort of lemming-esque suicide leap?

Reply to
Scott en Aztlán

"Jeff" said in rec.autos.driving:

LOL!! As if the typical American car will be on the road anywhere near that long.

From which bodily orifice do you pull these ridiculously over-inflated life expectancy figures?

Reply to
Scott en Aztlán

Buying superior quality cars, no. Buying a Toyota just because it's a Toyota, YES. Toyota marketing has created a huge flock of lemmings. They have their gross flaws, just like the domestics. They are more creative in hiding them in plain view and severly kissing customer butt to keep the flaws from becoming public knowledge. Much of Toyota 'service' is damage control. The domestics could stand a lesson from Toyota about 'damage control' on warranty concerns.

Reply to
Tom Adkins

Or practicality....like my '92 Corolla Wagon...

Reply to
Scott in Florida

How so? Do you really think people buy economy cars for emotional reasons? Wait, judging by the ads I've seen, I think I see your point. While you don't choose to purchase an economy car for emotional reasons (usually) people can and do choose which economy car to buy based on looks, image, and other emotional reasons. Judging again by the commercials, I'd say the majority of people base their car-buying decisions on those things. If that's what you mean, then I can see your point.

Reply to
That Guy

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