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