![Officially Official: 2011 Audi A1 finally arrives [w/video]](http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/02/01-2011-audi-a1-630op_143x85.jpg)
Prius price drop thanks to new '08 Standard model
Current Prius, not the '08
Toyota just released pricing for most of its 2008 lineup, and along with a brief summary of model changes was information about a new, lower-cost Prius. That's right, a cheaper Prius. We had talked about the fact that consumer clamor for hybrids was waning, but we never expected to see the Prius price reduced. Reading the fine print shows what's really happening is that Toyota has introduced a new "standard" model with slightly less content to get to a lower price point. The base MSRP for the new Standard Prius starts at $20,950, while the Limited goes up about $150 to $23,220.
The recent JD Power finding that hybrid popularity is giving way to more interest in diesel powertrains seemed to have some merit as Toyota had said it would be trimming the entry price of its 2008 Camry Hybrid by about $1,000, as well. Although the Camry isn't included in this release, the cheaper Prius seems to bear out that fact. The cheaper '08 Standard Prius should be in dealerships in August. New pricing for the other '08 Toyota models was also announced, and not surprisingly, all went up, even if just a bit.
Read the full press release after the jump.
[Source: Toyota via AutoblogGreen]
PRESS RELEASSE:
Toyota Announces 2008 Model Year Prices For Eight Vehicles
July 30, 2007 – Torrance, CA - Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., announced manufacturer's suggested retail prices (MSRP) today for the 2008 Avalon full-size sedan, Prius gas-electric hybrid, Yaris subcompact, RAV4 compact sport utility vehicle (SUV), FJ Cruiser off-road SUV, 4Runner mid-size SUV, Tacoma pickup and Sienna. All eight models begin arriving in dealerships in late July and throughout the month of August.
Avalon, the flagship of the Toyota passenger car lineup, continues to set the standard for performance, luxury, and value in its class. For 2008, Avalon receives a new six-speed automatic transmission and a braking system upgrade for improved stopping distance, reduced fade and pedal firmness.
Exterior changes include a new aggressive design for the headlamps, front bumper and radiator grille, in-key remote keyless entry and tinted tail lamps. New 17-inch alloy wheels are offered on the Touring and XLS models. The Limited model also receives chrome door handles.
Interior changes include a new dark wood grain trim and eight-way power front passenger's seat with power lumbar support on XLS and Limited models. The Touring model features a new aluminum-style interior trim.
The 2008 Avalon also has an updated AM/FM/CD changer with nine speakers, MP3 playback capability and auxiliary audio input jack as a standard feature.
The base MSRP for the 2008 Avalon ranges from $27,075 for the XL model to $34,415 for the Limited model. The total Avalon average MSRP increases $201 or 0.6 percent.
The fuel-efficient 2008 Prius is a better value this year with an expanded lineup to include a lower-priced, new standard model. The base MSRP for Prius ranges from $20,950 for the newly introduced standard model to $23,220 for the Touring model. The total Prius average MSRP increases $150 or 0.7 percent.
The new Prius arrives in dealerships in August.
The Yaris subcompact carries over unchanged for 2008 except for the addition of a standard tire pressure monitoring system for all models. The 2008 Yaris also gains the all-new Liftback Sport model. The Yaris Liftback Sport features several exterior enhancements, including color-keyed front and rear under-bumper spoilers and side rocker panels, and is equipped with standard features such as driver and front passenger sport seats, leather-trimmed steering wheel and shift knob, tachometer with amber illumination, 15-inch wheels, rear window defroster, rear window wiper, AM/FM/CD player with MP3/WMA capability and auxiliary audio input jack.
The five-speed manual transmission Liftback carries a base MSRP of $11,300 and the Sedan with automatic transmission carries a base MSRP of $12,900. The Yaris Sport Liftback with five-speed manual transmission will carry a base MSRP of $12,975. All Yaris vehicles arrive in August and the total Yaris average MSRP increases $150 or 1.2 percent.
The RAV4 maintains all interior and safety enhancements for 2008. All models now feature driver and front passenger seat-mounted side airbags and first- and second-row side-curtain airbags with roll-over sensor as standard equipment. RAV4 models carry a base MSRP that ranges from $21,100 for the base model 2WD four-cylinder to $26,670 for the 4WD Limited V6. Total RAV4 average MSRP increases $150 or 0.6 percent.
The FJ Cruiser, the most capable off-road SUV in the Toyota line-up, will feature a number of key upgrades, including an anti-theft system, an illuminated entry system, side-curtain airbags for both rows and sun visors with vanity mirrors. The FJ's base MSRP ranges from $22,545 for the 2WD automatic to $24,13
4Runner will improve its numerous standard safety features on all models with the addition of driver and front passenger seat-mounted side airbags and first- and second-row side-curtain airbags with roll-over sensor. For 2008 the MSRP will increase $380 for SR5 and Sport Edition models and $350 for Limited models. The 4Runner MSRP ranges from $28,015 for the 2WD SR5 V6 to $38,735 for the 4WD Limited V8. The total 4Runner average MSRP increases $376 or 1.2 percent.
For 2008, the Tacoma pickup truck will receive a price increase of $100 or 0.5 percent for all models. The base MSRP ranges from $14,280 for the 2WD four-cylinder with a manual transmission to $26,115 for the Double Cab 4WD V6 automatic long bed. The total Tacoma average MSRP increases 0.5 percent.
Sienna offers new product enhancements and Extra Value Packages. New standard features include Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Traction Control and rear disc brakes on all models. Also, Bluetooth® is now on all models featuring standard or available JBL audio. The Sienna MSRP ranges from $24,340 for the 2WD CE to $37,665 for the AWD Limited model. The total Sienna average MSRP increases $35 or 0.1 percent.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
Bheleu 3:55PM (4/07/2008)
http://376milespergallon.com
Prius definely has a lot of work to do if they intend to ever reach the 1970's record for MPG. Shame in over 30 years, that we do not have anything commercially comparable.
Reply
Jordan 7:40PM (7/30/2007)
Where do you come up with this that consumer demand for prius is waning?
There is barely any instock at any delaership and 2007 sales just equaled all of 2006 sales which was a record.
In may 24000 prius were sold or twice the number of Fusions.
Toyota dealers have been pushing Toyota to not make such highend hybrids. The camry hybrid is loaded compared to the basic 18 grand camry. The dealers think if the hybrids were decontented they would sell to happier consumers that dont care for blue tooth prius or JBL audio camry hybrid.
Thats all. Stop twisting it.
Reply
smartmlp 8:20PM (7/30/2007)
This is true, alot of people who go to a toyota dealership want a cheap car, and I think Toyota has lost vision of this goal in recent years. They no longer offer the value in cars they once did, and alot of people who cant afford these high end hybrids are turned off. If they want/can afford an expensive hybrid they should be going to Lexus.
Rambo 9:41PM (7/30/2007)
THE HYBRID CRAZE IS DIMINISHING AFTER THE INITIAL SPIKE IN SALES. The early and more irrational buyers who were willing to blow $30K for an unproven technology have made their political statements and now the rest of America waits for more evidence that hybrid techonolgy is truly a smarter move than clean-diesels and direct gasoline fuel injection.
The US is the only market that has been slightly convinced that hybrids are a value.
THE REAL LIE IS...
Corolla gets 41mpg (according to Toyota)
Camry gets 33mpg (according to Toyota)
Prius gets 52mpg (according to Toyota)
THESE LIES WILL LOOSE TOYOTA CUSTOMERS IN THE FUTURE!
Desiri 9:50PM (7/30/2007)
"according to Toyota"
The EPA decides what fuel economy the manufacturers must place on the window sticker.
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/fe_test_schedules.shtml
Rambo 10:01PM (7/30/2007)
DESIRI...
I invite you to check the EPA ratings and then watch a Toyota add. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME NUMBERS!
EPA (city/hwy):
Corolla 28/37 (Toyota add: 41)
Camry 21/30 (Toyota add: 33)
Prius 48/45 (Toyota add: 52)
TOYOTA LIES!
... 10:13PM (7/30/2007)
ugh.... Rambo, all auto manufacturing companies are using the old ratings(for now). Check the site again and click "compare to window sticker" or something like that.
Rambo 10:25PM (7/30/2007)
Your right, go buy a Toyota and with the money you save you can save the whales, whatever!!!
GM and many others always clarify that they are listing city of highway mpg. The most notorious twisters of facts on advertisements are Nissan and Toyota!
... 11:05PM (7/30/2007)
Rambo, just quit trolling when you realize you are wrong. And altogether for that matter. Nissan and Toyota don't "twist facts," they list the highway mileage first just like all companies do. If you think they are the only ones, I've seen a chevy ad where it says 8 of their models get over 30 mpg. Yep, all of them (except the aveo and aveo5) were using highway numbers and some of them are basically counting the same model twice (malibu and aveo).
I hope over time you'll realize what an idiot you've been.
Father Time 8:54AM (7/31/2007)
Because it is waning, the Prius has not delivered on the promised mileage and some are unhappy. But most of all diesel, clean burning diesel will fill the gap until electric and hydrogen models are perfected for the streets.
thetruth 8:06AM (7/31/2007)
Let Hollywood and Chicken Little (remember the sky is falling) rejoice, one of the ugliest cars every built has a price reduction, does that mean everyone that already bought it got ripped off?
Reply
Travis Rassat 8:58PM (7/30/2007)
I agree with Jordan - I haven't seen any indication of hybrid sales waning or demand dropping. I talked to the dealer I bought my Camry Hybrid from and he said that they can't get as many as they request and they keep the ones they get on the lot.
Recently, someone on this blog or another site I frequent made a good point - the hybrids are equipped with the higher priced options because those high-priced options have a higher profit margin which helps offset the costs of the hybrid system itself. If that's the case, one could speculate that Toyota's ability to sell hybrids at a lower price point on a car with fewer options might indicate that production volume is finally starting to reduce per-unit production costs for the hybrid components. It's certainly possible.
Reply
ml 9:24PM (7/30/2007)
A JD Power study showed that hybrids are waning and the demand for diesels is growing.
http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/17/new-car-buyers-diesels-yes-hybrids-hmm/
Reply
Jason 12:43AM (7/31/2007)
Hybrid sales here in Los Angeles are NOT waning at all. This must be statistics for smaller cities or rural areas (?). Not sure where JD Power got their stats from but they are selling great here.
Reply
ml 9:18AM (7/31/2007)
California is the only state in the US where hybrid sales aren't waning.
Aaron 9:31PM (7/30/2007)
I seem to recall seeing an article that retail hybrid sales are waning and many fleets have gone to the pruis because they are politically cool.
Avis and Hertz for example both have prius fleets.
Yay, take that donkey punch via nickel mining mother nature..
Reply
Travis Rassat 10:20PM (7/30/2007)
Good point, ml. I forgot about that article.
That article brings up a question - how many diesel cars are currently available in the U.S. market? I know there are diesel options in all the heavy duty trucks, but the only diesel cars I can think of are the VWs and the Jeep Liberty. Are there others currently available?
Not that there is exactly a plethora of choices for hybrids (maybe 10?), but I'm just curious. That could indicate any disparity between interest in hybrids waning while sales don't appear to be - there are hybrids available, so perhaps they are the currently most viable option?
Aaron,
Do you happen to know what percentage of nickel that is mined is used for battery production, or even, specifically, hybrid car battery production? I looked at Wikipedia, but it doesn't specifically state anything about batteries or anything like that.
I'm just continuing the dialog here, hoping to learn something - I don't mean to sound like I'm trying to argue. I personally don't see diesel and hybrids as being competing technologies, just two different ways to improve cars. I think the biggest competition between the two comes in the form of getting R&D dollars.
Barney 12:19AM (7/31/2007)
"Yay, take that donkey punch via nickel mining mother nature.."
Aaron, I thought you weren't an idiot. Perhaps you are having a bad time with the parents. Where on earth did you conceive that Nickel mining is singularly for the manufacture of batteries. The nickel used for batteries is less then.05% of the actually nickel extracted. Are you even aware of how much fossil fuel is extracted every single hour of the day? There is still no true biodiesel and will never be the volume to run at the demand ther is already.
AZMike 10:01PM (7/30/2007)
Jordan and Travis,
you guys obviously live in California. Prius models are choking lots all over the country. I travel a lot, and seeing discounts of $2,000-$4,000 from MSRP (that's the big sticker on the window, not that little one next to it that has $5,000-$10,000 additional on it at many California dealers) in dealer ads are not at all unusual.
Toyota does their usual "bait and switch" with the Prius. always show a low base MSRP; try to find one anywhere close to that. I was just looking at a Toyota lot last week, and they had eighty Prius in stock. the cheapest MSRP was almost $29,000. most "packages" are in the $3,000-$5,000 range.
there is a major difference in the way domestic and import franchises approach incentives. the domestics makes the rebates public, and everyone is entitled to one. the imports prefer incentives passed thru as factory-to-dealer cash, this way, it's not a "rebate" (god forbid imports have those!!), and it's up to the dealer whether they pass it on to the customer or not; they don't have to.
AZMike
Reply
Travis Rassat 10:37PM (7/30/2007)
Actually, I live in Indiana. They're still able to get $5-10k over MSRP in California? Wow... That's nuts!
Other than my chat with the local Toyota dealer, I also had these articles from Green Car Congress in mind about the hybrid sales numbers:
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2007/07/us-sales-of-hyb.html
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2007/06/us_sales_of_hyb.html
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2007/05/reported_us_sal.html
So, that might explain why I didn't feel that hybrid sales were waning. Sorry I didn't post my source earlier.