With the 2016 model of the new Toyota Prius set to debut by the fall of this year, many are expecting the new car to struggle in terms of sales.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the last three models of the Prius have combined to make up 42 percent of the hybrid cars sold in 2014, but the most recent trends are suggesting that the robust sales figures are set to drop. This year's sales for the Prius have already fallen off by 15.8 percent from last year, and that is a figure that represents the norm for almost every hybrid car currently out on the market.
Industry analysts are pointing to a couple of reasons for why the hybrid car, and the Prius in particular, has been less popular over the last year. The first reason they are pointing to is the dropping gas prices, making the daily cost of driving around a conventional car not as onerous as it once was. The second reason industry analysts are pointing to is the increasing fuel efficiency found in conventional cars, making them a more economical choice.
In an effort to steer more people towards purchasing the 2016 model of the Prius, Toyota has also said that the new car will be featuring better fuel economy at 55 miles per gallon, but many within the car industry are still skeptical that improved efficiency alone will make more people consider the new car.
In related news, 625,000 Prius models are also being recalled by Toyota, according to the Daily Mirror. The cars are being recalled due to an internal error that causes the cars to suddenly come to a stop. The issue is now being linked to the car's power converter. A similar issue led to Toyota recalling 1.9 million models of the car in 2014.
Toyota has not announced any accidents that have been caused directly by the car error.
