April 5, 2011 marks a momentous day for the Toyota Prius, on two important accounts. Not only does it mark the date when U.S. sales of the Prius hit one million. It also represents the hybrids' third significant sales milestone in six months.

The Toyota Prius hit its first major sales milestone back in October 2010, when worldwide sales topped two-million. It hit its second just last month, when global sales hit three million. That's an increase of over one-million units in half a year! Needless to say, while [Dealer Name] is happy to report that the one-millionth Prius has been sold in the U.S., we're not in the least surprised.

Speaking on the tremendous success of the Toyota Prius, Bob Carter, Group Vice President and Manager, Toyota Division said, "Since the [Toyota] Prius went on sale eleven years ago, not a year has gone by when it hasn't been the number-one selling hybrid vehicle in the U.S."¹

Carter continued, "Prius has become synonymous with the word hybrid and as we see fuel prices starting to rise again, it has accounted for more than 60 percent of hybrid passenger car sales so far this year. Prius paved the way for hybrids and while it is still the hybrid leader in sales and fuel economy, I'm proud to say that since its introduction, 13 other auto brands have seen the benefits of hybrid technology and joined the hybrid market."²

Toyota Prius Fast Facts

-    Third-generation Prius topped EPA's list of the Most Fuel Efficient Vehicles for 2011
-    Named Best Overall Value of the Year by IntelliChoice, for nine consecutive years
-    Highest owner loyalty of any mid-size vehicle for the last five years, according to R.L. Polk
-    More than 97 percent of Prii sold since 2000 are still on the road
-    Since 2000, the Prius, when compared to the standard car, has saved American drivers over 881 million gallons of gasoline, $2.19 billion in fuel costs, and 12.4 million tons of CO emissions

As you can see, the original Toyota Prius model has enjoyed a very successful life. And, while we expect that success to continue, Toyota is mixing things up a bit, growing their lineup to include the Prius v , Prius c compact hybrid and Prius Plug-In Hybrid. With over 50-percent more interior cargo space than the current Prius, the Prius, v will be available, starting as soon as the third quarter of 2011.

If you have any questions about the current Prius or forthcoming Prii models, please contact Motorcars Toyota in Cleveland Heights, OH.

Source: ¹ http://pressroom.toyota.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=2959