Hybrid Car Review

After two months of decreased sales, hybrid car sales jumped 30.1% in the month of October on the strength of Toyota and Ford hybrid sales (but mostly Toyota). Toyota increased sales by 29.5% and Ford jumped 30.1%, but since Toyota accounts for three quarters of the hybrid car marketplace, where Toyota goes, so goes the market.

October 2007 Hybrid Car Sales																Oct '07 to Oct '06 Percent Difference
Ford									Escape/Mariner	2084						30.1%
Honda									Accord	243						-15.3%
Honda									Civic	2286						-0.1%
Honda									Insight	0						-100.0%
Nissan									Altima	927
Toyota									Camry	3511						25.1%
Lexus									GS 450h	71						-59.9%
Toyota									Highlander	596						-63.7%
Lexus									LS600hL	175
Toyota									Prius	13158						50.7%
Lexus									RX 400h	1392						12.3%

Toyota Hybrid Car Sales, October 2007
Toyota increased their hybrid car sales by 29.5% to 18,903 units sold in the month of October. Most of the increase came from the Prius (up 50.7%!) and the Camry Hybrid (up 25.1%). Highlander Hybrid sales, which have pulled Toyota down the past two months are still down (63.7%), but Toyota is still switching over to the new 2008 model.

Lexus sales were mixed, with a decrease in the GS 450h being more than made up for by the increase in RX 400h sales. Add in the LS 600h sales and Lexus had a very good month.

Honda Hybrid Car Sales, October 2007
Honda hybrid sales have decreased for the fourth month in a row. Honda is being weighed down by the phasing out of the Honda Accord Hybrid, while the Honda Civic Hybrid stood pat. Honda still has big plans for hybrid models next year, promising a new family hybrid sedan.

Ford and Nissan Hybrid Car Sales, October 2007
Ford jumped over 30% this month, selling 2,084 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner Hybrids. The Mazda Tribute Hybrid should only add to their ongoing success.

Nissan sold 927 Altima Hybrids. Nissan limits their sales of their only hybrid to eight states. No comparison to last year is possible since the Altima Hybrid was released in February. This is Nissan's second best month for hybrid sales so far. They sold over 1,100 back in July.

Hybrid SUV Sales
Hybrid SUV sales have continued to suffer, falling for the fourth straight month, and that is despite the success of the Escape/Mariner. That should change with the soon to be introduced models from GM, the Yukon and Tahoe Hybrids, and the Mazda Tribute. But the switchover from the 2007 to the 2008 model year for the Highlander Hybrid may have a more immediate impact next month.

Note that I do not track current GM hybrid sales for two reasons. One: the hybrids sold by GM (Vue and Aura) are mild hybrids, not full. And two: GM doesn't break out the hybrid sales from the more conventional gas engines.

Related: Hybrid Car Sales, September 2007