Hybrid Car Review

According to a Nikkei report (found via autonews), Toyota is moving forward on a plan to outfit the Yaris with a hybrid engine.

And unlike the new Prius, the Yaris will designed with economy in mind.   The new Prius is getting outfitted with all the fixings, although it's still relatively cheap by hybrid car standards at just $22,000.  But the Honda Insight is priced under $20,000 new Insight although it can't compete in fuel economy at 40+ mpg, compared to the 50 mpg for the Prius.

And that lower price point is telling.  Latest reports have during its debut, and strong sales have continued.  So the Insight outselling the Prius last month in Japan Toyota is moving to counter their Honda hybrid rival. 

The Yaris Hybrid will compete against the new Honda Insight and the plans for the Honda Fit Hybrid.  It won't be around until 2011, but this sort of price war is exactly what the hybrid marketplace needs.   Lowering the price on hybrid cars will make them more accessible to everyone.

Despite any impressions you might have, hybrid owners tend to be older and finanacially better off than other car buyers.  A lot of that is due to the initial cost of the hybrid cars available to buy. 

And the more hybrids being built, means the more batteries being installed, which means the more components for both are being built and researched, leading to lower prices all around for every hybrid vehicle.