Oct. 02, 2003

More Than 17,500 Prius Ordered in New Model's First Month

 

Tokyo ― TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC) announced today that first-month Japanese-market orders for the second-generation Prius, which went on sale in Japan on Sept. 1, totaled 17,500. The Sept. 1-30 tally was nearly six times greater than TMC's official monthly sales target of 3,000 units.

TMC attributes the favorable reception to the new Prius to customers' high evaluation of the model's following features:
  • excellent acceleration and world-class fuel efficiency made possible by the Toyota Hybrid System II (THS II), based on Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive concept
  • advanced functions, such as Intelligent Parking Assist for parallel-parking support
  • fingertip controls, such as the Electro Shift-matic and a push-button starting switch
  • advanced styling, a spacious and comfortable passenger cabin and a versatile luggage space
  • an affordable price for a wealth of standard equipment and superior performance

As successor to the original Prius, which debuted in 1997 as the world's first mass-produced gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle and which has sold more than 120,000 units worldwide, the new Prius was developed around the concept of Hybrid Synergy Drive, which represents a sophisticated fusion of ecology and power. It not only attains an extremely high fuel efficiency of 35.5 kilometers per liter and ultra-low emissions, but also greatly heightens the "fun to drive" quotient through the further evolution of hybrid power. The new Prius also incorporates a high level of universal design, as reflected in the car's operational controls, as well as advanced functions, styling and packaging.