Toyota expects that its Prius V wagon will draw buyers out of sport utility vehicles, mid-size sedans and other wagons, but won’t attract many current Prius owners. Bob Carter, group vice president and general manager of Toyota, says that current Prius owners are determined to drive a vehicle with the sole focus being on exceptional fuel efficiency, while the V will appeal to “buyers who value space and fuel efficiency equally.”
David Lee, an executive with the University of Toyota’s dealer training unit, told Ward’s Auto (sub. req.) that the Mazda5 and Volkswagen Jetta wagon will likely be cross-shopped with the Prius V due to their similar size and fuel economy rating, but notes that any vehicle with “the ability to put people and cargo in it could be a possible competitor.”
Toyota won’t release final pricing on the Prius V until closer to the model’s fall launch date. As a result, it’s difficult to pick out vehicles that will compete most directly with the V.
[Source: Ward’s Auto – sub. req.]
