New Toyota Prius to match Honda Insight on price

New Toyota Prius to match Honda Insight on price.

The next generation Toyota Prius is upon us, and it looks like Toyota are taking the threat from the Honda Insight very seriously indeed.

When the Honda Insight was announced, and it was clear that Honda was intent on pitching the Insight below the Toyota Prius price, reports from Japan said that Toyota were going to continue to make the outgoing Prius, but pitch it beneath the price of the Honda. And that’s exactly what’s happening in Japan.

But reports are now surfacing that Toyota are going to bite the bullet and launch the New Prius at a price to match the Honda Insight. Brave move. But I suppose having had the market place to itself for so long, the thought of arch rivals Honda stealing a big chunk of their market may be too big a burden for them to deal with!

But they may have a fight on their hands. The Honda Insight is already reported to be selling in numbers three times those that Honda expected, so if Toyota don’t get stuck in with a price war very soon the momentum may be with Honda. And what of the dealers? In these difficult times margins are already wafer thin, and of Toyota doe come out with a low headline price for the new Prius it could make it almost unprofitable for the dealerships.

The one winner will be the car buying public, at least in the short term. Makes a change.