{"version":"1.0.0","episode":{"title":"The Toyota Prius is losing the hybrid war it started","url":"http://getcarcurious.com/episodes/the-toyota-prius-is-losing-the-hybrid-war-it-started","audioUrl":"https://pdst.fm/e/traffic.megaphone.fm/RECU4511962978.mp3","description":"The Toyota Prius is an icon, a statement, and possibly a moment in time as the nameplate approaches its 30th anniversary. Sales of what was once a cultural icon are spiraling. The Prius arguably hasn't been the \"it car\" that it was once upon a time with EVs taking the mantle for an eco-friendly statement, countless hybrid entries now flooding the market in every conceivable shape and size, and time itself marching on. Even Toyota's own showroom is filled with hybrids.\n\n\n\nThe latest Prius is a winner in terms of eye-catching design, but its a loser in terms of sales. It's not a new issue, but it's a continuing one with the numbers becoming grimmer as the months and years go by. The Prius has had a rough decade. It's likely not one single issue at hand, but multiple factors all colliding at once.\n\n\n\nSenior Editor Adam Ismail and Director of Content and Product Joel Feder dive into what Toyota said in terms of Prius sales plunging, take a look at all the outside factors, and discuss whether the outlook is dire for the Prius or if the icon will live on.\n\n\n\nStories mentioned in today's episode:\n\nPrius Sales Are Tanking So Far in 2026. We Asked Toyota Why\n\n2026 Toyota Prius Nightshade Review: The Practical Car Goes Peacocking\n\nI Drove a Yellow Toyota Prius and My Whole Town Fell in Love\n\n\n\n00:00 Intro\n\n04:38 Prius sales are tanking\n\n09:30 The Prius vs the Camry\n\n11:53 Sedan sales can still be healthy\n\n13:11 Various factors affecting Prius sales\n\n14:04 The Prius was a household name\n\n16:22 Does the Prius matter anymore?\n\n23:33 Do we need a sporty Prius?\n\n24:14 Will Toyota kill the Prius in the U.S.? Will the nameplate live on?\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices"},"annotations":[{"startTime":79.56,"endTime":82.2,"type":"car","title":"Toyota Prius","url":"/cars/toyota/prius","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/74/2014-2021_Toyota_Prius_%CE%B1_Touring_Selection.jpg","quote":"...or Adam Ismail and I are talking about the Toyota Prius, of all things. I know, doesn't sound exciting, b...","canonicalId":"car:toyota:prius","priority":0.7,"confidence":1.0,"source":"fuzzy","data":{"imageAttribution":"TTTNIS (CC0)"}},{"startTime":164.64,"endTime":167.2,"type":"car","title":"Tesla Model","url":"/cars/tesla/model-y","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5c/Tesla_Model_Y_%282025%29_MYLE_Festival_2025_DSC_9565.jpg","quote":"...he third generation's lifecycle, you also got the Tesla Model S, and suddenly there was a hot new number on the...","canonicalId":"car:tesla:model y","priority":0.7,"confidence":1.0,"source":"fuzzy","data":{"imageAttribution":"Alexander Migl (CC BY-SA 4.0)"}},{"startTime":164.64,"endTime":167.2,"type":"car","title":"Tesla Model S","url":"/cars/tesla/model-s","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9f/20180630_Tesla_Model_S_70D_2015_midnight_blue_left_front.jpg","quote":"...rd generation's lifecycle, you also got the Tesla Model S, and suddenly there was a hot new number on the m...","canonicalId":"car:tesla:model s","priority":0.7,"confidence":1.0,"source":"fuzzy","data":{"imageAttribution":"Granada (CC BY-SA 4.0)"}},{"startTime":417.88,"endTime":420.0,"type":"car","title":"Toyota Camry","url":"/cars/toyota/camry","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bc/%28USA-Massachusetts%29_Private_Toyota_Camry_NJ-Z22UKZ_rear_2024-06-06.jpg","quote":"... just quote them here, we saw demand shift toward Camry largely because of its strong fuel economy.","canonicalId":"car:toyota:camry","priority":0.7,"confidence":1.0,"source":"fuzzy","data":{"imageAttribution":"S5A-0043 (CC BY 2.0)"}},{"startTime":789.44,"endTime":792.0,"type":"car","title":"Kia Sportage","url":"/cars/kia/sportage","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/2018_Kia_Sportage_GT-Line_ISG_1.6.jpg","quote":"...n the year and it was only like 20,000 behind the sportage. If you know what you're doing and you price it r...","canonicalId":"car:kia:sportage","priority":0.7,"confidence":1.0,"source":"fuzzy","data":{"imageAttribution":"Vauxford (CC BY-SA 4.0)"}},{"startTime":861.96,"endTime":863.48,"type":"car","title":"Toyota Corolla Cross","url":"/cars/toyota/corolla-cross","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/2022_Toyota_Corolla_Cross_L_FWD%2C_Front_Left%2C_11-21-2021.jpg","quote":"...t now you can get a Corolla hybrid. You can get a Corolla Cross hybrids. Now you can get one that sits a little h...","canonicalId":"car:toyota:corolla cross","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"fuzzy","data":{"imageAttribution":"Elise240SX (CC BY-SA 4.0)"}},{"startTime":866.32,"endTime":867.96,"type":"car","title":"Toyota Venza","url":"/cars/toyota/venza","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0f/2011_Toyota_Venza_--_NHTSA_2.jpg","quote":"...e of a crossover, right? At one point, we had the Venza come back only as a hybrid, but that's gone.","canonicalId":"car:toyota:venza","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"fuzzy","data":{"imageAttribution":"U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (Public domain)"}},{"startTime":869.34,"endTime":872.2,"type":"car","title":"Toyota RAV4","url":"/cars/toyota/rav4","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5b/2021_Toyota_RAV4_PHV.jpg","quote":"...as a hybrid, but that's gone. But now we have the RAV4 and the RAV4, they sell a lot of hybrids.","canonicalId":"car:toyota:rav4","priority":0.5,"confidence":1.0,"source":"fuzzy","data":{"imageAttribution":"TTTNIS (CC0)"}},{"startTime":1000.6,"endTime":1003.44,"type":"car","title":"Tesla Model X","url":"/cars/tesla/model-x","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c6/Tesla_Model_X_100D_1X7A6736.jpg","quote":"...t stopped making the Tesla Model S and Model Y or Model X. I'm sorry, the Model S and Model X.","canonicalId":"car:tesla:model x","priority":0.7,"confidence":1.0,"source":"fuzzy","data":{"imageAttribution":"Alexander Migl (CC BY-SA 4.0)"}},{"startTime":1072.84,"endTime":1074.72,"type":"car","title":"Lamborghini Gallardo","url":"/cars/lamborghini/gallardo","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/79/Lamborghini_Gallardo_LP560-4_1230264.jpg","quote":"You see that car from the side? It gives me like Gallardo vibes. I'm like, yeah, obviously nobody is going ...","canonicalId":"car:lamborghini:gallardo","priority":0.7,"confidence":1.0,"source":"fuzzy","data":{"imageAttribution":"Ermell (CC BY-SA 4.0)"}},{"startTime":1292.4,"endTime":1294.94,"type":"car","title":"Hyundai Ioniq 5","url":"/cars/hyundai/ioniq-5","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4d/Hyundai_Ioniq_5.jpg","quote":"Correct. You're gonna buy an Ioniq 5 or whatever. Because if you were buying it to mak...","canonicalId":"car:hyundai:ioniq 5","priority":0.7,"confidence":1.0,"source":"fuzzy","data":{"imageAttribution":"TTTNIS (CC0)"}},{"startTime":1631.16,"endTime":1633.0,"type":"car","title":"Toyota bZ4X","url":"/cars/toyota/bz4x","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/2025_Toyota_bZ4X_Z_4WD.jpg","quote":"...ecially like you look at when they introduced the BZ4X and I never drove that car, the launch one.","canonicalId":"car:toyota:bz4x","priority":0.7,"confidence":1.0,"source":"fuzzy","data":{"imageAttribution":"TTTNIS (CC0)"}}],"speakers":[{"id":"s1","name":"The Drive","role":"host"}],"transcripts":[{"url":"http://getcarcurious.com/episodes/the-toyota-prius-is-losing-the-hybrid-war-it-started/transcript.vtt","type":"text/vtt"}]}