Toyota Hybrids

I had my first drive in a Toyota Prius at its US press launch in 1999. A well done car, even in it's first US iteration - actually a home run for Toyota. The subsequent hybrid product, Camry, and Highlander were OK but didn't make as much sense to me as the Corolla sized Prius.

Word is out that Toyota has a Yaris hybrid on the way. Now we're talking! It makes some odd sense to me to optimize the mileage of the smallest cars. Maybe it's a corollary of the military proverb to not reinforce defeat that I find big-car/SUV hybrids to be such an oxymoron. And when you double down on making a small car a hybrid, it's a big winner.

Well that and Honda's newly revised Insight is real competition for the Prius finally. Couple that with the potential of a hybrid Fit from Honda and you can see how Honda's hybrid resurgence may give Toyota fits (puns intended, as always).