...don't get me started on the Toyota Prius II...
The Prius II retails for $US19990 in the States, which I reckon is about $AUD28000. Yet, in Australia, it's on sale for $AUD36990... work that one out!!! And, the other thing that got up my nose... in the UK the base model Prius II comes with all the SRS Airbags fitted as standard for no extra cost.... and... you guessed it... in Australia they're an optional extra...
The Toyota salesman's excuse... in the US they receive a government subsidy. This is incorrect. In the US, the purchaser can claim a rebate (between $US2000 and $US3000) from the IRS after purchasing the car by filling in a form and sending it off to the IRS.
I hope Toyota doesn't make the same mistake that Honda made with the Honda Insight. They priced the car at $AUD55000 and then wondered why no-one bought it. In Australia, a massive total of 65 Honda Insight cars were purchased over three years... surely a candidate for the worst designed and marketed car in history.
When will the car companies start listening to the consumer...
