Consumers Shun Large SUV, Luxury Hybrids Due To Additional Costs

While hybrids like the Toyota Prius and Honda Civic Hybrid are doing well among most consumers, luxury and large SUV consumers are thumbing their nose at hybrid offerings aimed at them.

USA Today reports the additional cost of hybridization — which was a sound business case with regards to size considerations and better fuel economy only a few years before — on top of already-high prices has kept potential consumers away from the likes of the Cadillac Escalade Hybrid and Mercedes-Benz S400, both which have been cancelled as a result. Toyota itself has managed to sell only nine units of the Lexus LS600hL last month, making up just 1 percent of the 706 LS models sold overall during the period.

Despite poor sales and scrapped plans among some automakers regarding hybrid offerings in larger vehicles, Infiniti is one of a few staying the course with its QX60 full-size hybrid SUV. According to spokesman Kyle Bazemore, around 10 percent of QX60 owners have opted for the $3,000 hybrid option not only for fuel economy purposes, but for the V6-esque power.

from The Truth About Cars http://ift.tt/Jh8LjA

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