I mentioned Toyota's claim that sales are down because production is down.Maybe it is actually true.I don't doubt that eventually TCH will drive down the demand for high end Prius.A high end Prius is ~$27000-pretty much TCH price land for a car 13" shorter,narrower etc.The Prius does beat it in carrying capacity however,but the TCH is faster and no doubt safer, probably slightly more comfortable.I sure with Toyota made a TCH hatchback.The 6 cyl HCH just isn't what I had in mind;ever with a 4 cyl HSD it would still be too tall and blockyfor max mpg.
I know that on this forum the HCH does about as well as the Prius in mpg.However, this forum doesn't have normal drivers on it.I would go further and speculate that HCH drivers are more fanatic-in respect to mpg-than Prius drivers. Now, my only hard evidence is the MPG data base-the HCH 2 does TOO WELL in respect to how it does when driven by non partisans-Edmunda,or CR, or even Car and Driver.The HCH 2 responds very well to all the tricks we/you learn here.The Prius on the other hand will deliver great mpg in anyones hands.
.Luck,Charlie