Best Selling Cars Around The Globe: Toyota Prius King Of California

One thing the Prius have going for it is that, like for example Whole Foods food, it is "top of the line" at something, while still being relatively affordable. Hence, it allows status obsessed social climbers to drive the same car as "the movie stars" drive. Were they instead to focus on "fast" cars, or luxurious cars, their second rung financial status would be much more obvious. The same effect drove SUV sales in the 80s and 90s. Until automakers started tarting them up, putting the "it" models out of reach for those who previously could emulate the equestrian set on an commoners wage. Full size pickups is a class where the dynamic still works. The guy pumping gas can drive pretty much the same one that the guy who owns the oil company.

As a resident of California for the past 15 years and a product of the midwest, I'll weigh in with my less than scientific theories about the state's buying habits: 1- Gas prices are high. If you don't believe that a gas tax would affect consumer vehicle buying habits, take this as leading indicator. Mandating fuel-economy standards without creating an incentive for consumers to buy fuel-efficient cars doesn't make much sense to me... or as in this case, creating a disincentive for buying a gas guzzler. 2- A general focus on environmental issues. Don't get me wrong, California is a huge state and very culturally/politically varied, Don't forget, the state is the single largest agricultural producer in the U.S. as well as a maker of reality TV shows and web startups. It ranges from San Francisco urban to central-valley small town, but generally-speaking, a lot of people here do seem to be concerned about their ecological footprint perhaps a bit more than in some other parts of the U.S. In L.A., long-time residents can directly see, feel, and smell the improvements that decades of environmental policies have created. A Prius isn't necessarily a political statement. It may just be seen as another decision along the lines of recycling your garbage and taking shorter showers. 3- Cost of living is high, at least when it comes to housing. A family income of $150k in Silicon Valley will barely allow you to buy a home... and those homes are much smaller than what one would find for a third of the price in, say, Dallas. All else equal, a family here spends a higher percentage of their income on housing, leaving less for a car, the gas to power it, and the insurance to cover it. I guess my point is that when a Civic or Corolla offers nearly the same space and nearly the same comfort as a Camry or Accord for less money... gets better fuel economy and costs less to insure, why not? You don't really need that V6 over a 4 cylinder to sit in traffic. 4- Cars don't rust out here. Not sure how this affects the new car market, but used cars are a much more viable alternative than in, say, Detroit where I grew up watching my dad's Buicks rot away every few years. Perhaps the affect is that people here still see 2-decade-old Civics and Corollas driving around and it's taken longer for the improvements the Domestics have made to reflect in public opinion?