Toyota Prius C to Bite the Dust, Pass Torch

Toyota’s Prius C, introduced in North America in 2012, was a good idea that didn’t generate much consumer (or reviewer) acclaim. As an entry-level hybrid slotted below the Prius and wagony Prius V, the Prius C was no powerhorse. Its 1.5-liter four-cylinder/electric motor combo cranked out a combined 99 horsepower, a figure that still stands today. Journos found it lacking in both performance and ride quality.

Around these parts, I can’t recall the last Prius C I saw that wasn’t part of a Vrtucar fleet.

Well, kiss the Prius C goodbye, as it’s on its way to the automotive afterlife. Unlike other passenger car discontinuations, however, there’s a replacement waiting in the wings.

It was generally known that the Prius C would cede its space in the Toyota lineup this year, and comments made by Ed Laukes, group VP of marketing at Toyota North America, to Motor1 this week hammered that fact home.

“You’re probably not going to see Prius C for long,” he said. “The Prius C has served its purpose well.”

Poised to replace the little hatchback is a compact sedan with a famous name — the 2020 Toyota Corolla, more specifically its first-ever hybrid variant. A larger and likely pricier vehicle, the new Corolla hybrid boasts a combined 121 horsepower, a new platform, and better fuel economy. While the Prius C rates a combined 46 mpg, the Corolla Hybrid manages 52 mpg.

“The transition to Corolla Hybrid (should be) in the next couple of months,” a Toyota spokesperson told Autoblog, adding that the automaker has about 700 of them left in stock.

Peaking in its second year on the market (41,979 units sold in the U.S.), the Prius C began a precipitous decline, with only 8,399 sales recorded in 2018. That latter figure represents a 32.6 percent drop from a year earlier.

[Images: Toyota]