End Of The Line For The Avensis?

[FROSTYBALLS]

No hybrid version of the Avensis planned but a mid size hybrid is. Is it the end of the line for a European-built mid-size Toyota?

http://europe.autonews.com/article/20140619/ANE/140619865/toyota-avensis-future-in-doubt-with-no-hybrid-variant-planned

[Heidfirst]

I think that I postulated on this before?

That market sector is down something like 80% (at least in the UK). Ford & Vauxhall both used to sell over 100,000 Mondeo/Vectras a year in the UK but now are down to something like 20,000 Mondeo/Insignias p.a. here. I suspect that Toyota is probably selling ~7,000 (or less) Avensis p.a. here.

On normal model cycle it's due for replacement in 2015 - I doubt that they will do a straight replacement but I also could see them slipping the end of life by a year or so.

If they do replace it with a mid-size hybrid I don't see why it wouldn't be built in Europe though.

It doesn't make a lot of sense building in Japan to sell in Europe at the moment (witness demise of UC & IQ) & afaik the Auris & Yaris Hybrids are built in the UK & France respectively.

[FROSTYBALLS]

6-7000 Avensis are a lot more than the number of first registrations the IQ achieved in 2013 - 1442 of all versions.

[Heidfirst]

doesn't really matter if they were profitable but if they were losing money on them then that's a good thing.

It's a bit like the head of FIAT appealing to American buyers not to buy the FIAT 500 EV as every one that they built/sold cost the company $14,000 ... http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/21/chrsyelr-ceo-evs-idUSL1N0O71MS20140521

*can't remember the best website to get new UK car registrations by model but a very quick search threw up some figures that suggest that in 2013 only 3-4000 Avensis of all models may have been first registered in the UK.

[FROSTYBALLS]

Think falling European sales in this market sector has also been behind the delay in Europe sales of the new Ford Mondeo (now possibly not due until next year), but which has been on sale in the US since 2012

[FROSTYBALLS]

Looked at the specs for the Corolla saloon - same wheelbase as Avensis and virtually the same overall size. Would Toyota replace the Avensis saloon with the Corolla saloon?