Larger hybrids taking longer to sell

0 Comments | USA TODAY, March, 2006 | by Chris Woodyard

LOS ANGELES -- While buyers are still hungry for cheaper gas-thrifty hybrid cars, some of the bigger models are sitting longer on sales lots.

The smaller Toyota Prius and Honda Civic gas-electric hybrids remain hits that are in short supply. But the luxury Lexus RX 400h SUV and Honda Accord sedan hybrids have been taking longer to sell than their conventional counterparts.

Ford Motor and Toyota have added some modest incentives to their hybrid SUVs, often a signal that sales haven't met expectations.

The problem, analysts say, is that the bigger, fancier hybrids often carry a higher price differential compared with their conventional versions. The sticker price of a Toyota Highlander SUV hybrid is $6,590 more than the six-cylinder gas-only model. By...