The popularity of the gas-electric hybrid Toyota Prius in the United States cannot be denied. Its fuel efficiency made it a favorite among car buyers as the awareness concerning the threat of global warming increases. The increasing price of gasoline has also made the Prius a favorite among car buyers.

Recently, Japan’s largest car manufacturer Toyota reported that they have sold more than a million units of hybrid cars all over the world. The company announced that there are approximately 1,047,000 units of the fuel efficient vehicles as of the 31st of May this year with Prius having the bulk of the sale.

The Prius made its debut in Toyota’s home country of Japan in 1997 as well as in Europe. After the positive acceptance of Japanese car buyers of the Prius and the increased demand for fuel efficient vehicle in the United States, Toyota introduced the Prius in the country and the vehicle was received with much praise. The Prius was introduced in the United States auto market in 2000.

In 2003, the Toyota Prius received its first major redesign. Toyota made the car larger so that it can attract more attention from Americans who are looking for roomy vehicles without sacrificing fuel economy.

The redesign made the second generation of the Prius into a hatchback. Aside from the body style change, fuel efficiency was improved, thanks to an improved powertrain which is called the Hybrid Synergy Drive. Toyota made changes to the way the vehicle powers its air conditioning unit thus reducing the load on the small internal combustion engine.

As far as the construction of the second-generation Prius is concerned, it was made more aerodynamic. During the release of the redesigned Prius, it has the second lowest coefficient of drag of only 0.26. The Honda Insight is the only vehicle then that has a lower coefficient of drag at 0.25.

Another improved aspect of the Prius in 2003 is its regenerative braking system. This means that the car’s battery pack is provided with more power. According to the company, the improved regenerative braking system does not rely heavily on the friction-type brakes. With that improvement, Toyota claims that the stock brake pads will last for the entire life of the car.

Aside from the Prius, the Hybrid Synergy Drive has been used by the company on other auto models. The Toyota Camry has a hybrid version as well as the Toyota Highlander. The hybrid version of the Highlander uses the electric motor to enhance its performance which is considered to be similar in performance to a Celica equipped with a Toyota Celica cold air intake system.

Aside from the Camry and the Highlander, the company also offers hybrid versions of their Lexus vehicles. The Lexus RX350 has a hybrid version known as the Lexus RX400h.

The Prius and other hybrid vehicles from Toyota are being marketed in more than 40 countries across the world. In Japan, Toyota reported a sale of 345,000 units of their hybrid vehicles. Outside Toyota’s home country, the company sold 702,000 hybrids. The Prius is currently the best selling hybrid vehicle. According to the company, the more than 1 million hybrid vehicles sold contributed to a reduction of an estimated 3.5 million tons of carbon dioxide emission.

Japanese automaker Toyota has been breaking records for a while now. It is set to become the largest automaker in the world by next year. On its way to being the largest company of its kind, Toyota has broken sales records and has celebrated milestone after milestone. Recently, the Japanese automaker celebrated yet another milestone as they have sold 2 million pre-owned Toyota vehicles in the United States since 1996.

The buyer of the 2 millionth Toyota Certified Used Vehicle is Mr. Brian Kabat of Bellevue, Washington. The two millionth Toyota Certified Used Vehicle sold to Mr. Kabat was a 2004 Toyota Sienna. Initially, Mr. Kabat was apprehensive about buying the vehicle because of the added cost of its luxury features. His grandchildren though made it easy for him to decide as they expressed their liking for the Sienna’s features.

Toyota celebrates the sale of the 2,000,000th used vehicle by reimbursing Mr. Kabat the $36,648 that he paid for the vehicle. Aside from that, Toyota will also be donating the same amount to Bellevue’s Youth Eastside Service (or YES) agency. The Japanese automaker has also earmarked $5,000 as donation to Bellevue’s Newport High School Band. All these will be handed out in a ceremony that will be held at the Bellevue dealership where the 2,000,000th used Toyota was sold earlier this year to Mr. Kabat.

Handing out the checks will be Norm Olson, the sales operation manager of Toyota Certified Used Vehicles. The YES agency is the selected charity by Bellevue dealership principal Bruce Broadus. The said organization aims to help kids and families coping with problems such as drug abuse and domestic violence. YES executive director Patti Skelton-McGougan will receive the check from Mr. Olson. For the Newport High Scholl Band, the school’s principal, Patty Siegwarth, along with band directors Matt Eisenhauaer and Ed George, will receive the donation.

“This is a landmark event,” said Olson. “No other manufacturer of a single line make has reached this sales milestone. Toyota was the first manufacturer to stipulate a vehicle history report as a part of its extensive certified used program, which includes a seven-year, 100,000 mile limited power-train warranty, roadside assistance and a 160-point inspection procedure.” Toyota’s reputation for being the manufacturer of reliable automobiles and auto parts as durable as EBC brake rotors is one of the key factors why the automaker has sold millions of used cars.

This year, more consumers are buying certified used cars from the Japanese automaker. For the first nine months of the year, sale of used cars for Toyota in the United States has increased by 5.5 percent. The automaker has sold 207,923 certified used vehicles from January to September this year.

“We have always had great experiences with Toyotas,” Mr. Kabat said. “The dealer’s commitment to service always brought us back,” he added. That goes to show that Toyota is not only depending on the reliability of their cars to attract car buyers but also makes an effort to make customers feel comfortable while dealing with them. Other perks awarded to Mr. Kabat includes a Toyota Certified Platinum service agreement, a $500 American Express gas card and a three year Toyota Car Care program.