Toyota boosted incentives on its Prius hybrid range for California buyers in April, and it's doing the same this month, though on a more limited basis.
New incentives are being added for May, but only for buyers in certain areas of California.
Buyers in both San Francisco and Los Angeles will get discounts that aren't available in other parts of the Golden State--or in the U.S. at large.
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In San Francisco, a $500 bonus brings total rebates on the Prius Liftback to $3,000 off MSRP, according to Cars Direct.
That's reportedly the first time Prius rebates have gone that high. The San Francisco offer expires May 26.
Meanwhile in L.A., a $500 loyalty rebate for current Prius owners brings total savings in that region to $2,500 before dealer discounts. That offer expires June 1.
2015 Toyota Prius Liftback
While California remains the largest single Prius market in the U.S., Toyota has had to work harder in recent months to prop up sales.
The full Prius range was the bestselling passenger-car line in California in 2012 and 2013, but it was beaten out by the Honda Accord last year.
And while California Prius sales grew 2 percent last year, they fell 12 percent nationally.
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This may be due to both low gas prices--which have a demonstrated effect on hybrid sales, although not electric-car sales--and the age of the current Prius model range.
For the 2015 model year, Toyota refreshed the Prius C subcompact and Prius V tall wagon with new styling and additional equipment.
However, the Prius Liftback and Prius Plug-In Hybrid remain essentially unchanged since their debut in early 2009 as 2010 models.
2015 Toyota Prius Liftback
Toyota will end production of the Prius Plug-In Hybrid in June in anticipation of a redesigned model range--but it remains unclear when the redesign Prius Liftback will arrive in the U.S.
The fourth-generation Prius is expected to debut at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show this fall, which means it likely won't go on sale in the U.S. until 2016--possibly as a 2017 model.
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New versions of the Prius Plug-In Hybrid, let alone the different Prius C and Prius V, may not arrive until sometime after that.
Meanwhile, lucky Californians can save more money than ever on the soon-to-be-outgoing model.
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