The Toyota Prius is a hybrid electric mid-size car developed and manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation.
The Prius first went on sale in Japan in 1997, making it the first mass-produced hybrid vehicle. It was subsequently introduced worldwide in 2001. The Prius is sold in more than 40 countries and regions, with its largest markets being those of Japan and North America.
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the 2008 Prius is the most fuel efficient car sold in the U.S.
According to the UK Department for Transport, the Prius is tied as the third least CO2-emitting vehicle on sale in the UK, and there are eight cars which are more fuel-efficient than it for the combined use cycle.
The first Prius, model NHW10, went on sale in December 1997. It was sold only in Japan, though they have been imported privately to the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. Many of these cars are now being exported as second-hand vehicles to New Zealand and other countries.