In an automotive industry that offers American buyers hundreds of different options, few models have the immediate name recognition of the compact Toyota (7203.T-JP) Prius. When it debuted in Japan in 1997, it became the world’s first mass-market hybrid electric vehicle and demand exploded when it reached the U.S. three years later. The Prius delivered around 50 miles a gallon and had far more interior space than the typical fuel-saving minicar — all at an affordable price. That made it the best-selling car of any form in California, and the best-selling hybrid vehicle worldwide earlier this decade. But, as an updated 2019 version of the Prius gets ready to roll into U.S. showrooms, Toyota is facing a difficult situation. Sales of the Prius have been tumbling for several years and were down 23.2 percent for the first 11 months of 2018. The new version delivers updates Toyota hopes will revive the hybrid’s […]