The Toyota Prius was the first mass production hybrid vehicle. It was such a hit that Toyota could not come close to filling orders the first few years. This is still the case to some extent, a reflection of our rising environmental consciousness and high gas prices. The tax credit you get with a purchase provides another reason to buy this peppy little vehicle.
The IRS issues tax credit amounts for hybrid cars that meet its standards. Various manufactures have been approved including Ford, Lexus, Honda, Mercury and, of course, Toyota. In this case, the tax credit is $3,150. You must purchase the car new from a dealer to qualify for the credit and the sooner, the better. The tax credit is graduated, which means it gets reduced as more cars are sold through the year. The full credit is only available through the quarter of the fiscal calendar of the year after which Toyota sells the 60,000 car. If you buy in the following two fiscal quarters, you can only claim half of the tax credit. The subsequent two quarters see a reduction to 25 percent of the tax credit. After that, you cannot claim any of the credit.