Toyota Defeats Consumers’ Appeal Over Prius Fuel Marketing

Claims against Toyota Motor Sales Inc. over allegedly misleading marketing are too individualized to proceed on behalf of a statewide class, a California appeals court ruled Jan. 9.

Whether Prius buyers relied on Toyota’s online fuel-economy calculator would vary from consumer to consumer, the California Court of Appeal, Second District, said in an unpublished opinion. The decision affirmed the trial court’s decision not to certify a class or subclass.

The complaint alleged the online calculator made misleading comparisons and was overly optimistic about the Prius’s fuel economy, according to the appeals court.

The stakes could have been significant had the ...