You would think that the people looking to buy a hybrid vehicle, like the iconic Toyota Prius, are doing it either to save fuel money or to do their part in saving the environment. This isn’t exactly the whole picture. According to a recent study by CNW Marketing Research, over half of the people that bought a Prius did so primarily to “make a statement about themselves.”

Clearly, there are other hybrid vehicles on the road, but it is the Prius that is immediately recognized as having a gas-electric powertrain. By contrast, the Civic Hybrid and the Ford Escape Hybrid cannot be so easily discriminated from their gasoline-only counterparts: the only outward difference is a little badge on the back. The Prius, on the other hand, is ONLY available as a hybrid.

Certain celebrities drive a Prius, and again, they’re probably not doing it to save gas money and they’re probably not doing it to be nicer to the environment. They’re doing it for the positive PR they get for “making that statement.” It’s all about “look at me, I’ve gone green!”