Seven To Ten

Toyota Motor Corp. will start producing the hybrid Prius in the U.S for the first time to meet customer demands for smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles.

Customers can expect the first hybrid Prius to roll out in 2010, following a hybrid version of the Camry sedan. This is the first time the Prius, which has been on sale for more than a decade, will be built outside of Asia.

The Toyota Tundra pickup and Toyota Sequoia sport utility vehicle are suspended from production because of declining demand. Toyota’s U.S. sales fell 21% in June compared with the year before, an even steeper decline than the industrywide slump of 18%.

Toyota’s moves follow production cuts at General Motors Corp. and other automakers. GM said last month it is cutting shifts, reducing assembly line speeds and temporarily idling seven factories because of declining consumer demand for truck-based vehicles.

Chrysler LLC also announced plans to close a minivan factory and cut a shift at a full-size pickup factory, while Ford has said it is cutting production for the rest of the year.