How Hard Is It To Find Car You Want?

Despite automakers reporting low numbers of cars sold in the first half of this year, some cars -- big and small -- are being sold faster than car companies can get them to dealers.

According to an article on Forbes.com, two Toyota-manufactured cars top the list.

Not surprisingly, the Toyota Prius hybrid, getting a combined 46 mpg, sits atop the list. Ranking No. 2 on the list is the Lexus LX series full-size SUV at a combined 14 mpg.

The list was compiled by looking at the days supply data given by automakers and the turn rate -- the amount of time a car spends at a dealership.

The average turn rate for cars in May was 61 days. The Prius averages a seven day supply and a turn rate of 11 days. The Lexus LX 570 SUV has an eight-day supply and an eight-day turn-rate, meaning they are sold as fast as they are made.

"In fact, Lexus is still working through a pre-sold list of loyal Lexus owners who wanted to get the premium SUV as soon as it hit the market," Curt McAllister, a Toyota spokesman, told Forbes.com. "Its new styling and creature comforts appeal to loyal Lexus and premium SUV shoppers."

Toyota said it sold 15 percent more small cars in May 2008 than May 2007. Prius demand has also increased but the limited supply is due to "production limitations," a Toyota representative told Forbes.

"We saw a major shift in May to small and compact conventional cars," Tom Libby, senior director at J.D. Power and Associates, told Forbes. "Automakers started May with lean inventory. But the percent of compact cars sold in May was 20.3 percent, up over 15.8 percent in May last year. They will have to increase production of small cars."

Diane Elnick, industry analyst at Ward's Automotive Group, told Forbes that "if demand continues at the high pace it did in May for these vehicles, automakers will have a hard time providing them."

Hardest Cars To Get

1. Toyota Prius, average supply of seven days
2. Lexus LX Series, average supply of eight days
3. Mini Cooper, average supply of eight days
4. Audi A5, average supply of eight days
5. Toyota Yaris, average supply of 13 days
6. Scion xD, average supply of 19 days
7. Honda Fit, average supply of 20 days
8. Honda Civic, average supply of 21 days
9. 2009 Toyota Corolla, average supply of 23 days
10. Mercedes-Benz C-Class, average supply of 29 days