By Chris Woodyard, USA TODAY

Automakers are adding inducements to help sell some gas-electric hybrid models — including Toyota's (TM) Prius for the first time — in a sign that low gas prices could be hurting sales.

Some of the incentives are the same kinds of sales sweeteners that automakers used to sell their biggest SUVs when gasoline prices neared or exceeded $3 a gallon — including 0% financing and cash back, an analysis by auto buying research site Carsdirect.com shows.

Starting this month for the first time ever nationally, Prius buyers can get 0% financing for two years or lease payments as low as $219 a month, says Toyota spokesman Bill Kwong.

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