Photos: 2010 Toyota Prius

Carsguide

17 October 2008

The next Prius could be leaner, greener and meaner. Photo Gallery

Toyota has confirmed that these photos are the next Prius, tipped to arrive in 2010.

And chances are it’s going to try and be leaner and greener. And maybe a bit meaner, as well.

Prius became the signature nameplate for environmentally proud drivers after it first appeared overseas in 1997. But since that time, more contenders for the greener turf have appeared.

So will Toyota try and protect their real estate with a third-generation car that addresses some of the concerns non-Prius drivers (and therefore non-buyers) have expressed about the brand … particularly a lack of power, features and variants.

And in the face of growing competition, will they present us with a system so frugal it can’t be ignored in the market? Since Toyota has already said they plan to be selling 1 million hybrids per year after 2010, you can bet that’s the aim.

Toyota sources have hinted that the coming cars will be larger, better equipped and more comfortable, with at least one extra variant, possibly based on the Hybrid X Concept that starred on the stand at the recent Australian International Motor Show.

There are also suggestions it will have more power from a larger engine – tipped to be 1.8-litres (300cc more than the current model) with a 25 per cent increase in kilowatts bringing it close to 75kW, and the combined figure of the petrol and electric motors to around 110kW.

However, Toyota will work hard to ensure the extra power doesn’t mean extra fuel, and may possibly even bring it in under the 4L/100km mark to smack down rivals like the Honda Civic Hybrid.

They’ll have their eye on the emissions figure too … an area that is also under marketing attack from the competition … and could well slash their CO2 down from 106g/km, especially since a couple of other cars are sitting below the 100g/km mark.

A plug-in version of the Prius is also being tested, and is expected to join the third-gen hybrid shortly after it goes on sale.

But it remains to be seen whether the new models will answer questions about the environmental cost of the Prius from `well to wheel’, or the current price premium of hybrid technology.

Comments on this story

Displaying 10 of 17 comments

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Thank you all for your controversial coments .I have heard the batteries needed for Hybrid are extreamly Heavy & short lived due to the load on them .has this any merit?The Biodeisel still leads the Race for Me with a wide varity of crops used with varing yeilds.(From the Fryer to the Fuel Tank by Joshua Tickell USA)

Ron Gordon of Gold coast Posted at 24 October 2008 10:33am

agree with Kris, don`t fix if it ain`t broken. They are the worlds biggest car maker for a reason, make a car that looks ok, that goes ok and then sell millions of them! As for jim and gary`s comments, i don`t think you appreciate how big the car market is dependant on oil. I would love to say lets save the world and drive a car that produces water vapours, but i also need to be in the same world where people have jobs and can provide for their families. If you get your way and these mantainence free cars get released; what do mechanics, auto electricians, tyre fitters, gearbox overhaulers, ultra tune companies etc etc the list goes on - do for work i can see unemployment increasing, cant you? We need cars like computers that need mantainence. Also the prius aint that green if you do they sums on the R&D;that goes into this vehicle, you will discover that the range rover effectively is a cleaner car!

Peter of Brisbane Posted at 22 October 2008 11:44am

There's an old French saying, "Sweet roses grows from merde". But, I do not see anything sweet about this car. Hybrid technology is only good as an interim, cross-over measure. You do not see any trucks operating as hybrids because of weight. Electric is the way to go, if you are immediately serious about going green. However, in the long term, it will be most likely hydrogen, as the source of power is even cleaner. . . It's just a crying shame that Toyota stands for - uninspiring, unsexy, sanitised, safe as houses, the pensioners car of choice - being un-involving driving.

Gianni Posted at 22 October 2008 11:14am

a pretty underwhelming spread of comments here, after a completely neutral article. BTW: I counted 3 pics -- recycled exterior styling, reused front lighting and reduced interior styling -- all green, only the colour is metallic grey. with sales of toyota in the world's biggest car market going through the roof, having just taken a massive slice of (what was) the 3 big automakers' pie, it's easy to see why toyota is happy resting on their laurels. soon Honda will catch up to them with their world's most boring marketing campaigns, for an improved Civic (still years more stylish than this even after decades of recycling); then Chevy 's economical, mean plugin Volt will leap over the Civic/Prius sales (if only they don't go into receivership in the next 2yrs); and finally an affordable EV will sneak up behind them and roundly bite them all on the ass. PS: didn't you all know -- Prius is the new cardigan-toting Corolla!

kris of melbourne Posted at 21 October 2008 11:23pm

I ask the same question that Jim did earlier...Why is Toyota persisting with the petrol motor to power the electric motor? Oil is dead. Stop persisting with last century's technology; it is antique and expensive to maintain. Jim is right, we need a GREEN car. We need a company with guts enough to challenge noisy old memories that belong in the recycle bin. The Prius should incorporate solar panels as the roof and bonnet; integral parts. The sun drives photosynthetic processes that extract hydrogen and oxygen from water. Scientists have extracted the process from plants; ditch petrol and diesel motors and put torque into driving. Accepting other commentaries on design, why not pay Ferrari royalties?

Gary Goland of Adelaide (sorry) Posted at 21 October 2008 9:37pm

Still the UGLY CAR for people who suffer from FEAR not common sense. Do they really think the're saving the planet. This car is going to be another problem in the future as they age and are discarded on top of Nuclear waste.

Chris Hands of South Australia Posted at 21 October 2008 8:23pm

Sigh ... is that ... Prius in 2010 ?! Seriously, Toyota ... come on ... =_=;;

Chris Posted at 21 October 2008 5:26pm

Why are they persisting with the petrol motor to power the electric mootor? They are obviously tied to the oil companies. If they were to introduce a GREEN car they should have incorporated solar panels on the roof and bonet, injected hydrogen into the petrol motor or better still replace the petrol motor with a Diesel. As for the design you would think they could come up with a better shape for the front en, rather than recycling it from the Yaris, then again wate not want not.

Jim Posted at 21 October 2008 3:32pm

. . . did you see the two (only) photographs of the 'new' Prius. One would think that the company could well have released a better spread of pics! Trev

Trevor Ebert Posted at 21 October 2008 3:14pm

I feel they've made a mistake here. This is clearly an earlier (ugly) model rebadged as a 2010 model. Honestly, the Prius has one of the most ugly rear ends of any car currently on sale. It's clear why the (only) 2 photos on the gallery link are of the headlight and interior, which, by the way, could barely fit a small cat in. Rethink, remodel, relaunch! Oh, what a (disappointing) feeling!

Big Events Man of Melbourne Posted at 21 October 2008 2:31pm

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