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.
