Next-generation Toyota Prius revealed with hybrid and plug-in hybrid electric car options, but will it come to Australia?

Toyota has revealed the next generation of its iconic Prius hybrid after weeks of anticipation, but Australians aren’t likely to see it on the road any time soon.

The new Toyota Prius consists of a three-drivetrain family, with a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variant as expected, while retaining two standard hybrid versions as the Prius pioneered decades ago.

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The PHEV version of the new Prius is powered by a 2.0-litre petrol engine and a battery-driven electric motor for a 164kW total output, which Toyota’s senior manager of design Simon Humphries announced during its global reveal allows for a 6.0-second run to 100km/h from standstill, though official Toyota press material states 6.7s.

It's a new PHEV drivetrain for the Prius, the first time Toyota has used this 2.0-litre hybrid combination.

The hybrid model, which comes with either a 1.8- or 2.0-litre petrol engine with Toyota’s ‘Series Parallel Hybrid System’, makes 144kW in the larger-engined model, making it 1.6 times more powerful than its predecessor.

Furthermore, the new Prius is built on the second-generation TNGA platform, a more advanced version of the same underpinning as most new Toyota passenger cars, which increases body rigidity and allows for a lower centre of gravity with larger tyre diameters. 

Since its introduction, Toyota has sold more than 5.05 million Prius hybrids globally, though numbers in Australia haven’t been their strongest in recent years.

In response, Toyota Australia pulled the Prius from the local market, leaving hybrid versions of the brand’s more legacy nameplates like Corolla, Camry, and RAV4 to lead the electrification charge.

As such, the new Toyota Prius won’t be introduced to the Australian market any time soon, according to word from a spokesperson.

“Toyota Australia has no plans to introduce the new Prius to the Australian market,” a Toyota Australia spokesperson told CarsGuide.

“Over the past few years, we have substantially increased our hybrid offering with vehicles suited to Australian market conditions including Yaris, Yaris Cross, Corolla, C-HR and recently Corolla Cross.”