As the Detroit Auto Show continues, Toyota officially unveiled the long-expected Prius MPV dubbed "Prius V." Thats V for vendetta, not five. This will be the second addition to the Prius line. The big surprise was the unveiling of a new compact Prius dubbed the Prius C. WE think both models are exciting and a move in the right direction for Toyota. So first, the Prius V:
The 2012 Prius V (for versatility actually) is pretty much a Prius with more space. Toyota says it has 50% more cargo room than your regular Prius. The Prius V also uses the same 134 hp drive train as the regular Prius. Given the extra size and heft, the V gets 'only' 38/42 mpg in the city/highway. In case you forgot, the regular Prius gets 51/48. That is still pretty damn good considering the Mazda 5 (a non-hybrid vehicle in this segment) gets a meager 20/28. One neat fact is that the panoramic roof is made of resin instead of glass to save weight. Cool. Drop by your local Toyota dealer this summer to pick one up.
The Prius C concept (for city-centric) is said to get significantly better fuel economy than the normal Prius. It is also mcuh smaller so lets hope that it will also be significantly cheaper. Don't expect the show-cary headlights to carryover on this neat-o design. The production version should go on sale sometime in the first half of 2012.
Also FYI, a Plug-in hybrid version of the regular Prius is also in the works for 2012--called the Prius PHV. A limited number have already been leased out. This brings the Prius family up to four models. With the addition of competitors like the Ford C-max, C-max Hybrid, and C-max Energi (aka plug-in hybrid) the compact minivan/MPV segment looks like it may finally be heating up.
Attached is an interesting shoot-out between the Chevy Volt and Prius PHV. The Prius wins, but kind of loses too because you can't actually buy one yet until late 2012 when it will be sold as a '13 model.
http://www.insideline.com/chevrolet/volt/2011/comparison-test-2011-chevrolet-volt-vs-2010-toyota-prius-phv.html
Love the concept of the Prius C! Sounds like a Hybrid SmartCar == AWESOME!! Those headlights and wheels look hot too! Not sure what you mean by show-cary lights though ...
ReplyDeleteDoes the resin panoramic roof also have solar panels on top? I loved that Toyota put those in the current Prius