Rendered Speculation: 2010 Toyota Prius
by Sam Abuelsamid on Jul 8th 2008 at 10:20AM 
The new 2010 Toyota Prius will be unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show next January along with a Lexus badged derivative. When the third (or fourth depending on whether you count the original U.S. model as a second gen) Prius debuts it will retain the current hybrid setup with a nickel metal hydride battery pack. The gas engine is expected to be updated and grow from the current 1.5L to 1.6L. The five door hatchback body style is also expected to grow a bit although the fuel economy is not expected to suffer. If the rendering produced by Car and Driver is anything to go by, not much of the new Prius design will come from the Hybrid-X concept that Toyota showed at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show. In 2010, Toyota will start building a few hundred Priuses with lithium ion batteries and plug-in capability for commercial and government fleet testing. A high volume retail version won't appear until 2011-12.
[Source: Car and Driver]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Matthew 10:59AM (7/08/2008)
What the heck is wrong with Toyota? Why do all their cars have to keep getting bigger? The original concept for the prius was a small exterior with large interior. My 2002 Prius is amazing, I LOVE the size of it, and would never give it up. Look at the RAV4, the Corolla, the Camry, the 4runner!!! They are all HUGE! Their originals were no less roomy, but they are large and grossly overweight. Nevertheless the economy and efficiency improves. Makes me wonder what my prius would get if they put in that new system in there?
P.S. This size and weight thing is by no means just Toyota. All other automakers are tremendously guilty of this, with the exception being Hyundai where their cars seems to stay around the same size. They are a great car company too!
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wave54 1:03PM (7/08/2008)
All the articles I've seen indicate that the '09 will be 1" wider, perhaps 3" longer and the weight remains about the same. The engine will be a 1.8L with more power, but with a ~10% increase in fuel economy.
Is a couple of inches in a more efficient car worth getting all rattled over?
Red 2:24PM (7/09/2008)
@ Matthew,
The Prius got bigger because Toyota's customers asked for it to be a bit bigger. It was the biggest--no pun intended--request during Toyota survey's.
The Car and Driver rendering is a far better design, albeit still pretty boring, compared to Toyota's first gen or the Hybrid-X concept. Here's a-hopin'...
Phil Kulak 11:58AM (7/08/2008)
Looks like it going to be very tough to buy a car with some damn windows on it in a couple years. Maybe I'm just odd in my desire to actually be able to see out of my car while I'm driving it.
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fd 12:10PM (7/08/2008)
How about a station wagon?
The way that roofline slopes down I doubt I would ever see out the rear view mirror or back window.
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Clark 12:29PM (7/08/2008)
Agree with the first comment. WHY!? My 2005 Prius is very spacious and I can't imagine why it would need to be bigger. If my 6'5" bro-in-law can comment that it's spacious then they hardly need to increase the size any.
Toyota seems slightly out of touch and is thinking with it's 90's and early 2000's brain. The RAV 4 just got increased in size significantly as well (it's a compact SUV, why does it have the option of a third row?).
Anyway, despite this rant, the rendering looks nice.
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Karkus 1:51PM (7/08/2008)
Pretty much ALL cars get bigger/faster etc over the years. Traditionally, the average Joe would rather have a new model that is slightly bigger, faster and more efficient, rather than one that is the same size and power but significantly more efficient.
Yes, this attitude may finally be changing...but we also have to remember that the decisions on the specs for the new Prius were probably made a couple of years ago and can't be changed instantly. So you're right that the new Prius represents the thinking from a few years ago.
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b laipply 2:11PM (7/08/2008)
Because I want to fit five adults in the car and not drive my minivan across town. Don't forget one larger and one smaller than the prius will be coming after next year from Toyota.
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Mike!!ekiM 4:34PM (7/08/2008)
Beautiful, that's good.
- But, can they dump the bigger engine? It should be the Electric motor that gets bigger.
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T2 5:56PM (7/08/2008)
KDHSPYDER on Edmunds mentioned that Toyota intended to use the "R" engines with double VVt-i across the whole of their range. They probably have no choice now that Chrysler has begun incorporating dual VVt into many of its latest models also.
The smallest "R" family engine is the 1ZR-FE which is 1.6L
I think this is the engine to go in the 2010 Prius. Speculation on my part.
The next size up in the family is the 2ZR-FE which is the 1.8L used in the Corolla.
The 1.6L is 20HP more than the original Yaris 1.5L 1NZ-FE.
In Atkinsonised form that would be 96Hp up from 76Hp.
I agree that this is the wrong way to go. I wanted to see the Engine of the Year for 2007 & 2008 the 1KR-FE 3cylinder installed. I've always thought that low emissions and high mileage was the quest for the Prius. Using this 68Hp engine would have given more scope to add more battery horsepower.
Prius needs 60mpg to confront the non-hybrid micro cars that will be entering the market.
T2
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Ronal IQ 8:35AM (7/09/2008)
I won't especulate nor say anything I cannot base my opinion on....all I would say is that Toyota better nailed with the new prius models, or else other companies are going to beat them pretty soon. Toyota dont get to C****
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