Needless to say, Eugene is Priustown, USA. So it didn’t surprise me to see this new 2016 Prius in my neighborhood a couple of months ago. It was the first one I’ve seen close up. Which is a bit of a challenging undertaking.
Toyota has taken its task of making its cars more dynamic, inside and outside, quite seriously. It’s working quite well with the Corolla, but the Prius is going to be an acquired taste, if ever. I’m trying to be pragmatic, inasmuch as a lot of cars look a bit wild or goofy when new, but become more palatable with age. Will the Prius? Tha rear end is one of the wilder ones since GM’s 1959 cars. And look what collector items they have become.
I don’t blame Toyota for pushing the envelope. A substantial part of the bounteous Prius hate seems to have been its soap bar styling. No more.
Clearly, Toyota wanted to emphasize a more dynamic image with this generation Prius, and for good reason. it’s the first car to use Toyota’s new TNGA architecture/platform, which will also underpin the next Camry. To counter the complaints of dull handling, the Prius now has a double-wishbone rear suspension, and its steering and suspension tuning are set up to provide competitive and sporty handling. And all the reviews seem to acknowledge that it is much more of a driver’s car than before. So Toyota is responding to two areas of criticism.
Despite the added weight of the new rear suspension, the Prius has lost weight elsewhere, and weight roughly the same as before. Its aerodynamics have improved, and its Hybrid Synergy drive (HSD) has been substantially reworked to net the 10% efficiency gain that was the development goal.
The 1.8 L Atkinson Cycle four has been tweaked to reduce friction and improve breathing, so that it’s now capable of delivering up to 40% thermal efficiency, long a goal for engine developers, and once distant target. But the next frontier is 50%, and Honda has already said it’s going to find ways to achieve that, which would probably demand some way of converting engine/exhaust heat into energy.
Except for the low-end Prius 2, which keeps the cheaper NiMH battery pack, the rest of the Prius line has lithium batteries that are lighter. The Prius’ HSD electric motors/CVT has also been majorly revised, with new architecture and a20% reduction in friction. All this is of course in pursuit of those higher mileage numbers. The official EPA numbers are 54 city, 50 highway, 50 combined, and the lighter Prius Eco ups that to 58/53/56. Since the EPA changed the protocol for hybrids, an apple-to-apple comparison with its predecessor would show a 10% improvement.
The plug-in Prius Prime is scheduled to arrive later this year, and will have a 22 mile electric range and stay in pure EV mode for all of that, unlike the previous plug-in Prius.
Ok, so much for all of the good news. Now help yourself to hating on the styling (or otherwise) of the Prius, but with one caveat: we don’t disparage the owners of any cars; individually or as a group. There are a good number of Prius drivers among our readers, and crude stereotypes are inevitably flawed.
I don’t know Paul, but I’m thinking it would be neat to get a Prius just to have all that technology to play with. One thing however, doesn’t the 2016 Prius center dash stack look a bit like Darth Vader’s helmet?
Novelty wears off. What’s odd about the Prius is, it never really shuts off; you hear motors for the brake & battery systems whirring many hours after you park it. To avoid perplexity over this, one •must• read its Owner’s Manual, which is over 600 pages long, not counting the nav/entertainment system guide which I think is shared across Toyota models. Our Civic’s manual is only 370 pages.
I was looking at the owners manual in a family members 2007 Cobalt this morning. 450 pages.
She bought the car a week ago and slid it into the back of a BMW yesterday. It would barely run and had to be towed home. No collision insurance, liability only. A sledge hammer, a 4X4 piece of wood, and a stout chain with hooks wrapped around a fire hydrant with a few tugs in reverse, along with some fist hammering on the hood got it back in action and running well, though the check engine light is on now. The headlamps still work though the lenses are shattered and hood latch is back in operation. Internet lamp assemblies are on the way for $80.00 a pair.
It’s back on the road, battered but functional. She totaled her mom’s Mazda6 a couple of months ago, though that one was not her fault and insurance paid.
I think when I ride with her I’ll drive. I did yesterday when we were driving the Cobalt all over the area looking (unsucessfully) for a body parts donor. The car is still too new for the u-pull yards.
I saw a few Colbalts at Horseheads Pick-a-Part in 2011 or including one with really high mileage.
The front end reminds me of “Predator”.
The rear end looks like it got hit down low and everything got pushed up, scrunched and deformed.
I’m sure it’s a great car, but a looker it isn’t.
A hideously ugly vehicle. This design evokes Pontiac Aztek nightmares. Why are the carmakers going down this road? What happened to nice clean lines ?
I have to agree. It is hideous looking. I think the Aztek is better looking.
I think so too. Much of the trouble with the Aztek was the odd proportions due to the FWD minivan platform. That’s pretty common now though, and the rest of the styling may not have been to everyone’s taste but at least it was coherent.
I do see a lot of the Aztek in the rear 3/4 view here. Slab sides with small wheels and of course that hatch is very similar.
I hate to admit it but the Aztec looks better than nearly every other modern crossover and I hated it when it came out.
I have to agree. I thought the first generation Prius was way better looking than any subsequent generation, particularly the Prius V and Prius C. Both were hideous from nearly every angle.
Question: When you’re talking “first generation Prius”, are we talking the dowdy little trunk back sedan, or the aerodynamic hatchback? What most people consider the first generation Prius is actually the second, since they didn’t sell too many of those little sedans, except on the coast.
And there was nothing attractive about the first generation Prius. The second generation, radical and polarizing as it was when new, has settled into being a pretty good looking car over the years.
Not bad. That’s exactly what I was referring to, the first version of the hatchback Prius. It’s not bad looking overall, but I found its front end appearance to be hideous.
I actually like the bold radical styling.
Last fall, I was tasked with buying a previous generation Prius for the President of the organization that I work for. It was my first close up experience with a Prius. I really disliked its bland styling and found the interior setup (especially the center console) weird and tacky. But, it was what the President wanted so we bought it and he loves it!
Had I known that a restyling was just around the corner, I might have encouraged him to wait a few months. I’ve seen a few in the flesh, and it captures my attention every time!
I rather like it.Toyota has always put aerodynamics and low rolling resistance ahead of mainstream styling on the Prius. This has given them an advantage over Civic Hybrids and the like. Wearing efficiency on one’s sleeve proved to be a plus when dealing with a segment who frankly are embarrassed to own a car.
The problem with the styling is not that’s it’s bold, it’s that it’s so disjointed. Nothing fits together.
Toyota did need to make their cars more interesting, but they need to hire some designers.
Exactly! Some areas look pretty good, but then you get to the odd explosions of fins and angles which seem to be added for no reason. It’s good Toyota tried to be distinctive, but this seems a little forced. I also wish they’d ditch the quasi-center speedometer setup; personally that’s a deal-breaker.
Regarding the center speedometer, our Nissan Quest has this setup and while I thought I’d hate it, it actually becomes rather intuitive after a surprising short time. I actually like it since the view is now unobstructed by the steering wheel.
I think reduction in steering wheel diameter is why manufacturers put the instruments up there instead; there’s simply not enough area to expose the traditional gauge set & have airbags, buttons, etc., in addition to std. power steering which makes large wheels unnecessary.
The problem is, is that this is what designers are being taught these days… There’s little thought given to how the eye perceives shape and line.
This is the first image I’ve seen of the ’16, and my initial thought of the back end was “it’s an upside-down Volvo.”
I like the fact that they added a wagon for the new generation. I’ve been seeing a lot of them lately, and I quite like them.
I’ve never disliked the Prius based on its styling, just the interior. I can’t get behind having everything in the middle of the center stack. Then again, I’ve never driven one, maybe it does make a difference.
One gets used to that very quickly. In fact, there’s less eye movement involved than looking down in a binnacle IP behind the wheel.
Works for me on the (real) Mini.
Agreed. Works fine in my Yaris, except that I don’t notice that the turn signals are still on and then I drive like an old man. That is partly due to my hearing loss, and not the car’s fault, as I don’t hear them in other cars, either. But I do have to keep a running log of the distance-since-last-fill-up in my head, as the gas gauge is far to the right and very dim. Otherwise, everything is just an easy glance to the right. Center gauges are a straw man; so many people who knock them also drool over old Jeeps and Mini’s.
That’s the one area where I find my hearing loss is a real problem. Or are they really making turn signals quieter these days?
You have the move to solid state body control modules to thank for that. back in the day(10-15 years ago) most cars still used flasher boxes, which the sound emanating from them is both the breaker that turns the light on/off and the sound to alert you that it’s working, now it’s all done through transistors and a speaker with, no doubt, a focus group selected piece of *click clack* audio at a certain volume. Most newer cars I’ve driven or been in are definitely quieter, it’s night and day getting back into my older car with the flasher box. It’s too bad with all the infotainment stuff there’s no way to adjust that.
That wouldn’t even faze me…in fact, I actually LIKE center layouts…I started driving Jeeps in HS, and wish the Wrangler would’ve kept some element of the CJs layout:
We just sold our 2nd gen Prius after 100k reliable, economical and practical miles (still in the family, though, our son bought it). A car people love to hate, but owners love unconditionally. A significant aspect of gen 2 and 3 styling, from my experience, was a very good blend of space efficiency for both passengers and cargo, and aerodynamics. The new one looks less practically shaped. And as I recall, when the gen 2 came out 13 years ago it was considered to have pretty radical, and dare I say it, ugly styling. But it aged well, helped by its global ubiquity. The Prius is frequently the best selling car in California and like in Eugene, they’re everywhere in my town. But I too just encountered my first 4th gen on the street, so I’m wondering if there’s some buyer resistance. By contrast the new Tacoma is already a common sight on the roads here. My first reaction when I saw this new Prius was not at all positive, and I’ll say that it was one of those rare card that looks worse to me “in person” than in photos or video. But you know, the Aztec has kind of grown on me …
Fuel is cheap right now, so only the most hardcore of ‘true believers’ are clinging to the hybrid mantra. I don’t think the styling would put off the demographic who buys these one bit. They aren’t going for ‘sexxy’ cars. Its about conspicuous eco friendliness for the prius ‘enthusiasts’. To those who bought them thinking it would save money or be more economical when fuel shot up, that’s not such an issue now. Probably many figured out that a good used car for $4000 and gets 30 mpg is a LOT better investment than a $20-$30K car that gets 50 mpg if its all about the savings. AND, if buying a 2nd beater that allows the ‘good car’ to stay pristine and low mileage while still available for fun/pleasure.
People will always buy cars to show off, whether Conspicuous Consumption as with many Yankee Monster Trucks & sports cars, or Conspicuous Conservation with many hybrid & EV owners. Industry is no help here, as now, Subaru boasts about recycling. Give me a break!
I would rather people didn’t show off at all & just drive what they need, but this is America, so we get caught in the crossfire because we merely want the fuel economy.
I don’t think this will be a trendsetting style. I do think it achieves the purpose of making the Prius stand out from the crowd of trendy styled cars. The Prius’ style must say that the whole car is special in its own way.
The stiletto heel tail lights will tell you that you are looking at the back side of a Prius. The front has multiple facets that hint at crystal formations. They are combined with slight curve in the bumper and an oval badge. That part is hard on my eyes, but not as hard as the latest Lexus maw.
This is the most hideous looking Toyota Prius I’ve ever seen. Whoever designed this monster should be taken to the nearest loony bin and left there.
The taillights , if inverted , would look normal on a late 50’s / early 60’s GM car .
We have a large fleet of Prius’ (? Prii ?) , mostly first generation and for City cars they’re great apart from the flat _dangerous_ 3/4 rear view making them constantly getting backing up dents .
Drivetrain is as usual, bulletproof , good AC and O.K. radio , fits four American Adults O.K. , not for hours of travel though .
.
-Nate
I fully agree with your reason for disliking the drivers of many Prius’. There’s even a couple Facebook groups, one in particular being “Left Lane Prius” devoted to one of the exact things you mentioned with photographic proof posted of the offenders.
Not trying to be “political” ,but speaking of “Left Lane Prius” I have seen many Priusses with “Sanders for President” bumper stickers. Opposite end of the spectrum. I have also seen many Panthers and big SUVs with “Trump” bumper stickers.
We should reflect on whether it may be offensive to inflict one’s personal opinions on people who happen to be driving behind us. Few people dare to do that in a supermarket queue.
I guess you didn’t read the last paragraph. Your comment has been edited. 🙂
Yes ;
I did Paul , then I wrote a truthful reply .
You’re the Editor so you edited it , that’s O.K. =8-) .
When the Prius first came out I heard all these negative stories and simply didn’t believe them but I live in Los Angeles where these things are *very* popular and the owners seem to fit in a similar attitude slot like BMW Yuppies so often do….
Not my fault I wrote the plain truth .
As I said , for what they’re designed to do (be a City runabout) I think they’re excellent .
I’d not have one for free .
-Nate
Picasso’s rendition of a 1960 Humber Super Snipe.
Historically, the first car that came to mind for me was the ’78 Datsun 200SX.
Harsh and angular, and trying hard to look different in the crowd.
I actually find the 1978 Datsun 200SX quite attractive. I used to know someone who had one like this when I was a boy.
First thing that came to my mind was : “Wow, they built a real 6000 SUX from Robocop !”
Well, at least, it’s getting 50+ mpg instead of the 3 mpg claimed by the 6000 SUX.
My comments on the previous gen Prius focused on the ride, steering, noise, seat comfort, brakes and material quality which were terrible.
If we assume all of that is carryover because that’s how Toyota is — they haven’t tried hard since the 80s — at least this time the styling matches the rest of the car.
I’ve driven a couple of examples of the old model and liked them. I’ve thought about replacing my Aura (when the time comes) with a used example, since I like a city runabout that I can forget about. The cops seem to ignore them too, another bonus for someone who already has a few points on their license. Of course this only works for me if I get to keep my Z3 2.8 for the weekends.
I’m just going to take just one minor dig – for a car that has historically appealed to a more conscious and educated buyer, one where those fractionally better specifications would actually be a selling point to trade up to the new model, you’d think they would scoff at a fake wraparound rear window. Just saying.
BTW are the tailfins on this for directional stability? 😀
I genuinely think the latest Prius will represent today’s styling tastes the same way the 59 Cadillac did for cars the late 50s in the big picture. On a positive note, the taillight signature is actually pretty cool from the back at night, ironically exactly what Cadillacs should have today.
You mean like this?
I can’t say I’m a fan of the new Escalade, but I do like the taillights. Shudder to think what they’d cost to replace though.
I was thinking more their car offerings, but even still, the Escalade treatment reminds me more of Volvo than Cadillac. Only so many ways to style a tailgate
“I genuinely think the latest Prius will represent today’s styling tastes the same way the 59 Cadillac did for cars the late 50s in the big picture.”
That’s not exactly a positive. Whenever I think of the 59 Cadillac, I think of a gawky overrated design that paints an entire half of a decade in a sea of ridiculous chrome, questionable styling, and a sense of OTT gaudiness that’s more eye searingly terrible than completely out there likeable. The new Prius may represent the latter part of this decade’s tastes, but it just speaks to how this decade sort of falls flat in design. By trying to go for this whole design theme of, “drive the cars of the future. TODAY!!!” It creates a language that proves that instead of trying to create a timeless design or something that might be looked at more positively, were more worried about chasing fads, trends, and ideas that will just go away and seem dated and laughable. Not just in a couple years, but in as short as the next one or two. The only reason the late 50s cars are liked, is because of nostalgia for a decade that had nothing to be nostalgic about, I don’t even think the current cars will have that on their side.
I can accept the ’59 Cadillac as being evocative of the spirit of the late fifties, ’cause I was there. But this thing looks evocative of some place where I don’t want to be.
I agree, I think the problem is present in a lot of current designs. the thing that really gets me, and definitely fits the ““drive the cars of the future. TODAY!!!” meme, is what I mentioned about the blackout sections of the, ahem, greenhouse. This is an ever more used styling device on so many cars, and it’s PURE styling, there’s no guise of functionality to having a fake window opening from the outside, there’s no improvement of visibility, and no aero benefit either. Body engineering and material advances just simply haven’t reached the point where either structure can support or maintain rigidity with a roof section only supported by thin or less pillars, or glass technology where they themselves could be used as structure. Designers however want it and they’re determined to provide it, even if it is fake, just like tailfins on late 50s cars – “They’ll fly someday!” ; “They’ll see out of this someday!”
I may not have been fan of any Prius generation up to this point but I was always willing to concede that the styling was as purposeful and functional as what the hybrid system offered underneath, so much so *some* owners/fans used it as a statement. Now it’s self conscious.
Please, allow me… I saw one at night and thought to myself, “What is that? Some kind of cheap aftermarket taillight conversion?”
The taillights look like those cheap rope lights as seen at strip clubs/ Wal-Mart.
It’s face looks like it’s taking a dump.
From bland to heinous in one generation.
Just hire Pininfarina next time, guys. You’ve got the money…..
Yes from plain to hideous in one generation. It’s like the design team was a bunch of lazy, spoiled junior high students last time who are in college now and have discovered drugs and alcohol. They must have partied all semester and tried to pull an all-nighter on this 2016.
Well the Japanese traditionally have after-work sessions at bars or restaurants…
The styling is trendy and somewhat gimmicky, and polarizing. Reminds me of something GM would introduce. Their own take on what constitutes ‘leading edge and/or futuristic’. Rarely, if ever, adopted by competitors.
Thanks, Paul, for the reminder about not trashing the owners of the cars. This seems to come out most when discussions of AMC products are mentioned, or Chrysler products of the past 20 years.There’s also a special kind of snobbery unleashed on buyers of the Mirage, Versa or Saturns.
Automotive marketing has become so entrenched in our psyches that we’ve come to believe that what we drive reflects our character, social status,credit score and even our intelligence and that we can discern those things about other people. Sorry. Once it leaves the dealer’s lot, everyone is driving a used car.
The best things about this new Prius are it’s taillights. Definitely a statement, as they should be on all cars rather than the afterthoughts they’ve become.
Otherwise, I’d say the new Prius looks pre-wrecked and I don’t think it will age well. In profile the last generation looked an umbrella.
+1 for ‘pre-wrecked’.
Pre-wrekced is pretty apt.
On first glance I actually thought it was a Prius that had got into an accident. I honestly don’t see it being a “timeless” design.
Got to look at one of these at RIR during the NASCAR race last weekend at the Toyota exhibit (Toyota sponsors the spring NASCAR race in Richmond) and I was impressed.
My game plan is to start car shopping for a replacement for The Toaster this fall once my retirement has kicked in and I can figure out what I’ll be able to afford for car payments. I’m seriously considering a hybrid/plug-in hybrid/electric car for my next daily driver, as I’ll be using it for an errand runner and no longer having to do the daily commute. I definitely want to drive one of these, since it supposedly drives like a “real” car and not just a four-wheeled appliance.
Big negative to one of these is the “Toyota surcharge” paying for the reputation. While its in the running, it’s still behind a Volt, Leaf and C-Max or C-Max Energi on my shopping list. All four of those can be bought without being bent over and _______ for the privilege of owning a Toyota.
Personally I’ve always felt the Prius hate is due to: 1. It’s always been a far from a “driver’s car” as one seems to be able to get, 2. The image of its owners as car-hating greenies, and 3. The paranoid fantasies some bloggers seem to hold of someday being forced (at gunpoint if necessary) to turn in their G.T.O’s and Porsche’s for one of these. By government fiat, of course.
I just like the idea of the way a electric car performs in commuting. Initially learned driving a Sebring-Vanguard CitiCar. And if I can be happy commuting on a Yamaha Zuma 125 scooter (while still having a couple of very serious motorcycles in the garage) I can certainly be happy commuting in an electric car.
I’m not sure what you mean about Toyota prices. They are pretty aggressive on incentives, depending on how a given vehicle is selling (or not). I suspect that the new Prius will have good money on its hood, given the low gas prices. I’m thinking that this car may be a bit of a tougher sell for Toyota.
Not in the Richmond area, normally. The local Toyota dealer (north of the river) is pretty aggressive on trying to hold the line on prices and doing lots of ADM stuff before the car hits the lot. Of course, time will tell, as by the time I’m seriously shopping the 2017 models will be coming out, so it’ll be interesting to see what I can get on a leftover 2016.
At least based on radio ads, Toyota in this region has generally excluded the Prius line from a lot of otherwise fairly aggressive incentives. I don’t know if that’s changed more recently — I haven’t heard any radio ads for them in some months.
My brother recently purchased a ’13 Leaf in Florida with only around 20k miles on it for $8300.00. Picked me up at the airport in it and we drove around in it all week.
Nice car, feels like a real car that happens to be electric. The low resale price on these seems to make them a great late model used car investment.
“3. The paranoid fantasies some bloggers seem to hold of someday being forced (at gunpoint if necessary) to turn in their G.T.O’s and Porsche’s for one of these. By government fiat, of course.”
Anyone who believes such a scenario could go down like that is tinfoil hat delusional. The very real fear is that big government and/or insurance companies would simply tax and regulate anything ‘cool’ out of existence. It happened in the ’70s, and with ever tightening emissions regs it could happen again. There’s already talk of V8s being reserved only for the most hardcore of performance cars. Will they ever go away? Nope. As long as enthusiasts with money will pay the built in taxes and upgrade to what they REALLY want, they will be built. But that choice would be forcibly removed for ‘regular’ people. No gunpoint needed.
You and I both know that. However, I’ve run into waaaaaay too many people that either don’t, are off their meds, or just have a hatred of the current administration that beggars belief.
Well I hate the current admin more than you know. But that doesn’t supercede reality. I think on some level its the same overblowing of the problem used by the ‘climate change’ crowd. If you crank up the intensity to 11, more people will listen to you…or that’s the ‘logic’. Its a tactic employed on both sides of the fence.
The reality is, a lot of the hate for the prius and other electric/hybrids comes from the fact that big government has, thru MANY administrations chosen to reward those who go for efficiency and punish those who choose V8 power and other ‘evil’ choices. Im right there with them, too. When I see thousands in subsidies going to people who choose electrics (in some areas like Atlanta, you could get a leaf so cheap after all this that it was nearly free) and even my own employer has put up an EV charging pod free of charge for electrics while if I were to pull the trigger on a new Challenger R/T, I get zilch. Having the winners and losers pre picked isn’t right. In areas where many of those ‘incentives’ have dried up, sales have plummeted. Since my job made that move, about a half dozen electrics have popped up, along with pompous flyers showing a writeup on the people who bought them. SMH.
I find these comments to be offensive.
Surely your are being sarcastic, no?
Zipster, please explain. He was actually quite moderate in his critique about that sort of social engineering; whereas I realize Paul does not like political arguments on this site, SOME modicum of discussion on the direct effects of buying / using cars is allowed, as long as it’s civil.
I don’t have Prius hatred, but I don’t find any redeeming values in them. They’re uninspiring except maybe to a techno-geek. I really dislike US Toyota’s current Prius ad campaign depicting the bank robbers on the run from the police in a Prius. Especially the episode where other Prius drivers are helping the criminals evade the police. Does,this kind of anti-social behavior need to be glorified and encouraged? Not trying to go off topic, just my personal little rant.
Although this site’s mission is dedicated to older cars, a feature on the new 2016 seems entirely appropriate, considering the Prius’ wild styling is on par with damn near any of the past wild car features, including stuff like the Edsel, Aztek, and any of AMC’s crazier offerings in the seventies.
What’s intriguing is how the latest Prius’ styling may not be the death knell as it was for the others. Toyota is banking on the fact that the Prius’ appeal has been it’s ‘out-of-the-box’ appearance which goes hand-in-hand with it’s radical drivetrain.
But Prius’ sales have taken it into the mainstream so, maybe, the polarizing styling may work against it now, particularly considering how it so effectively mimics late fifties’ cars in a modern way. I, personally, think the second generation Prius hit the sweet-spot in being different without being ostentatious. At the time of introduction (2004), it was unusual, but not particularly offensive. But what was unusual in 2004 is now quite tame compared to how Toyota has consistently gotten wilder and wilder with each new model Prius’ appearance. Another point is that the 2004 styling had a practicality to it with no seemingly extraneous, unnecessary styling features. I don’t know if the same will be said of the latest version twelve years from now. Toyota may have crossed the line with this one.
The styling doesn’t do justice to Toyota hallmarks like technology, quality and engineering.
Given that people have always bought cars as status symbols, it may encourage obsolescence by looking faddish and dated sooner, furthering consumption / consumerism. Opposite of the green ethos some Prius owners buy them for.
I think it’s meant to mirror the Mirai fuel-cell car, but still.
Generally, a new Toyota anything becomes very common here in Northern California in just a few weeks. I’ve seen two of the new Prius in six weeks. I wonder if there’s sales resistance.
seeing a bunch of them in new york.
One of the Car and Driver editors puts the “eco-weenie” thing as “it’s made a group of people who otherwise never would’ve been car enthusiasts enthusiastic about a car”.
Most post-2000 cars look better in person than in pictures, and this one is no exception. I’ll add that it only really works in light or bright colors since the selective blackout is such a load-bearing part of the car’s core appearance (particularly the C-pillar). It’ll be interesting to see if fleet-operator ad wraps respect that or just plaster over everything.
i’m happy that toyota has developed their own design language. they are starting to really play around with the possibilities that exist with c.a.d. and modern manufacturing techniques. this may not be their most successful design but the car market in general is filled with so much “me too” that i applaud them for trying something new.
I`ve never seen Jan the Toyota woman plugging a Prius in those annoying TV ads. Why?
Jan and Flo, the crazy insurance lady have to be the most annoying ads on TV. How they can be good for business is beyond me. On a different note, the Prius looks like a comic book car.
A+, and that disco music in those Buick commercials with those two women at a club is soooooooo god awfully annoying.
and that damn Kars4Kids commercials on the radio. I hate that damn jingle so much and how it sneaks up on you when you least expect it to.(one minute you are listening to the radio to hear the traffic and BAM!!!! that commercial comes on.)
I have come to the conclusion that if I had a car to donate and they were the only charity around and my donation could help a large family who were struggling, I would take the car to the local junk yard and sell it for scrap first due to those commercials that jingle.
My first experience with a Prius was with my in-laws’ 2005 model. It was well equipped, with leather upholstery, navigation, premium sound system, and backup camera. Everything was flawlessly fitted together, and could fit four adults without squeezing them. It wasn’t particularly enjoyable to drive, though. Too much road noise came through, and the car really wanted to drift whichever way the wind was pushing it, so driving it on I-17 on a windy day was a chore. Something about the car always seemed a bit like a hair shirt with flawless fit and finish.
They traded it in on a gen-3 Prius, similarly equipped. Still a bit too much road noise for my taste, although it seems a bit more stable in wind. There’s no getting around the oddness of the center console assembly, though, and in the cold climate where my in-laws live, one has to hunt for the seat heater switches.
I’ll still take our Camry Hybrid. Yes; it’s a Camry, a car viewed by many here as an automotive appliance. At this point in my life, I appreciate having one, and that it has not been expensive to keep up. No, it doesn’t give the fuel mileage of a Prius. It’s more comfortable, though, and it’s quieter
Yes, I think the Prius is ugly. It was merely a trifle odd in its first generation, then became ugly with its second generation. Part of it, I guess, is the emphasis on aerodynamics. However, I can’t get worked up about it like some posters do here. It’s just not worth it to my health. And I personally know too many Prius drivers to make any kind of blanket statement about them, except that I do see a number of Priuses on the road being driven as though they were 1990s Buicks.
The Prius road-noise thing can be improved by different tires. OEM tires are hard, minimal rolling resistance types where the sole focus is fuel economy at the expense of everything else. Different tires will improve ride and driving characteristics at the cost of an mpg or two. Most Prius owners seem to feel the trade-off is worth it.
There was a time when one of my older sisters believed she would never own a car with an automatic transmission. Then her husband talked her into buying a new Prius, a 2nd generation model, to save money on gas. She is on her 2nd Prius and will likely trade it within the next year for a 2017 model.
I don’t care for Priuses because they are the total opposite of what I find enjoyable in a car.
I’m not crazy about most Prius drivers as they have a tendency to drive VERY slowly to save even more fuel, or drive superfast….figuring they get such great fuel economy they can afford to waste some with speeding.
My biggest “beef” with the newest car? That weird white surround to the shift….lever.
“Then her husband talked her into buying a new Prius, a 2nd generation model, to save money on gas. She is on her 2nd Prius and will likely trade it within the next year for a 2017 model.”
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Wait , what ? .
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She wants to $ave Money so she trades them in ? HUH ? .
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What am I missing here ? . out first gen. Prius’ are all chugging along just fine , we’re only salvaging them out because , well , I don’t really know why , Government Fleet and all that jazz ~ we used to keep 1967 Buicks running in the early 1990’s……
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-Nate
I just can’t warm up to the looks of this Prius–it is trying too hard and looks ungainly and awkward to me. I actually think the older Prii (Gen 2 and Gen 3) were much better resolved designs.
I think Toyota desperately needs to bring in some world class designers as has Hyundai/Kia. To me, the new Hyundai Ioniq, for example, is a much better looking and more contemporary take on the Hybrid/Electric design language.
Also the Ioniq is far better looking from the rear as well. Toyota should be embarrassed…
And much nicer inside as well–handsome, logical and upscale.
Agreed. The Ioniq is what the new Prius should have looked more like. I’m beginning to get a bit worried about T.
They have been quite anti-pure EV, despite being such a pioneer with hybrids. Instead the’re betting on fuel cells, which is a mistake.
The Tesla 3 is the “new Prius”, in terms of where all the excitement is in this segment of the market. Toyota missed that totally.
“The Tesla 3 is the “new Prius”, in terms of where all the excitement is in this segment of the market. Toyota missed that totally.”
I think its a completely different attitude in terms of what makes them appealing to those who buy them. Prius buyers seem to be so anti-car at their core that what they WANT is a minimalist, conspicuously dorky looking appliance. Its so far at the other end of the spectrum from Vipers, Porsches, Mustangs, etc that it seems that they actually welcome the hate from gearheads. Same reason why the microcars of the ’60s appeal to a radically different demographic than sports and muscle cars.
The Tesla looks like a ‘real’ car in most every way. Its a fashion statement in the same vein as a Mercedes or BMW to those with big money. Sure it gives a nod to the ‘greenie’ movment (arguably, it may be MORE eco friendly) but its still exotic looking enough to come off a bit self indulgent. And unlike hybrids, they aren’t slow. The difference is that while it plays to different values, it appeals to people who still care about cars. Prius does not, never did.
I’m talking about the Tesla 3, specifically, which is affordable. I’d bet that by far the number one car owned by the 400,000 who put a reservation down on the Tesla 3 is a Prius. It’s the next hot thing; the Prius was the last hot thing.
That’d be an interesting survey. I know two people that have deposits on the Tesla 3 (and they can both easily afford it). Neither has or would even consider a Prius.
Buyer A): current garage contains a BMW 328i diesel wagon and a newer Toyota Sienna. Tesla would replace the van or leave the van for family trips etc.
Buyer B): current garage contains a Tesla Model S (they were one of the first buyers) and a Mitsubishi Outlander (which seems like a weird mix to me too, the Tesla would replace the Outlander.)
I concur on the styling — this would have been a much more logical evolution of the third-generation Prius. I think Mike Hagerty is correct about wanting to mirror the Mirai; I’m not sure I understand WHY, but hey.
Yeah, the Ioniq may well appeal to those wanting a distinctive-looking hybrid that doesn’t look like the Batmobile. If the Ioniq is priced significantly lower that the Prius, Toyota may, finally, have some solid competition for the Prius market.
Of course, I thought the same thing of the last Honda Insight, and that car sold miserably from day one.
Ioniq still has a conventional automatic transmission and not the HSD/Ford style “clutch-less/band-less” transmission, which is the main attraction of the Prius to me.
Korean and European hybrids all have DCT or torque converter transmission, while Toyota/Ford has HSD-style hybrid, while the new Honda Accord has a single clutch dual-motor “transmission-less” design.
Thing is, hybrids that don’t look suspiciously gawky aren’t really selling. That seems to be the whole point…to LOOK like youre ‘saving the planet’.
FWIW, none of the other hybrids have/had the Prius’ fuel economy.
This car looks like something the Jetson’s would have, if there were cars in the Jetson’s world. For me, it’s a bit, hmmm…avant garde, but I think it’s a unified design that’s appropriate for a Prius at this point. I think a design that looks to the future is a must on a technology focused car. This generation Prius might be a hipster favorite 50 years from now. I’d even shop one if I was in the market.
Barf. Japanese vehicle styling seems to have taken a turn back to its bizarro 1970’s days. The new Civic is a grotesque mess and everything from Nissan looks awful (especially from the rear 3/4 view.
Toyota is going in a strange direction with all their vehicles it seems. Even the 4 Runner and Camry seem to be afflicted.
Maybe these will be Toyota’s 62 Dodge.
First off this Prius would usually have a registration experation in early 2020 and be wearing H-series or J-series plates like every 2016 Prius I have seen, but I see the owner transfered over 5 year old plates with 18 months of registration instead. I find quirks like that interesting.
What interests and amuses me about new vehicles is how they are treated and utilized outside of the showroom during the decades of their service life. For example, when VW first debuted it’s new Passat a few years ago the first one I saw in Tompkins County was towing a trailer of Hay Bails. I seriously doubt that is what VW had in mind when they decided to market the car. Same with the current generation Focus since I have seen them used for Farmers’ Market duty and farm duty. A Focus covered in mud hauling Blueberries is never seen in advertisements. My folks used their 87 Saab like a pickup especially in its later years and it started to stink like garbage. Or those Dodge Ram Vans from last month; do you think Dodge expected people to use them as homes and storage places for their collections from hunting down cans and scrap? Here is a photo of a lawn chair helping charge a Prius; a lawn chair, that is amusing.
I am going to assume this funky looking Prius is gonna sell like hotcakes even though the quirky looking 03 Aztek and 97 Sable did not. I look forward to seeing how this Prius’ funky styling ages over time as they collect the wear and tear of everyday life. A dirty and/or dented 1-3 third generation Prius always looks a bit sad and/or pathetic, like a worn out plane rotting in the Arizona desert. Here is a photo of another quirky car that still has some presence even in its current state and 50 years after its debut. Will the Prius command such a presence in the 2060s?
While the Prius is not the most gracefully styled car, it does accomplish its goal of saying,” Hey look at me I’m driving a Prius hybrid!”
An anecdotal observation I might offer of Prii around here (and there are quite a few of them in and around where I live, considering that it’s the heart of Great Plains full-size pickup and large SUV country) is that they tend to be among the higher-velocity vehicles traveling on our local area freeways and interstates.
I usually drive at least at the posted speed limits and quite often, say, 5 MPH above (okay, maybe even a little more). I am frequently passed by Prii traveling at least 5 to 10 MPH above my speed. Rarely to I see a Prius traveling in the “slow lane” or otherwise impeding traffic flow, as may be a stereotypical assumption of Prii and their drivers to some.
My guess is that Prius drivers figure that, since they already get such good mileage at more moderate highway speeds, traveling at higher speeds, while reducing overall fuel economy, still yields far and way better MPGs than most other vehicles can achieve at similar speeds. So, why not?
So, out of curiosity I ask you Prius owners in a hurry, just what kind of real-world highway MPGs are you getting traveling at 80-85 (or higher) MPH velocities?
A teacher of mine drove from Albany to Vancouver for work and always got 50 MPG with his 2010 Prius or so he claimed. Even when he drove at 80-85 and like an ass.
Our 3rd-gen Prius gets highway MPG around 44 (@ 75mph), which opposite to conventional vehicles, is its least-efficient use-case, while its city/suburban MPG can easily hit 55 if you set to Eco mode & accelerate like a loaded semi. Therefore, if you do a lot of fast Interstate driving (no traffic jams), you’re not much worse off driving certain conventional compacts, esp. diesel, since their EPA hwy figures reach the mid 40s.
For the record we’re only interested in saving money.
This was the conclusion of more than one road test here in Europe. Prius is king if you drive in town most of the times; take it on a long interstate trip and the current breed of diesels and direct injection gasoline turbo engines are better. So – judged as a car, not a political statement – it makes a lot of sense if you live an urban sprawl where no safe or efficient public transport exists, and it is not for nothing Prius is popular in Israel for example where the Mediterranean coastline is mostly just that, an urban sprawl.
Mark Twain remarked in “Innocents Abroad” that during his visit in the 1860s (when Palestine was controlled by the Turks), he was shocked at how much smaller the country really was compared to childhood impressions from Sunday School.
Anecdote: When the locals learned there was a doctor in his traveling party, they got mobbed by people with sick kids.
That book is a very good source for debunking a lot of the myths spread around by the hate Israel crowd (and that is as far as I’ll risk getting political here). Indeed it’s a very small place, with a very densely populated Med coastline. My family lives about 30 miles north of Tel Aviv and driving to the big smoke on the Highway is like driving through some big US or European city – you rarely go over 60 MPH and you can expect the odd traffic jam at any time, so a Prius makes perfect sense. There are open spaces down south but if you live on the coast, you would only go there on a weekend or if you need to.
If one looks past the wildly shaped taillights and headlights, the new Prius’ shape and proportion are closer than ever to the ground-breaking Tatra 77
Yep, they are deeply ugly.
However, if I were the join the ranks of super fuel-efficient drivers, my search would be something like this… It would have to be a used car as that seems more anti-establishment to me than going to the Toyota dealer. That and someone taking the major depreciation hit is more appealing than taking it myself. It would have to be rare or oddball for sure as that’s just where I’ve been going with my last several car purchases. Ideally, something that could get by with basic insurance (again, cheap) and after substantial research into pattern problems, cost and availability of parts from someplace like rockauto, I’d spit out a short list that includes the CRX HF, the Metro and maybe even a very vintage Chevy Sprint. And as much I don’t like a lot of Toyota driving positions (right leg scrunched due to the pedals being placed too far back towards the driver seat, IE, tailored for the non-tall), I’d throw an Echo in there just to see how my 36″ inseam legs fit.
I can kind-of understand the side of the car, as it appears to follow the wedge-shaped design language of previous Prii. I can also kind-of understand the back of the vehicle, where they seem to have been trying to style a trunk-lid-spoiler over lower backlight with vestige of trunk lid with diffuser. Don’t like it, but I can see what they may have been trying to do. But I continue to puzzle over the full chipmunk cheeks/man travelling at 100 mph with his mouth blown open(ing) in the front. What were originally lower fog light openings, or front brake ducts, have grown to where in some new cars they are nearly as big as the grill. I don’t see how this can be aerodynamic, let alone stylish. Grumble, grumble, grumble.
Somehow, all of that manages a .24 coefficient of drag.
I don’t get it, but I’m gradually coming to accept that most of what is popular and/or praised today I don’t really like or understand. This is where we are with car design and is why I appreciate the photos people take here…an escape to designs that make sense to me.
A clear leader in the ugly car category! Seeing this new Prius–and Chevy Volt–motivated me to purchase a 90s Honda. Last chance to avoid both airbag shrapnel and styling weirdness (spindles, duckbills, wedgies, etc.). The Honda will easily last until the Tesla 3 is available.
When I first saw these at our local car show I thought they were hideous. I don’t salute any sort of hyperefficiency fanboi flag, so none of these hybrid or electric cars are my cup of tea. The Tesla, on the other hand, I’d consider but just because of the features and performance, the fact that it doesn’t use gas is only a novelty to me.
Plus, I don’t give a damn about fuel efficiency. For a daily driver, as long as its not making single digit MPG, I’m OK with it. I drove a big V8 Explorer when gas was near $4.00 a gallon and I was still in seminary (i.e. not much money). All you have to do is plan your trips a little better and fight the temptation to cruise (which I love to do).
If you were paying $10 per gallon like most of the rest of the planet fuel economy would get your attention
Well, that’s why I choose not to live in the rest of the world. I thank God my ancestors left the Old Country, though Poland doesn’t seem too bad these days. I wouldn’t move to the “rest of the world” because I don’t want to have to live in a flat the size of my childhood bedroom and drive a car more akin to a golf cart all the while being taxed out the wazoo for everything and anything. No thanks, you can keep that.
Poland is in fact getting to be one of the better EU countries to live in. Plus, it has Polish women:)
It certainly is, but I fear it will go the way of Western Europe if the people get too spoiled with material things and forget their roots.
I have a tough time looking at the design as a whole, because my eyes are drawn to all the boomerangs all over the car. I can’t believe nobody else has mentioned it, if you want to whack a kangaroo just unclip one of the taillights mate.
I don’t hate it, but it’s kind of exhausting to look at.
If one looks past the wild headlights and taillights, the Prius’ shape and proportion is closer than ever to the ground-breaking 1930’s Tatra models.
Given that manufacturers have been using the allure of styling and aesthetics to lure, influence, and manipulate consumer tastes for over 100 years, I think it’s fair to call out a manufacturer with the design resources and capital of Toyota when they lay a styling egg. Toyota knew all along they were taking a design risk. With an excellent chance it would be panned. I don’t think it’s hate so much here, as car fans knowing overwrought styling when they see it. And expecting better from Toyota.
Apparently Toyota has given up on making attractive vehicles.
A BIG +1 !
Or, exciting vehicles.
This new generation of Japanese car designers need to be taken out with the old generations’ samurai swords.
A BIG “Jumped The Shark”.
I don’t know, I find the Lexus RC F and GS F pretty exciting.
And the Nissan GT-R.
And the Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ.
And the new Mazda MX-5.
And while there are some new Japanese designs I don’t much care for, there are just as many that I love. The Lexus IS and RC, the breathtaking Lexus LC 500… Even lower end stuff like the Toyota Corolla and RAV4 and Honda HR-V are handsome.
Each to their own.
The second generation Prius always appeared to me to be a bit of an homage to the 1953 Studebaker Commander Starliner. Stay with me here. The front had the long hood bulge and the wide-mouthed slice of a radiator intake. Some of them had the Toyota emblem in the center, creating the split grille that really evoked the Stude. Look at the quarter window shape and line, that kick-up from the belt line actually looks a bit like the reversed c-pillar of the Studebaker, if it has been pushed back and down to accommodate the roof line. The verticality and angularity of the taillight assemblies. It hit me one day, and ever since, it has been one of those “once seen, never unseen” things for me. The new generation, all I can think of is the after of “will it blend?”
To me, Prii are cool. I kinda liked the previous generation, but the 2016 is just plain fuuuug-leeeee.
The Prius designers either need to check the dosage on their meds or burn their copies of the 1958-59 Mercury-Edsel-Lincoln design manual.
I was going to mention that the new Prius rear end reminds me of the ’59 Mercury but didn’t want to sound weird. I think you are right, it’s a very similar gesture.
Good point. Those taillight-turn signal-backup light assemblies look like Hommage à Edsel Bermuda, 1958 edition.
Prius has handling issues, really do tell, I was recently slowing in a queue of traffic for the inside lane at the notorious Otaihanga roundabout only to see somebody who could drive come storming up the vacant outer lane into and thru the roundabout at speed in a Prius older than that one towing a small boat on a trailer now you claim they had handling problems, someone should tell that guy soon before he crashes.
I’m sure everyone agrees the current low gas prices are transient and in the future, economy will again be a major design goal of the automotive manufacturers. I just hope designing for aerodynamics doesn’t morph from beautiful to frankensteinish.
The Prius is getting uglier each design change. I thought the original Prius hatchback was ugly when it was introduced around 2005, but now it looks real tame compared to this new one. Same goes for all new Toyotas and Lexus with their ugly front grills. I’m glad I got my 2014 Toyota Yaris , cause I hate the 2015 – 16 front grills on those. Maybe 2020 will mark a new beginning for car styling, hopefully more conservative , like the 1960s after the 50s
I love Lexus’ new design language and I don’t mind a lot of new Toyotas, although for example I prefer the previous generation Camry to the new one.
But that new Yaris… Woof. Not a fan at all. And now it will be joined by a Yaris Sedan which is just a Mazda2 with a giant, gaping grille that looks awkwardly grafted on to a pleasant, pert, curvy body.
I’ve always liked the clean “pod” styling of the 2nd gen Prius (the first hatchback). We bought one new in 2004 and still have it 180,000 km later. It’s been a fantastic family hauler for the 4 of us. Roomy, practical, reliable, and well sized for our inner-suburban life. Fuel economy has been consistently excellent for our frequent, shortish traffic and traffic light infested, trips – it uses less than a third of the fuel consumed by our previous 1993 Lexus LS400.
Our Prius is not a performance car in the traditional sense of speed or handling (though it’s more than adequate in both departments in the use we have for it) but I still enjoy maximising fuel economy where possible – and hustling it along without worrying about over-the-top fuel use when I feel like it.
So I like the idea of a more driver focussed Prius that gets even better fuel economy. The styling I’m not so sure about although I like that Toyota is trying something that looks different. I think there is far too much “me-too” styling in cars. Time will tell whether Toyota is setting a course for others to follow or whether it has turned into a dead-end. I don’t think the strong negative (or positive) reactions in the comments above are much of an indication as to which it will be – it’s different, it’s bound to be polarizing.
Given my experience with our current Prius, I would definitely consider one of the 2016 model for a replacement when it is needed. I have looked at one and generally liked it. My main concern was the apparent reduction in rear passenger space and ride height (getting a bit older, you see). Sometime down track I’ll take a test drive or few and think about it some more – we’re not quite ready to hand on our current Prius just yet.
Geez, the Prius gets uglier with every generation.
Thought they were starting to add “normal” versions like the formation of The Prius Family(Ex: Prius C, etc.), but nope.
And back in the day, they called the Gremlin, Pacer and Aztek ugly… I’m a huge Toyota fan, but that thing looks like an origami nightmare made by Sloth from the Goonies.
No thanks, if I want 50+ mileage, rather have a Suzuki Swift/Geo Metro hatchback.
Here’s my answer when I don’t want to pay high gas prices… I park my classics and ride this classic:
1986 GT Pro Freestyle Tour… European orange, only 500 made… NO orange ones manufactured in USA. France only. 🙂
Plus, it’s good exercise.
The rear looks better than the front. It’s a LOT better looking than the Mirai, I’ll give it that. It’s a bit of an adjustment though. After all, the previous generation just looked like a subtle evolution of the generation before. It will probably look better in person.
Kudos to Toyota for trying to inject some excitement into their cars and taking some risks. It’s just interesting that the Hyundai Ioniq and new Chevrolet Volt have taken the basic Prius shape and yet used interior and exterior styling details similar to the rest of their brands’ lineups, rather than making them look radically different like this new Prius.
People said for years that a lot of hybrid buyers want to be conspicuous. While perhaps for some that may be the case, ultimately cars like the Prius attract a diverse spectrum of buyers. And you can compare Prius and Camry Hybrid sales and say, “Well, look at how the Prius outsells it… Clearly people want to advertise they have a hybrid”, but I would still beg to differ. The Prius is a well-sized hatchback, not too big, not too small… There’s not many cars in North America with a similar size and bodystyle. While it wouldn’t sell as well, I wonder how well a Prius-style, Prius-sized hatchback would sell with an internal combustion engine and no hybrid. Remember when “right-sized” hatchbacks roamed the country, like the Citation and Camry and Stanza?
Whatchoo, talking about, Willy?!
Don’t have to remind me about right sized hatchbacks… I’ve owned a few, and one on your list, an 83 Nissan Datsun Stanza 4 door hatchback.
That car was virtually indestructible.
The Camry and Stanza hatchys were a lot better looking than than fugly Prius joke in the article… The Citation, uh…
Well, I might quibble over “readily identifiable” versus “conspicuous.” The sales figures indicate buyers want it to be immediately clear that they’re driving a hybrid, not just a hybrid version of a Camry or Civic or whatever. I’m of the strong opinion that the success of the second- and third-gen Prius was that it hit a lot of “futuristic” buttons — it looked like something of a science fiction movie. I don’t know if the fourth-generation will manage that.
It’s not as eyebrow-raising if you see it close up, but something that I do think may be an issue commercially is that it’s a very cluttered design, to the point that it has almost a disruptive-camouflage effect on one’s perception of the actual shape. It takes some effort to try to pick out what it is — it’s quite odd in that respect.
I don’t think a non-hybrid Prius hatch would sell particularly well. I think that being a hybrid is still the principal selling point, although the fact that it’s a reasonably useful size and configuration certainly helps. (The latter ended up defeating the first-generation Honda Insight, which was packaged as pretty much only a solo commuter vehicle.)
I don’t think the styling is entirely motivated by “I’m Hybrid”; while Toyota was surely trying to be distinctive, they didn’t get its very competitive Cd of .24 by accident. And its needs a low drag figure in highway driving, where it is least efficient.
Compare to others:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automobile_drag_coefficient
Well, yeah, but there are some versions of the latest Mercedes sedans that match or better that figure while looking much more orthodox. That strongly suggests that Toyota could have achieved similar aerodynamic drag performance with a three-box sedan profile if they had been so inclined. Comparing Prius sales with sales of the three-box Camry Hybrid, I can see why they’d rather not.
Trouble with 3-box layout is hybrid battery location. The Civic Hybrid can’t lower its rear seatback like the LX, thus reducing its utility.
To me it looks like the designers had been looking at the Honda Civic hatch, wishing they’d thought of it first, and then asking themselves “How far can we take that design language?” Okay guys, you’ve given us a car that looks like a next-generation Civic, and potentially erased the ‘frumpy Prius’ stereotype forever – but at what cost?
This design should have been a concept car that stayed on the motor show floor, or next to the dumpster.
I like thinking about the challenges the new styling will present to the campus radicals of the dystopian hell I’m living in right now when they try to place all their bumper stickers.
lol
We currently own a Gen III 2010 Prius, although I am in the midst of selling it. I always find the comments about the Prius quite interesting, especially since some of the strongest opinions are by those who really who little knowledge or experience with the cars. My wife and I are no where near what the stereotypical Prius driver is perceived to be. We were looking to replace her Honda Civic and we wanted another small fuel efficient car with a great reliability record. Driver room (both of us are tall) and cargo space were also very important. In the end, we chose the Prius because it met our needs with the least compromise. It had awesome mileage (about 50% better than our Civic over it’s lifetime), bullet proof reliability and semi comfortable leg room for me for long trips. Sure we could have bought a Corolla for less and probably didn’t make up the price difference in fuel savings. But the fact is the Corolla has a tiny trunk in comparison, the Prius was far better for driver comfort and leg room (it was pretty much the best small care I sat in), and now that were selling it, it’s worth more than if we would have bought the Corolla.
Ask my wife and she’ll say it was her best car ever and she’s still lamenting over the loss, but we needed a bigger car. I was hoping the new Gen IV would be released with a Prius V variant, but when it was released, it was just a little too out there styling wise for us. I can get over that for a daily driver, but when I sat in one, it wasn’t much different than a Gen III for space.
Ask me and I will tell you that my records show our Prius to be the lowest cost per mile car we’ve owned and it’s been problem free over the 100+ K miles we have on the car. For the record, our car averaged 4.9L /100 KM or 48 MPG US. That said, I never particularly enjoyed the drone from the ICE especially in the hills we have around here. The handling isn’t very engaging or performance oriented, certainly not on par with our old Civic, but for day to day driving it’s fine; I’ve certainly driven far far worse. It just doesn’t really inspire you to drive fast in the curves, but that’s kind of the point it never inspires speed. I also didn’t particularly care for the performance. While it’s actually more than fine when you put your foot into it, the noise from the engine and CVT grow tiresome, especially for a guy used to V8 engines. The throttle is so sluggish and the car lacks any really bottom end power, it makes it somewhat tiresome IMO to drive. I was hoping the new GEN iV would have a drivetrain with performance closer to that of the Camry hybrid, but it didn’t. It’s barely an improvement over the Gen III for acceleration.
In the end I still think the Prius is a great car, and I really think many people would be fine owning one and could even learn to love it, if the could get over their preconceived notions. I think Toyota really didn’t do any favours with this new styling, I know they are trying to present a less bland image, but I don’t think this is the answer. Honestly the overall shape is okay, but why did the have to put such god-awful details like weird lights and character lines. I think people are more willing to accept bland over weird.
Bill I have one too, same year 2010 Prius 5, I alleviate the sluggishness by having it in power mode 100% of the time. Its amazing how much of a difference it makes, and I still average about 48 mpg, I don’t baby it. I’ve got 60K on it now and plan to keep it for a while more.
Yes, power mode helps with the sluggishness, but it still does nothing for the droning ICE in the hills and when you accelerate. I just find that little 1.8L a little on the buzzy side. Just for reference, my MPG averages are from an area that gets extreme cold winter, which drops the MPG. Typically our car averaged 5.3- 5.4L/100km in the cold months, while the warm months would be 4.5-4.6L/ 100km (all mixed driving). Don’t get me wrong, it was a great car, it served us well, but despite my wife loving the car, I can’t say I was as passionate. It’s gone now though, sold it today to a new happy owner.
I like it!
Well,here they are mostly sold as taxis and government fleet cars, so I don’t really know why they have an image as a Eco-poseur car.
Styling is about as relevant to these as it was to Checker cabs!
I don’t know what the split is, but here they are generally driven by either serious commuters who appreciate their efficiency and capabilities, or they are rolling billboards for the mentally unstable to post their deepest thoughts on through the use of pithy bumper sticker mottos.
It looks like the victim of nuclear radiation after Fukushima disaster in the ocean, after the power plant dumped some water with radiation pollution.
The back of that car is inspired from the original Battlestar Galactia’s Cylons. The first time I saw it in silver, I uttered “By your command” and it has stuck. Perhaps forever.
I hadn’t yet seen a rear 3/4 view of the new car. From Paul’s fuzzy first photo, I thought it looked like it had been in a wreck.
Did Toyota’s designers even put in the effort? Or did they approach this project while drunk and/or under the influence?
Or were there technical issues (checksum mismatch, RAM/storage glitches) on the CAD workstations, resulting in the corruption of the project files?
I don’t know, but it’s an eyesore. The “Mirai” and the entire Lexus lineup is worse. I never cared for Toyota and the hype surrounding their cars, but I have to admit that from the ’90s up until approximately mid-2000s they made decent-looking cars.
This phenomena of ugly cars has infected the rest of the automotive industry. Chrysler’s Jeep Renegade/Cherokee/Ram ProMaster? Yuk! What were they thinking! GM’s Chevy Malibu? Doesn’t look like a Chevy at all, looks like rebadged Kia. Mercedes’ C/CLA/E/GLE/S-Class? I’m convinced that they’re a rebadged Kia or Hyundai.
I’ve got a 2010 model “5”, traded my 2007 Grand Cherokee Overland “Hemi” for it. 12 MPG vs the 48 I average, and I always have mine in “power mode” which is quite punchy. Its loaded even has leather, which I don’t think they offered any years since. I’ve owned this car longer than any other I have had, and will keep it for sometime. With the hatch and the back seats folded down my golden and lab fit in there nicely 🙂 Its been so reliable, which is amazing due to its complexity. Because I live close to work I fill up 9 gallons every 6 weeks. As to the new design, not too sure, but I see there is a 2017 Prius Prime which the styling looks much better.
Its really ugly. Perfect for people that hate cars, but if they must…
A few weeks ago I was in Phoenix for the U.L.C.S.and chanced upon a Prius Taxi just unloading , the Driver was a late 50’s Gent and I asked him how he liked it ~ he said he’s the owner of the Cab. Co. and has 53 of these cars and _one_ Mechanic , he loves them to death .
-Nate
We drove a Gen 3 for 90,000 miles. At 85,000 it began to use engine oil at the rate of 300 miles per quart. Traded for a top-of-the line Prius V. Same flinty ride, same huge road noise, same flat, hard seats, same skimpy legroom, same chintzy bumpers, same lousy steering, same peculiar brake feel, same big engine noise a constant companion. We said to Hell with it, the compromises are not worth a few MPG. They’re great on gas, I’ll give you that, but a nasty experience for driving long distances, and only just bearable for around town. The current “pre-wrecked” look is hardly an enticement, especially since the major shortcomings remain uncorrected. Many more comfortable and engaging vehicles are now on the market, often with surprisingly good fuel economy, and they don’t shout, “Hey, look at me, I’m green.”
The Prius V has lots more rear leg & headroom than the liftback, and seemed quieter & more comfortable, at the cost of lower MPG ratings.
We have Gen 3; it’s only noisy if you floor it; if you like to drive with a lead foot & want it quieter, then yes, buy something else. And 50+ MPG in town vs. low 30s is not “a few” MPG. This is why it’s popular with taxi companies.
Just a might overwrought…..drawing taillight inspiration from……
How many here have kids that were born in the early 80’s or are one of that generation? Remember the first Transformers? or have you seen the current ones from the films? It explains the styling. Kids that grew up then are now the decisionmakers in styling departments. You can see elements of this in many new cars but this Prius really shows it.
The stylists are thirtysomethings? I’d think they’re a bit older than that.
Toyota call it Iconic Styling. I have to ask, is this the first installation of an automotive bidet?
KJ in Oz
Well this one will be a quick comment to sum up the new Prius:
HIDEOUS.
if i was exposed to this, blindfolded and in a darkened room, i’d still know something was really really wrong. only the tires bear resemblance to anything that is generally acknowledged to be an automobile.
As I said in a post earlier above, I’m not sure how I feel about the styling of the 2016 Prius.
Personally, I am okay with the front. It looks to me like a cat which has lowered and flattened its face and squinted its eyes as it pushes forward against air resistance. It looks happy – it could be purring.
The side is okay but the rear….. hmm – that’s going to take a bit of getting used to. William Stopford sees it the other way around. Personal preference prevails I guess.
I’m still a bit surprised at the amount of hate for the styling. I’ve yet to really warm to it, but it’s actually quite consistent with design trends for very fast sports cars. The new McLaren 570s for example – all strong “character” lines and contrasting cut outs. I’m now inclined to think that the very strongly expressed dislike for the styling really is “Prius hate”. If this was a high performance sports car it’s styling would be considered acceptable by those who seem to consider it disgusting that a hybrid “appliance”, which represents the very opposite of what they think cars should be about, dares to dress in such dramatic clothing.
On another note, I don’t think the Prius should have looked like Hyundai’s Ioniq, which to me looks rather dull and largely a copy of Honda’s current design trends (which I’m not a huge fan of).
It is one thing to style a car so that it shows energy – it is another to discard good taste and to just throw concepts together that don’t work singularly or together. There is nothing about the exterior of this rolling vomit bag that works. For all of the talk of pandering to aerodynamics, this front end doesn’t work. Those under the bumper light areas are huge aero drag inducing areas. Having just closed mine off for an experiment on my own beater car, I increased gas mileage by 5% on the highway. Of course Toyoduh is not singular in its demerits here – the entire industry has useless aero pockets on cars that would have been better designed so that real world mileage would increase even if EPA results won’t.