2016 Toyota Prius
On sale late this year
Toyota has finally taken the wraps off the all-new Prius which will go on sale towards the end of this year.
The rather unusual design shouldn't come as a surprise as
the fourth-gen Prius was
spied
a short while ago without any sort of disguise. It's being characterized as
having a "ground-breaking style" with influences from the Mirai and it utilizes
the new Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) which has brought a series of improvements
compared to the outgoing model.
For example, the chassis is now 60% more rigid while the lower
center of gravity has boosted the car's comfort and stability, also helped by
the lower placement of the powertrain. Speaking of which, Toyota doesn't say
a lot about the hardware of their new Prius but they do promise a 10% fuel
economy improvement and an increase in thermal efficiency to more than 40%. Some of the
hybrid bits and pieces now come in a more compact size and there's a newly
developed nickel-metal hydride hybrid battery smaller than before, but more
durable and with an increased charging performance.
The all-new Prius is actually 60 mm longer, 15 mm wider and
20 mm lower than the previous model and this increase in size translates into a
more spacious cabin for the passengers as well as more trunk space. It should
also feel more connected to the road as a result of the new front suspension
and rear double wishbone suspension while on the safety side there are tons of
systems like lane departure alert, pre-collision system, dynamic radar cruise
control, automatic high beam and the Europe-exclusive road sign assist.
The exterior will be available with a choice of seven
colors, including this new Hypersonic Red while the interior has the familiar
center-mounted dash along with glossy white plastics, generously-sized display
for the infotainment system and a new three-spoke steering wheel. The shape of
the air vents has been changed and we also notice a tiny gear lever.
Toyota says the overhauled Prius will go on sale towards the
end of the year and initially it will be launched at home in Japan.
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