Prius v wagon puzzle finally complete; Here's what we know

@Doug: when will the next event on toyotapriusprojects.com (*6: Prius goes plural) come online? You have to hurry, it'll be the 10th of jan soon and 7 and 8 have to be online as well.

 

Entune is expected to launch as an option on "select models" later this year, with featured apps including Bing, iheartradio, MovieTickets.com, OpenTable and Pandora, not to mention location-based services such as personalized traffic, fuel prices, stock alerts, weather reports and sports scores. It'll rely on voice commands and in-vehicle controls, enabling users to be informed and empowered while traveling. Aside from giving motorists the ability to reserve a table as they're en route to an eatery and order a movie ticket for later, it's also a fully-featured entertainment center -- you'll get access to HD Radio, a CD player, USB connectivity and Bluetooth audio streaming. Best of all, the entire setup is firmware upgradable via OTA updates, so the risk of obsolesce is lessened a good bit.








[ame="http://www.viddler.com/explore/engadget/videos/2199/"]Viddler.com - Toyota Entune in-car infotainment system at CES 2011 - Uploaded by engadget@@AMEPARAM@@http://www.viddler.com/player/1e4f416/@@AMEPARAM@@1e4f416/[/ame]

Toyota Entune in-car infotainment system interfaces with your smartphone, does everything but drive -- Engadget

 

Doug, I think what we're trying to say is we want our own PriusChat "private consumer clinic". But make it public here on PC before the Detroit reveal. Or just email me all the details and pictures LOL.

 

BC has an image of the Prius V on the cover of its next issue... Well, soon we will find out how the real thing will look like...

 

I think this could very well be the REAL thing. The nose resembles the one in the video of the skateboarder. I like the big wheels on the car.

 

Love it... just what I needed for space.

But I hope the following are offered
1. Solar panel roof
2. LED headlamps
3. All options as in the 2010 V model
4. Leather and heated seats

If they do I'll be getting one. But I get this feeling if you want those perks you need to order the regular Prius for now.

 

As an owner of a 2007 level 3 Prius, I am excited about this. The extra cargo room would be great, and because we are empty nesters I do not need a third row seat.
I hope it has the solar option, but I do not see how that can happen with two skylights already on the roof.

I don't know what the MPG's will be, but with gas prices going through the roof now in the US, I think we will see a resurgence of Prius envy.

I think sometimes Toyota misses the mark in marketing. I know this is not politically correct, but not everyone in the USA are tree hugging green people. Now before you beat me up, I do recycle and care about the earth. BUT, I love my Prius for the following reasons;
1) Look cool.
2) Great MPG's
3) Good storage
4) VERY techy!

I've never been close to 50 mpg, so I hope this new model does not take too bad of a MPG hit. I"m into the bells and whistles. I WANT cool options, like onboard computer, back up camera with warning buzzer if you are too close to something., bluetooth, auto headlights, etc. Auto dimming headlights.
A big thing would be blind spot warning, like on my friends minivan. Basically, all the things mentioned above are on my friends new minivan, and a Prius is WAY cooler then any minivan.......so I want the techy cool things on my Prius....none of those things would add weight or hurt MPG's.

I hope Toyota keeps the techy bells and whistles coming. I do NOT want to be jealous of a minivan!!!

Frank

 

Only one reason (I reckon) why the back seats are part plastic and why there is a crease going across the boot floor - 3rd row of seats.

 

Damn no 3rd row of seats...and not great economy...

 

Okay, I'm here, the reveal just took place, and there is no additional seating. I am the target audience for this car, having a young family of four, and yet there's no way I'd give up 10mpg and lack of a plug-in option to get a little more cargo space that I have little to no need for. I need more seats an average of 10-20 times a year, and more cargo room an average of 1 time per year (Christmas, for all the presents, when we have multiple vehicles going anyway). If I had to buy a new Prius today, it would be the standard or Plug in version, not the v. As it is, I'll keep my '04 and wait until I can get something like the v with 7 seats, or something like the Estima. I don't want something as big as a Sienna, even in a hybrid version.

Unless you had a surprise in mind?

 

I'm in the target for the V, young family of four. I don't need a third row of seating but that would have been the icing on the cake. There's no third row and I don't need more cargo space, so the V will not make it into my garage.

I wonder how many young families asked for more cargo space compared to the number who wanted a third row?

Anywho, I'm looking forward to the plug-in (regular) Prius, that's what I want. The V had a lot of hype but to lose 20% fuel economy and not gain much is so not worth it.

 

Well, all I can say is it's not for you. I'm glad you like the Prius or Plug-in. That's exactly why we are bringing multiple models to market, because everyone has different needs and tastes, even people within a specific target market.

Just a reference figure... RAV4 has more cargo space than Prius v and offers a 3rd row. Only 5% of RAV4 buyers elect to purchase it. I'm not saying there's not a market for a 7 seater of this size. There is, it's just not as big as you might think, and we didn't feel the size of the market justified bringing it to North America. Of course, we'll continue to study it, and if becomes clear there is a significant market, I'm not ruling it out in the future.

Another comment... The difference in MPG between the two Prius/Prii/Prium/Prien is about 2/3 due to aerodynamics and 1/3 due to weight. We do our best to cheat the laws of physics but you can only do so much when you change the shape and add any weight at all. It may be disappointing compared to 50 MPG, sure, but it just goes to show how optimized Prius is.

Doug Coleman
Prius Product Manager
Toyota Motor Sales, USA

 

I already have an '04, and won't be purchasing a new car until a 7-seater that gets over 40mpg and, preferably, has a plug-in option comes to market. Until then, I'll just hold onto the cars - and the money - I already have. I'm known to keep cars a long time. I still own and drive my '88 Mazda MX-6 GT. Before that was the 72 Buick Skylark GranSport my parents bought brand new. So I can wait until something interesting is produced, like the '04 Prius was which replaced my Mazda as my primary driver. Sadly, the v could have been it with just a single optional modification.

 

Wait a second. Are you saying there is a 7-seat version of the v, just not here in North America?

 

Unfortunately I'm not allowed to comment on the Prius v that will come out in different regions. But I think most regions will start to announce their versions within a few months.

Doug Coleman
Prius Product Manager
Toyota Motor Sales, USA

 

Okay, thanks.

I think the comparison to the RAV4 is not a good one, since everyone I know, including myself, bought such vehicles for their 4-wheel-drive and high-ground-clearance capabilities. SUVs are rotten people movers. Most people I know that have them don't have kids, or didn't buy them to move kids around. Everyone I know that bought a car for people/kid moving activities bought an Odyssey or Sienna, or other much more friendly 7-seater. So it doesn't surprise me that a RAV4 with 7 seats isn't interesting. I'm interested in a 7 seater and never even considered a RAV4, and wasn't even aware that a 7 seat option existed on that vehicle.

 

WOW, great to see some official response on these threads. I too am very disappointed in the lack of a 3rd row as I was disappointed in the lack of a 7th seat in the US 2012 Mazda5.
As for the Rav4, at that point people are not looking for a high MPG car as they would just satisfy their needs with one of the larger SUVs that have a 3rd row and more space, that is probably why not many folks opt for it. Also last I checked on the dealer lot, it seemed like only the highly optioned RAV4s had the 3rd row, at that price point that lower end mid-size SUVs with 3rd rows are more similar in pricing taking away any incentive to go for the RAV4.

With Ford coming out with their C-max I will probably have to consider that over the Toyota or Mazda when it comes to small, high MPG 7 passenger vehicles. Its just too bad Toyota doesn't market one in the US, even like the Avensis or Japans offerings. I'm convinced that car manufacturers in the USA only market smaller SUVs/ crossovers now since they have a much higher profit margin than the more competitive sedan/wagon/MPV segment would with higher passenger space. Honestly I don't see the Prius V as being too popular, and seems like a waste having to carry/support a whole new vehicle that barely distinguishes itself from the standard Prius with large penalties (mileage, performance, cost).

 

In Europe it IS an MPV with SEVEN seats, it will be introduced in Geneva, beginning of march.

First Yaris hybrid concept and Prius+ MPV images released ahead of 2011 Geneva motor show | Toyota UK news, reviews, video and pictures | Today Tomorrow

A happy future owner of the Prius+.:rockon: