4th generation coming 2015!

...and...a Flux-gate Capacitor?

 

This thread has morphed into a slow-motion trainwreck from which you can barely look away.

 

...because of Toyota's "...Much Ado About Nothing..."?

 

So now we know why they made the new Prius C look so hideous.

Latest Toyota Prius C Dubbed IIHS Top Safety Pick After Updates

 

Keep checking forum page
2016 PRIUS VIDEO - FROM SAN FRANCISCO
for new photos/video...cheers

 

I'm just not convinced that is a G4. I suspect it is a G4 innards, in G3 clothing.

Well know "later than sooner."

 

I suspect that back in late July 2008 when the first spy shots of the actual G3 car appeared, some didn't believe it was the real deal either, but it was. That car appeared at the North American Auto Show in Jan 2009, and went on sale May 2009 in Japan. Here's a look back:

 

I think the general lack of understanding in 1) what is possible/practical with running mules and pre-production prototypes, 2) not to mention the point of why they're built... is what gives rise to these opinions.

I think the part that I dislike more than anything about this G4 pre-pro proto is the number of windows panels + garnishes it takes to define the side form of the greenhouse. Four windows panels (one sliding and one fixed for each door) + a form-terminating garnish on each end (covered in the disguised cars, but you know is necessarily there). Six pieces is way too many.

 

I strongly believe that the pre-production cars running the roads now are basically the finished car, especially given that production is only a few months away. I also believe that the green car in the rendering that came out a short time ago, is likely very close to what we'll see when the tarps come off. I don't think we get an accurate representation of the real vehicle's stance from that rendering, however many of the major details in the rendering do appear to be on the pre production cars. Particularly the shape of the glass and number of panes, and the double character line with the sheet metal concave between the two creases. You can see the concave shape of the gas filler door in the photo taken in Belgium. The boomerang shape of the tail lenses is also confirmed, although again, the rendering may not be accurate in terms of where the lenses are red vs clear and so on.

 

later, rather than sooner. so eloquent.

 

Call for an opinion:

Is the green car depicted above, "sporty" in your POV?

 

Only fugly comes to mind.

 

Very Fugly. Just release the beast, and we and the media can beat it to death as the fugly POS it is. With great mileage no doubt When's the last time Toyota did something exciting?

 

As I mentioned, the stance is not properly depicted in the rendering (green car), causing it to look anything but sporty. However, when I see the photos, like the one below the rendering, I think it looks quite sporty...so I remain optimistic. Lets just hope that shade of green doesn't make it to production. Toyota doesn't have the best track record on colours.

 

Now I am looking at the G3 spy shots above and thinking this looks way better than the camouflaged so called G4. And that is coming from the owner of a G3, an early adopter who got the car in Sept 2009. After all these years, one would have thought a newer design (however small the changes are) would be appealing but I just cannot get myself to be exited about G4 if that is what it looks like. Actually I'd bet one could take a car kit and attach it to G3 and would quite similar to those G4 snaps.

But wait, this is the Prius we are talking about - so looks should not matter right? I think it does. Maybe not so much as other cars but it does. It is a pity that Toyota is making headway in cutting edge tech but falling short in its design department. Tesla S has a better wind-drag coefficient and they are very recent newcomers. Sure the Testla S is a sedan but at the time, people were claiming you could not do a sedan with good wind drag performance.

Anyway, I still have hope G4 will end up looking good. I am quite confident its facts and figures will be impressive but beginning to doubt how it will look. VW has finally overtaken Toyota in terms of sales numbers, I can see why.

 

"Looks better" is only a matter of who's doing the looking. Fisker Karma looks even better, but how funtional is it?
Prius c is Compact/Fisker Karma is Subcompact. Tesla S has the same passenger volume as G3(with spare tire).
2014 Toyota Prius
Passenger Volume 94 ft3 (Hatchback)
Luggage Volume 22 ft3 (Hatchback)

2014 Tesla Model S
Passenger Volume 94 ft3 (Hatchback)
Luggage Volume 26 ft3 (Hatchback)

BMW i8 looks Great: BMW i8 Supercar: Ingress and Egress - Like getting in a ...

 

Technically, the Model S is a hatchback. Although it is often referred to as a Sedan.

As for looks, the "looks" of the Prius is not the primary concern. "Looks" do sell cars though, so better looks, as long as they don't interfere too much with efficiency, could help increase market share.

"Looks" can be very deceptive in images. I look forward to seeing the gen 4 in person.

 

Also consider that with the length of the car you can improve Cd, Prius will never be a "long" car.