All-wheel drive Prius might get US release...

You should fly to Japan and test drive one.

 

if toyota is willing to offer the only awd minivan on the market, they might as well offer the only awd hybrid on the market...sometimes some bells and whistles such as awd would sell a vehicle even more

 

Already do offer awd hybrids. The Highlander Hybrid AND now the RAV4 Hybrid.

 

lol... while Tokyo has moderate weather (it snows 1/2 times per year), it is not SoCal and lowest recorded temperature in Japan was -41c. They have Japanese Alps and many ski resorts (over 400). Then again, article from"youthhealthmag".

 

Do either of them use HSD? What is the improvement in mileage in these vs. the non-hybrid models?
Thanks

 

Not to mention the Lexus equivalents of those. I want to say they don't want to add e four to the US market because crossovers are slowly replacing cars and the Prius 2 starting at 25k or so is already up in the Rav4 Hybrid domain once comparably equipped. To add awd to the prius would mean an extra $1500 or so on the msrp (going off of other models) which would make it only $1000 within the rav4 xle price.

When people in the US think awd they think suv and selling an awd prius right next to an awd hybrid rav4 for similar price is going to be a tough sell to Joe shmo who has been taught suvs are safer blah blah blah

Fone ?

 

Wait, an awd Prius that gets 50mpg will be rather a good selling auto, awd is safer than 2wd, add a heated steering wheel ( IMHO ) the best safety feature yet, and good luck keeping up with demand.

 

Why do you believe that AWD is safer than 2WD?

 

I think AWD is referring to Toyota's latest safety advancement the Automatic Wacko Detector.

 

There are times when PriusChat does that.

Bob Wilson

 

Much more likely is the reality of little actual benefit. Want verses need...

Living in Minnesota driving a Prius with just FWD, it makes me wonder what gain would come from AWD. I certainly haven't been getting stuck, or for that matter having any trouble driving around. An efficiency & cost penalty doesn't seem worth it.

Effective marketing is what seems to be what sells AWD more than whatever it's supposed to provide.

 

Yes, but unlike Toyota's cutting edge technology, PriusChat's is not automatic.

 

I look at it as towing assist. I've had a few occasions where trying to pull out with a heavy trailer, the front wheels lose traction. The opposite happens when stopping.

Bob Wilson

 

I live in the country and awd is a requirement to travel up the road in front of my home or my gravel drive in ice or snow. In the last 2 winters the Prius and Camry hybrid have had to sit for almost 2 weeks. Luckily our FJ, RAV4, and Jeep Cherokee can still make it most of the time since they are awd.




iPhone ?

 

Never any traction control problems, Subaru's suck but they sell a billion, in any situation 4 drive wheels are superior, especially at 50mpg.

Heated steering wheels are even safer, you never remove your hands.

 

Until this El Niño winter here in Santa Fe, my 2010 Prius was just fine with all-season tires. I have a hill to climb on a private street that never gets snow treatment. So far this winter I've had to make more than one try to get to my driveway, or even leave the car and walk a block home. With a walking mobility hindrance, that is no fun. Also there is a half-mile uphill just to get to my neighborhood, but it's a state highway on the way to the ski area 15 miles away, and it eventually gets some attention.

My wife has a 2015 Lexus CT200H with the same drivetrain, but she can turn off the traction control for a slightly better chance at getting to the driveway.

I generally buy a new car with all possible options once every 10 years. But if a lower-speed AWD option were available I'd break that pattern. Winter tires would be a cheaper solution, but we like to head to warmer weather sometimes, and those would be painful to use.

I assume this is really a 4WD option that can be turned totally off when not needed. Is that accurate?

 

Can you document that mileage? I doubt you are taking weight, friction, and reduced aerodynamics into consideraton.

 

some of the ev guys claim awd gets better mpg than fwd.