1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Do you think a 7 seater will make it to the US this cycle?

Discussion in 'Prius v Main Forum' started by Lee Jay, Oct 20, 2013.

  1. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace 2025 Camry XLE FWD

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2016
    11,801
    11,363
    0
    Location:
    Central Virginia
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    XLE
  2. Bluegrassman

    Bluegrassman Active Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2016
    229
    185
    0
    Location:
    US
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    Isn't the Highlander Hybrid quite a bit more expensive than a Prius V? Seems a 7 passenger V would be more financially accessible to people that truly need the seating space (large families) than the Highlander.
     
    RCO likes this.
  3. bhtooefr

    bhtooefr Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 4, 2016
    1,396
    1,489
    0
    Location:
    Newark, OH, USA
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    The Prius v is also quite a bit more efficient than the Highlander.

    However, the Prius v's third row, if it had one, would be absolutely tiny - basically, it'd be for kids only, and only if kids are also in the second row, I suspect. Not that the Highlander's third row would be that much better - it'd still be for kids only, I believe.
     
    RCO, Mendel Leisk and Bluegrassman like this.
  4. Bluegrassman

    Bluegrassman Active Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2016
    229
    185
    0
    Location:
    US
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    My wife would trade her minivan off in a second if a 7 passenger V was available in the states

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  5. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace 2025 Camry XLE FWD

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2016
    11,801
    11,363
    0
    Location:
    Central Virginia
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    XLE
    This, if it is correct, would likely kill the possibility of a 7-seater in the US. tiny rows/seats would not be perceived as able to sell well.
     
  6. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2004
    45,024
    16,244
    41
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    I can't find that picture from Japan but here's another one.

    國內首款7人座Hybrid TOYOTA Prius α登台 | ET 車雲

    [​IMG]

    Here's another to show the position of the middle row in order to fit people in the 3rd row. (bottom left). The top right photo is interesting as it shows the different positions available for the 2nd row.

    [​IMG]
     
    mmmodem and Mendel Leisk like this.
  7. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    56,693
    39,238
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Reminds me of hitching a ride home in our daughter's Pilot. It's ok in a pinch, get's you where you want to go. And you can flip the back row seats down flush, so best of both worlds. I wonder if the seven seat Prius v is like that, seats fold flat/flush?
     
  8. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2004
    45,024
    16,244
    41
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Yup

    [​IMG]

    Here's a higher resolution shot. I see that different countries have different 2nd row styles. Australia (and I think UK too) have 3 individual seats for the 2nd row

    [​IMG]
     
  9. Bluegrassman

    Bluegrassman Active Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2016
    229
    185
    0
    Location:
    US
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    That would be awesome if the 2nd row middle seat was removable

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  10. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    56,693
    39,238
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Is the 5 seater model then roughly the same as 7 seater with rear row seats flipped down? Or are the second row seats on 7 seater shifted/modified some, to accommodate the rear row? Does that make sense lol?

    I'm just wondering why Toyota would have 5 seater at all.
     
  11. Bluegrassman

    Bluegrassman Active Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2016
    229
    185
    0
    Location:
    US
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Four
  12. bhtooefr

    bhtooefr Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 4, 2016
    1,396
    1,489
    0
    Location:
    Newark, OH, USA
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Battery's relocated and is lithium-ion, so some of it may well be cost-related, the Li-ion battery making it more expensive, and the NiMH battery being incompatible with the 7-seat configuration.
     
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  13. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2004
    45,024
    16,244
    41
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    The second row is roughly in the same position (I don't actually know if the mounting points are different) but they do slide fore/aft the same as the 7-seat version. As others have said, the 5-seater version has the NiMH below the floor behind the 2nd row. There's an "umbrella storage bin" behind the 2nd row seats in the 5-seater version. There is also an additional bin between the standard large underfloor bin and the battery.

    In the 7-seater version, the Li-Ion battery is located between the front seats in the console box. The box becomes just a tray for a notepad or something similarly thin (but visually, the box looks the same when closed). The 3rd row is installed in that second bin area (I'm not sure if the large underfloor bin is smaller than the 5-seater. I would think it is). Those countries with 3 individual 2nd row seats allow the middle seat to slide forward, bringing the baby closer to the parents (if a child seat is installed).
     
    RCO and Mendel Leisk like this.
  14. sURFNmADNESS

    sURFNmADNESS Prii Family

    Joined:
    Jul 22, 2012
    199
    48
    2
    Location:
    Omaha, NE
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Three
    Know many soccer mom's that would much rather drive a Prius v 7 seater over a minivan any day. Never has made much sense for Toyota not to try to sell it in states.
     
    RCO likes this.
  15. inferno

    inferno Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2013
    1,072
    405
    0
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    I actually think the Pacifica looks awesome and not your typical minivan. I love sliding doors... Not so much falcon wings
     
  16. SmellyTofu

    SmellyTofu Average punter

    Joined:
    Dec 20, 2005
    251
    29
    0
    Location:
    Sydney
    Vehicle:
    Other Electric Vehicle
    Model:
    N/A
    The 3rd row seats are very small but for short trips less than 1 hr isn't too bad for a 5'9" small frame guy like me.

    Note that the Li battery has a smaller capacity than the NiMH
     
  17. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2004
    45,024
    16,244
    41
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    But the Li-Ion battery would have a larger range of capacity available (similar to the 4th Gen where the Li-Ion is rated at 0.7kWh and the NiMH is around 1.3kWh but they both output roughly the same power and apparently range)
     
    RCO likes this.