Featured 2023 Prius spy shot

Isn't the lack of new stock the current situation for the entire industry? Many of the causes are things outside the control of the manufacturer. This is different than a manufacturer choosing to have a limited production run or limited market area. Toyota can be blamed for the Rav4 Prime, because they totally underestimated demand, and didn't secure a battery supply for beyond what they wanted to make. I doubt they wanted to run out of traditional and no-plug hybrids though.

Design for the gen5 Prius started soon after the gen4 went on sale. The capital was already spent getting it to this point. Delaying it won't fix the current supply issues. It won't get more current models made. It probably would cost Toyota to do so.

 

From the Facebook page of Toyota Japan:

 

a week from tonight!

 

Another teaser from Toyota Japan:

 

Look at Toyota's sales revenues. They're up 14% in the first half of fiscal year 2023. They have had higher operating expenses to offset, but I don't think the bean counters are sad at a 14% increase in sales revenue. They are loving this climate and I'd bet a good chunk of my retirement savings that when they can figure out how to stop relying on China and have a more reliable parts supply they will do everything they can to keep it going as long as possible. I think they're in the game now to generate as much hype as they can to keep people making deposits and getting on waiting lists as much as they can.

 

And they'll burn much of that revenue changing their EV plans.

If you are unhappy with their actions, take your money elsewhere. Plenty here have.

 

At least in Canada they don't bend you over with $20,000 markups
.

 

when one fg gets desperate for more sales, they will increase inventory as a sales stategy, for better or for worse.
if successful, others will follow suit

 

If all the other car manufacturers weren't doing the same it would have happened already. Toyota still makes the most reliable cars overall that I know of. I'm not a fanboy or loyal. If an equally reliable and similarly-priced car showed up I'd drop Toyota without even thinking for a moment. I'm just fearing that Toyota is learning that they don't have to make great cars, they just have to make cars that are a little better than the rest to retain market share.

 

are we talking quality or quantity or hype?

 

Second gen owners had fun with water pump, quirky gas tank, coolant thermos, probably more, I'm not that familiar.
Third gen: brake booster, low-tension piston rings, EGR debacle with ensuing head gasket failure.
Fourth gen: exhaust heat recovery leaking coolant. rear shock tower bolts loosening.

I think 3rd gen is "in the lead", lol.

And not to be outdone: Honda CRV's with their direct-injected, turbocharged 1.5 liter engines?

 

In the 13 years and 150,000 miles I had my 2004, I had zero unscheduled mechanical repairs.

I replaced the water pump preventatively at 100,000 miles, the "quirky gas tank" just had slightly different capacity when it was cold versus warm, and the coolant thermos worked perfectly.

I have had twice where my G4 Prime's not-quirky gas tank wouldn't accept gasoline. I never figured out why since it would simply start taking fuel a little later. Since the range is so good anyway, it never caused any real trouble.

 

Yeah I was going to mention that, figured too trivial. Maybe not, when you end up spraying gas on yourself...

 

Good point, the marketing folks are, usually, out-sourced and hype is what they do. Last I checked, Toyota production is, still, 100% dedicated to Kaizen (continual improvement).

A good example is comparing my wife's 2017 Prius LE with my 2021 Prius AWD LE. Same generation but when you compare you can find quite a number of improvements. The largest is with the ICE engines. ZVW50L-AHXEBA and ZVW55L-AHXEBA. Her's takes 0W-20 and mine takes 0W-16 and my MPG has always exceeded her, even when hers was new. The engine radiator system on mine is, also, a bit different. (I have an old-school radiator cap while she does not.) Lots of other things including both being base models but mine has XM satellite radio and hers doesn't. Also, my sun visors have little slits that slide out and hers doesn't....all signs of Kaizen.

 

They are identical engines. You can use SAE 0W-16 in both.

 

The lines are similar to Tesla. I dig it!

 

No more split rear window?

 

Looks like the bestcarweb.jp render. @Trollbait nope no more split rear window.