Automotive News say 2010 Prius will be.....

"But, the interior upgrades buyers asked for were too expensive for the project, so it may still have a cost-down appearance inside."

Hmmm... I hope there is a seat height adjuster..

 

Wow, I'm reeling at the statement that the FJ will be history. I'm stunned they didn't try a diesel or hybrid setup. Such a shame to just let such a unique vehicle die.

and

 

but if you were forced to... which would you rather cut in the mid-size body-on-frame camp? the 4-runner or the fj? i'd kill the fj in a heartbeat, even though i'd prefer it.

4-runner nameplate is stronger than the fj cruiser's.

 

The current 4Runner is lost in Toyota's own SUV sea. The 4Runner lost it's tough off road stance a while back. I owned a 1994 4wd with no added frills (sunroofs or running boards), and I loved it.

I think the FJ has a strong niche market and gives Toyota some "quirky goodness" they lost with the demise of vehicles like the Celica, Paseo, MR2, etc. Toyota has become too conformist getting to the top, and the FJ adds the perfect balance at the other end of the scale.

The FJ is to Toyota's SUV/truck lineup as the Prius is to the car lineup.. almost anti-Toyotas in styling and serve as exhibition platforms for the engineering teams.

 

Nailed it

I never looked at a Toyota until the Prius.

The new FJ is a bit over-styled for me, but it's still an interesting car and something I might've considered. (I wish they would update the styling of the old FJ in a more measured way, like VW did with the Beetle, and do a hybrid.)

The rest of the Toyota line up, with the possible exception of the Scion, might as well be all "soccer-mom minivans," or "your father's Camry," as far as I am concerned:hurt:

 

Some interesting stuff in that article and some glaring errors as well.

As Tideland noted that reference to the 1.8L from the Corolla going into the Prius is probably wrong.

The note about the Venza getting the 2.7L which is a bored out 2.4L is equally wrong. The two engines are entirely different.

I'd take half of it as fact. The only question is 'which' half is fact?

 

that whole article is full of holes... I believe they are right about size - slightly bigger and better packaging.

As to the engine - I am pretty sure it will be 1.8 ZR engine for better highway mileage. All reports from reliable sources (including toyota) talk about 1.8 engine.

 

both are brand new AR series, optimized for refinement and mpg. Compared to AZ: much more refined, better response at lower rpm, 10% better mpg and 10% better hp/tq.

 

so far i have not seen D4 featured on any of the new R series engines... At least not with what was announced in Europe and USA... Maybe Japan?

Not so sure... Toyota was pioneer with their D4 technology, I am sure they know what works the best.

 

I think engines with D4 never sold in US due to the dirty fuel? But then again, I dont see D4 in any of other new engines in Europe, at least not yet... It might be that double vvti is making D4 irrelavant from cost/gain perspective. D4 was offered before on largest AZ series engines in Europe, so maybe when AR comes out in Rav4 and Avensis, we might see some of that? We will see soon I guess.

And of course, hybrids wont have it anyway, probably not vvti either due to the nature of hybrid system/cvt, etc.

 

there are no gains with having VVTi (cost more, more complicated) as the engine operate always in the same rpm due to planetary gears, so it is optimized to run at that rpm. They are using hybrid system to the max to make gas engine as little complicated as possible.

 

valvematic is same type of technology as dual vvti, just more advanced... they want to add it to all of their engines by 2010... So it is definetly better than dual vvti.

as to what will they do - I have no clue. I am just saying that previously toyota said that vvti doesnt matter to hybrids due to transmission and nature of how it works. So you probably wont have it in Prius unless it makes a lot of sense.

 

p.s. we in Europe never got any info on 2009 Prius ever.. just standard better than ever, in everything... so we got nothing that is straight from Toyota., it is all just speculations really.