Well the Matrix was marketed as "part sports car, part SUV, part sedan" when it was launched in 2003. Everyone was ok calling it a hatchback lol.
What I want is a frickin plug in car like the Chevy Volt. Hellooooo, it's been a really frickin promise joke by Toyota. Sales are down this year, millions of safety recalls ... and I'm still thinking of a plug in Prius ...
I would call the Prius v a wagon. Wish it had a third row seat. Even an uncomfortable one like I used to have on my Volvo wagon (which basically was a popup seatback like what you would bring to a sports stadium that had only bleacher seating) would have been appreciated.
I think I know what it is, it is what it has been touted as being...a larger member of the Prius family... I'm interested in the specs....gas mileage, efficiency... Seems Japanese automakers think Americans like "Larger"...can you blame them? But for me efficiency is key...I wouldn't mind 50% more cargo space and a larger wagon like Prius..but for me the key is the benefits of Hybrid technology and how much efficiency may or may not be sacrificed for the larger size. But the idea of a Hatchback Hybrid that I could concievably use as a primary utilitarian vehicle in camping or hauling...appeals to me.
The 3rd row may have been a safety issue, I'd guess. I'm thinking it ought to be called a mini cross over.
I wonder if the Venza is leveraged in this design. Costwise, it would make sense to have planned a dual platform in advance. The Venza is 700 pounds heavier than the Prius which could be reduced with smaller gas tank, Prius drivetrain, etc. Also I wonder how thay will position it vs. the Venza pricewise. Could there be an AWD option? Very exciting, especially since I have a 20MPG Sienna that we can't afford to feed much longer. I wonder if the "v" is for "venza". Hmmmmm......
Part sports car haha Anyway I'd love a tiny third row also. Or a bench front seat (OH THE HORRORS). Trunk space is of no concern to me. A prius wagon is still too small to haul any real loads. I want more seats.
Our experience differs, I can get a 10 foot 2 by 4 in my Prius, I can get 96"" tall doors in my Prius. I routinely carry quite a lot of network gear in my Prius, while there may be weight limits, it is fairly spacious. I recently had to buy a 13 foot vinyl siding part, there are some loads that hang out, but what vehicle would have contained a 13 foot stick vinyl entirely inside?
I have to admit I'm disappointed. I wanted a mini-van--even the smaller versions they have in the UK would be preferable. Oh well, looks like a Sienna for me.
Eventhough I won't be a buyer, I was hoping for a bigger splash, just so Toyota can put 2010 in the rear view mirror. Toyota obviously did their homework and decided that they wanted to target the young, urban, 1 to 2 kid family, using existing technology. We as fans, geeks, chatters naturally wish for some exciting drivetrain or new battery tech so the V would get even better MPG while being a bigger car. But that was too much to wish for. In the end, we are stuck with the same old size vs MPG compromise. That presentation was damn boring. Looks like they are hurting from those recalls and have to save a buck. Instead, Ford is gonna light up Detroit.
We use to have a Sienna and my kids and husband love the Prius V. There is tons of room in the back. The backseats have tons of legroom the back seats slide so it's easy to adjust how much room you want.
Our next vehicle will def be another hybrid (or EV), but it has to get as good or better mpg's than our current G3. The wagon is out.
