Spy Shots: Toyota's baby Prius C spotted for the first time

It looks like a plush toy...so cute.

 

If the starting price is around 20,000 with a combined mileage of 55 (guestimate) or more, this car may very well be the perfect commuter/city car. The current Prius will probably move up market.

 

This looks even smaller than I expected.

I like the idea of a value hybrid from Toyota. If I were them, though, I would have done it under the Scion brand and used a different body style. Taking the same body style and making it 1/3 smaller seems questionable.

 

I expect the wind tunnel to pretty much dictate what the prius and Prius cars look like for maximum efficiency because a car should be designed to move thru air and avoid wind resistance as much as possible. There is a reason why all airplanes look the same and in the future, more cars are going to look like the Prius for CAFE reasons.

I would not worry about the same body style. In fact, when you look at car companies like Audi, BMW, their cars are pretty much one design, one look and then they make little changes for small, medium and large cars.

 

on the computer

open (gen III prius file)

scale(enter), select all(enter), .777777(enter) = prius c

undo

scale(enter), select all(enter), 1.3333(enter) = prius v



see! i can do it too!

 

I can't wait for better shots, especially the interior, but this car will be in my garage at some point just before I retire. It appears to be all we will need. I want to reach 200k on my 2004 first, but that won't take too long ( at 145k now). I hope the fantastic reliability carries over to the 'c' - in which case it will probably be the last car I ever own!

 

Personally, I think the Toyota Prius c is derived from this model:

Toyota Verso-S/Ractis



The body design is of course different, but the Prius c and Verso-S/Ractis are very likely designed from a common subcompact car platform.

 

Underwhelmed. The gen II gets me 60 mpg already, package 2 cost me $21,075 in April '07, is significantly bigger and as ugly.

:behindsofa:

Are we getting something really better here?

 

Yes.

It was 4 years ago that you bought a 21k car. Since then a lot has happened in the world and that same car (a new 3rd gen. 2) would cost you near 25k.

Now they will offer a car that gets better mileage (If you get 60mpg with a Gen 2 you will probably get 65-70 with this) AND still be cheaper than a near equivilent 4 years ago....

How is this not progress?

 

Hmm, I'm not finding much motivation to change from a 5 year, 60,000 mile $14k, 60 mpg gen II to a new $19k, 70 mpg gen III (still Nickel batteries) with a lot of corners cut.

That's why I said I'm underwhelmed. I didn't say I have completely lost interest... The hope was that the c would be something more than a shorter/downgraded Prius. Better brakes/ABS would be a decent start. Pumps that work as they're meant to and do not need to be recalled would also be good.

 

I don't think the purpose is to take current customers away from the full size, its a supplement to either get new buyers in or for us that like our regular ones to consider as a second car.

Who knows what the guts will contain, maybe it will be a vast improvement...maybe it will be a stripped down econobox...

 

It also sorta resembles the Golf GTI. That would be a good thing. The Golf is a good looking car and a lot of younger people buy them so it would fit with the demographic buyer shift that has been mentioned in this thread.

 

I suppose I could deal with it...our Fiesta is keyed and I will either stand at the door like an nice person or I will pull out the keys when approaching the Prius...can't win.

Same with the parking brake...in the Fiesta I will pull the ebrake and lift my left foot to engage the parking brake...doh!

 

Gen II was rated 46 MPG and you are getting 60 MPG? Imagine what you'll be able to squeeze out of Prius c.

 

i never see the point of people trying to justify their several year old purchase by slamming on new vehicles. I bet you wrote same posts when Gen3 was introduced, right?

and at the same time, someone else wrote similar post when Gen 2 was introduced as well.

 

I agree completely with you and I thought those comments were just " Cheap Shots". This member should know that every car manufacturer have recalls, they are published: Home | Safercar -- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). He may want to add another guarantee to life, Death, taxes and recalls.

There is nothing wrong with recalls and furthermore, maybe that is the reason why Toyota is one of the most reliable car manufacturers right now while other more expensive luxury-sport-this or luxury-sport-that, cars that cost more per month than an average monthly mortgage are so unreliable and ultimately their owners are left holding the bag for repairs.

The Prius has 2 powertrains, yet it is overall more reliable than cars with just 1 powertrain.

 

Originally Posted by Danny

Thanks, quite useful.

The only change that stands out is the headlight position, and of course the spiffy wheels are gone. This Prius 'C' is on my short list of cars to consider along with EVs when it comes time to replace our old Subaru.

 

These are not the only changes that stand out. Your eye just isn't as keen as mine. You're missing the invisible/glass B-pillar, the high taillights, undersized hood, and the large downward sloping roofline. These may be subtle to you but as a sum, confer a completely different look. Point is, this looks like a regular, boring car. The concept did not, however.