4th generation coming 2015!

Bio-degradable, plant-based plastic is better for the environment than the plastic derived from petroleum.

 

cheap = not expensive to the environment

 

>>Im really surprised US got the 5 seater not the 7 seater, the 7 seater equally useful as a 5 seater
>>for those who dont need extra seats.

I am also very surprised about the lack of a 7-seater Prius in the U.S. There is a complete vacuum in the U.S. market for a fuel efficient 7 seater. I used to have a Highlander Hybrid (which never got more than 22 MPG in the city) but it was too large to be practical in city driving. We just traded it in for a Plugin Prius - but we really miss the extra two seats. Most of the families we know would like to have the option of transporting extra two people when needed - which happens quite often. But, you currently cannot buy a vehicle that seats seven, has a reasonably compact size and is fuel efficient. A Prius V with seven seats would fit that need perfectly.

The earlier comments doubted whether the 7-seater Prius could be made to meet U.S. standards. However, I have faith that the Toyota engineers would find a way to use Lithium batteries (just as is used in the Plugin Prius) or any other available chemistry to make a seven seat Prius V a viable car in the U.S.

 

Really?!?! There are members on here that can easily get over 30 in town and some are at/near 40 mpg in their HiHy.

 

We never figured out the reason for the low MPG on the 2008 Highlander Hybrid Limited. We got an average of 22 MPG over the 10,000 miles that we owned it (sold it with 60k miles) - it certainly was a disappointment. We had the vehicle inspected several times by different Toyota dealers but they found nothing wrong with it.
After switching to the the PIP, we are getting an average 80+ MPG on the first 1,200 miles with the same drivers and routes (50% city, 50% highway.) Also, in contrast, we were getting 20 MPG with the same drivers in a 2012 Toyota Sienna that we had rented for a couple of months. As they say, "your mileage will vary." Ours certainly did. Hence, we were hoping that Toyota would install a third row seat into the 4th generation U.S. Prius V because we have not had luck finding a fuel efficient 7-seater - at least in the Toyota family of vehicles.

 

Not having the 7 seater in the US is the direct reason I haven't bought a car since my 04 Prius. The chances of me buying a 7 seater that gets less than 40mpg are basically nil so if Toyota wants my money they'll bring a decent 7 seat Prius to the US. Otherwise I'll continue to take two cars on such trips.

 

Just curious ....

is anyone interested in better handling and more conncected to the ground, hopefully in 4th gen Prius?

I really ought to try a new Civic to see how it's handling compares. Civic has a 'basic' multilink rear suspension, not torsion beam.

 

I sure don't care. I'm worried about if the prius is lower I can't bring it on certain gravel routes and unpaved roads. That is a large concern for me. The Prius Gen III is perfect in that it hardly ever conks out, but it's close! Any lower could guarantee it screwing up :O

Handling seems just fine also...What would I want? Tighter steering?

 

Personally, that is the absolute last thing I care about in a vehicle. And that isn't why I bought a Prius. If that were one of my top priorities there are ton better options. There are some sports cars that get decent gas mileage.

 

Hydrogen? I'm not buying that.

 

Indeed...Until:

• Hydrogen is cheaper than gas
• Hydrogen allows you to go further more efficiently

Plugin Hybrid seems pretty efficient and **ALMOST** at a good price point. Hybrid otherwise just make sense. But of course they're blurring the lines with Hydrogen Hybrid, but that makes sense

 

I agree with the two previous post.
In addition, i'm not sure what "being better connected to the ground means." I have never lifted off the pavement; I drive mountain roads with switchbacks and sharp curves frequently ... and I easily keep up with the traffic; "more connected" sounds like greater rolling resistance ... I spent a lot of money buying tires with less rolling resistance. Or does it mean less ground clearance? No thanks. Here in the west where curbs and gutters are deeply sculptured to carry the occasional rain, I could scape bottom every time I turn from a main street to a secondary. I must almost stop to prevent dragging.

Just about every "want" expressed for the G4 (acceleration, handling, 7th seat, greater EV, dashboard with a tach, conventional shifter) can all be found in one one vehicle or another if that is the priority. I especially like the fact that the G3 almost ideally found a compromise of the priorities that I had (economy, comfort, reliability, initial cost, maintenance cost and etc.). I just hope the G4 can improve on those attributes.

 

http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?p=383623

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My 04 handles just fine.

 

Absolutely. Unless Prius owners are so unsophisticated that it doesn't matter, I'd say there's no reason to cut corners. It would add value to lose that front-end feel like a piano is loaded under the front hood when going over speed bumps.

 

YES - TOTALLY!
Its the direction all cars are heading these days so not a good idea to be left behind

 

Initially, I was offended by your comment. Then I looked at your profile. You admit to driving a 2008 Prius? (And cmth a 2009?) What possible qualifications do either of you have to comment on the handling and performance of the current Prius? In 2010 Toyota came out with the third generation Prius, a completely newly designed Prius ..... and that was almost 4 years ago. The 2008 model was a "Freshman" in the second generation class. A lot has changed since 2008.

This thread is all about the anxiously awaited 4th generation Prius. We all hope there will be additional improvements in all the categories (handling, performance, comfort, economy, quality of construction and etc) but to describe the Prius as you have, based on a six year old example, is not well received by the "unsophisticated."

 

Toyota says a new Prius and its first hydrogen fuel cell car are coming in 2015 - Washington Post