Featured SPOTTED! *UNWRAPPED* 2016 Prius spotted this morning!

I didn't see this one before. Sorry for repost.

Why didn't they just do this? Yes, it is more pedestrian. More evolution than revolution. Sharpen up the corners, give it a few angles, and give it a new nose, so it doesn't look like a Yaris. Update the interior (where it needs it the most), give it the performance figures that you're gonna give anyway......BOOM! Sales are back on top.

But no.......somebody decided to go off the deep end. I guess they wanted the safe and pedestrian looks for the ICE cars, and a different design language for the alternative fuel vehicles.

 

I'm wondering if the people hating on this have ever seen a Gen 3. These two are so similar I think it would be hard to tell them apart at a distance without that scalloped rear quarter panel. Similar front face, similar head light shape, similar front accents, similar overall body shape. The changes are much less than between g2 and g3.



Let's see, the lower grill is smaller on the new one which is good because it's too big on the g3. The headlights have a sleeker look but a similar design overall. Those odd cutouts on the sides of the front bumper that are all the range now are still there, and still ugly (on all cars that have them). The wheels are similar, the overall shape is similar, the new one is a little longer leading to a slightly more slender profile. The point of max thickness is slightly more forward. The biggest change is the cutout on the back which carries the side of the car into the spoiler.

I don't see a problem, other than those stupid cutouts on the front. But almost everything seems to have them.

 

Because someone would have said it's ugly. One PC chatter saw the spy photos of Gen IV under the camouflage and quickly posted: it's ugly!

 

While she may be good in bed, some of us prefer a model where you like to leave the lights on too.

 

Will be awaiting the most important aspects; safety, drivetrain, and interior updates. Not sure I like the C pillar window, similar on the RX. I believe the looks will be more likable once the full side profile is seen. IMO it looks much better in the view with the top half of wheels showing. Sounds like people won't be lining up for one which is good if you are in the market. I am always surprised how much hate the outgoing Prius styling gets on other auto forums, guess it needs to grow-on you.

 

Human Nature. You bet! Having followed Prius since late 1999 and owned 4 of the models available since September 2000, I've heard it all. There are a lot of hypocrites out there. Some respond to the urge to resist & contradict, others are totally oblivious to it. Whatever the case, the "ugly" claims will indeed pass.

I remember when the minivan was first introduced. Wow! The number of "I wouldn't be caught dead in one of those" comments were quite abundant. And sure enough, some of the people who made that comment ended up buying one anyway. On the opposite end of the spectrum, you've got the auto enthusiasts who praise certain style, yet never actually buy one themselves. They end up with an ordinary vehicle like everyone else.

Watch the "ugly" comments. People are so vague, you have no clue what aspect of what they're seeing they don't actually like. That's more of the human nature reaction. Many simply aren't ready for change. If it doesn't resemble what's familiar, they aren't interested.

Like countless stories of the past. Owners ended up deciding to buy from the test-drive experience. It's the practical design of Prius, combined with the affordable emission & efficiency technology, which ultimately wins people over.

 

Have you ever noticed when you pull to a stop (sign, light) and need to make a right turn onto a busy street .....

... that the gen3 Prius A-pillar blocks a lot of the view to the right? ** YOU want the super raked, swept back windshield and you get more of that blocked view along with it.
Toyota designed the g4 Prius with a little more upright windshield which will result in LESS blocked right view due to A pillar.

** I have to lean forward to get a better view: Maybe a bicyclist is fixing to plow into my right front quarter panel, you know, the ones that ride on the WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD.

So, come over here and try that right turn from Santa Susanna on to Dyer St.

 

I think the "floating roof" is throwing off a lot of the cars looks... Without the floating roof, it looks more sedan like... I personally like my Photoshop better, but i think the floating roof will look better in person.

 

I'm thinking this spy photo is the TOP OF THE LINE Prius, if you get the normal no frills version, you may not get all that you see. Like the return of the plastic hub caps

 

Is that black piece you painted over a window or an opaque piece of plastic?

 

When the 2015 refreshed Camry came out last year, people screamed, peed, cried, moaned and posted photos and pointing arrows to the little plastic insert behind the rear window. Oh brother, as if that or this gen4 piece is soo important given some of awful things going on in this world ....

What if gen4 has a very nice, invitiing interior? These types will say, won't buy it cause of that plastic piece ..... so they will stick with the 'hard plastic interior laden' gen3 Prius.

whatever.

 

Cycle: I'm not trying to be funny or difficult: I have never experienced any of the ergonomic problems that you go on and on about here on PC. But then again, I'm a very adaptable person. I can sleep anywhere, anytime, eat anywhere, anytime. I have no health issues that force me to sit a certain way. My eyesight is fine and my motor skills are intact. I don't expect any car to fit me like a fighter pilot's cockpit.

 

I just Photoshopped it to match the body color.

Im guessing its the C-pillar...

 

Which I choose to pop off (because one came up cracked from Piercey service last year).

Ever tried taking off your hubcaps? There are easier things to do. Have to move the car a foot or two and get the tiny slots just in right position. PITA

 

Yeah, whatever mr perfect.

Ever noticed how other cars aren't coming out designed with the swept back windshield of a gen2 or gen3 Prius?

Think there might be a reason for that???

anyrate, I gotta go fix our roof. enjoy your Priuschatting.

 

Well, I was just curious how you ended up with an i3 if looks, design and styling were important. Here is what a car designer said about the i3: Tesla Chief Designer says the BMW i3 is like a piece of ...

 

Big thanks to Sporin for posting all the pictures from the SpiedBilde website. I like the styling change. It still keeps a "squared-off butt" while looking more like the Camry. (Don't ever put a spoiler on the back like the old Solara.) Any improvement to the handling would be great. I had to go with the 17" low-profile tires to get the handling I wanted. Driving on the mountain roads of California just might get better. Any chance the Air Conditioner will get stronger? The deserts can get really hot in the summer. Now to wait for the Sept. 8 announcement to see what kind of Accessory Packages you can get for each model.

 

I'm still wondering if there will be two different front ends. I like the traditional front as shown on the spy shots, and the whole car looks better and better each time I look at it. However, I suspect that the Chinese rendering showing the big mouth front end may be a clue to either a performance package or a persona package that folks younger than me would like.

Bill the Engineer

 

The "big mouth front end" is the plug in version.