4th generation coming 2015!

I agree with the idea of Toyota management taking their time and getting it right. I would think that they would also prefer to have the new design on the showroom floor at a time of rising gas prices and creating big sales momentum, rather than fighting the current market.

If initial sales have technical and performance problems, selling into a low priced gasoline market, it could be a disaster for the brand.

 

I agree also...but, I would rather they be more transparent. It would be pretty foolish to hide so much and end up underperforming lol.

Like if they say "60mpg+ and sportier" we can say ok...Otherwise we might be instilled doubts and then if it ended up looking nice but 54mpg I would actually be disappointed. Remember Duke Nukem Forever? It never got released and there was no transparency. The true definition of development hell.

Now Toyota was transparent about the delay...sort of. Don't know what that means other than "not good enough" which raises concerns

 

There is nothing new about the AWD system mentioned. It's used on the current Hybrid Highlander. They put a third MG on a rear axle diff. "Not suitable for offroad use", due to limited rear wheel power.

Not trying to deflate Toyota's hyperbole, just putting out the facts. But I'd love an AWD Prius! If they actually gave it some ground clearance I could drive my Prius more and avoid the FJ Cruiser except in extreme situations. The FJ Cruiser uses about 2.5 to 3 times as much fuel as Pearl S.

 

I'm becoming worried about the G4 Prius. The picture below is the 2016 Toyota Avalon. Look at the front grille on the car. Does it remind you of the "pouty lips" and "beak" we saw on the Prius v? Has Toyota found no other way to deal with front end crashes? or do they consider this
"sportier" ?

 

"Catfish-mouth" is "sportier"? Yeah, like Godzilla is "cute"....NOT!

 

Perhaps the subject should change to Gen IV coming 2016 or maybe even 2017!

I'm in for maintenance and talked to a well-versed sells-guy who's been working with Toyota for over a decade...He said the Mirai is definitely coming, but will start in California this year before spreading to other states (such as Mass). He also said that he talked to a factory manager and the factory manager said to not expect the Gen IV until late next year.

SO...development hell then? lol. We saw mules in 2013 and if it comes out closer to 2017, they cold have fit a 4 year model in between. And then of course then the plugin comes out late 2017? I sure hope the other competitors wipe the floor with tech and battery tech at this point.

 

Yikes. Don't think I can wait that long.

 

That 2016 Avalon is only a mid-cycle refresh. The 4 Gen Prius is going to be all new. I would imagine Toyota does not want to give away design info to competitors like Honda, Ford, etc... hence they are being so quiet. I don't recall any early reveals on the 3rd Gen Prius, only a series of tidbit photos in December then Detroit revealed in January.

 

Oh no, no hints please of using this body and interior for the 4th Gen. This Gen design needs to go bye. Bye for good.in a year.

 

Isn't this coming 4th Gen Prius supposed to be the first Toyota to use this TNGA, Toyota New Global Architecture? Wouldn't this explain why it's taking a little longer? I seriously doubt that
1) Toyota is planning to dump or do a half -@ss redesign
2) Toyota is incapable or having trouble producing this new car.
Patience Yago!

 

I do not quibble with your post ...... but you missed the point of mine.

Look at the front grille, (pictured above) and compare it to the front grille of the Prius v. They are very similar. Is this the new Toyota design philosophy? Perhaps, it's a product of the global unibody (I can't think of the name right now).

Clearly, radiators do not need that many square feet of grille opening to maintain the proper temperature. Many vehicles with large grilles, are actually partially blocked with solid inserts within the grille. So it is a design feature, not a cooling necessity.

To each his own, I just do not like the gaping maws. 70AARUDA called it a "catfish mouth." It reminds me of hollywood women that get their lips done, and end up with enormous, way out of proportion lips.

 

Looks aside, what's it doing to drag coefficient?

And beside the grill opening, the two indents at turn signal/fog light cluster?

 

I don't think they are considering gas prices at all as for date of release.
If they are wrong and gas prices spike before they release it they are giving away their strongest reason for buying to the competition.

 

Called Toyota corporate. The gal talked to a product manager and said the new Prius will be a 2016 (that doesn't answer question whether it will be a model year 2016). She said to sign up for email updates on Toyota.com

 

The Toyota reps at the car show were clueless as well or at least were playing dumb. I think they mentioned Detroit for reveal.

Who the heck knows.

Maybe ouijja board knows. Lol.

 

Any talk of no new Prius is just crazy talk. Yeah, Toyota is all into the Fcv Mirai right now. I believe it just went on sale in Japan, then later this year in US. But Mirai is a very low volume car. So to have a bigger foot in the alt vehicle game they have to put out a new generation hybrid. Toyota sure isn't going to do a BEV, but, neither is Honda. Are they both clueless? Doubt that.

 

Subsidies and big energy influence are the only things keeping the hydrogen Mirage (sic) alive. They are silly not to codevelop a BEV alongside the hydrogen fool cell.

 

Cycledrum ..... I have to completely agree with you. I had paid no attention to the Mirai. Shame on me. Today I went back and read several articles, and test drives of the vehicle. I am overwhelmed with the accuracy and perceptiveness of your comment.

All that said, I still do not like the looks of it. For the first time in many years, I suspect that soon there may not be a Toyota in my stable.

 

Oh, I'm sure Toyota could develop and make a battery electric car for sale in a short time if they felt they could sell a bunch of them AND make good money doing do. Was reading other day that Tesla does not expect to be profitable until year 2020, so clearly it's not easy to make BEVs and be profitable ( they are spending loads of money on the battery factory and new development).

Time will tell about H2 FCVs, how many cars will sell. Greencar Reports has a lot of good articles about BEVs and H2 FCVs.

Anyrate, back to the Prius. Toyota is going to put out a new 4th gen Prius. They are not so 'in bed' with gas companies that they would put out what might be a vapor selling FCEV, then drop their flagship hybrid car.

 

On a slightly different note...

A few months back, it was reported somewhere (and even discussed on this thread) that a few select dealers got the opportunity to see a preview of Prius G4 - I find it hard to imagine why none of those dealers contributed to our discussion here.

How do Toyota gather owner feedback anyway? I know of a few companies doing very well and in close contact with their customer base via forums but none of them are automotive. There must be good reasons why car manufacturers have decided against it - apart from the potential risk of too much information leaking out to the competition.

Isn't there anything solid Toyota can tell us at this point about Prius G4? Or can one of those lucky dealers who saw G4 speak out please?