Gen 4 Prius Delayed Until Late 2015 | Plug-in Late 2016

Sure glad I was not waiting for it. (Just bought our 2014 P-3 and still loving it!) After buying a first generation, first model year 2013 Dodge Dart 1.4L turbo, and having 14 repair shop visits in 15 months time, then having to lemon law it as it never was fixed. I would never buy a "new model year" again. Let someone else deal with the bugs that need to be worked out.

 

On the other hand, the Prius c, released in 2012, has been almost flawless.

 

However, from the point of view of the "drive it forever" owner, having a longer production run of a given model means more total vehicles of that type on road as the fleet ages, and that in turn means a larger market to motivate vendors of after-market parts and more vehicles in junkyards to strip pieces from.
(Having owned several low-production "orphan" models, I would much prefer to own a popular, long-model-run car.)

 

Fourth-Generation Prius Delayed Half a Year - HybridCars.com

 

They must have read our wish list(s)! )

 

bummer. i was looking forward to the long range pip.

 

Generation 3 getting long in the tooth REALLY!!!! That's crazy to think that.Can you think of any other Hybrid in its class that out performs the current Prius in gas mileage even in looks my 2014 gets a lot of looks from the public.From some of the pictures I've seen of the generation 4 it's not that much of a drastic change from the exterior

 

on the other hand, the market is being slowly eroded, and choices abound. toyota is probably carefully weighing their options. i was hoping to have a 20 mile pip at the end of this year.

 

This time next year seemed a bit on the optimistic side, considering all the other things happening in the market now and expected to unfold by then. Early Fall was realistic. So, end of year isn't too far off.

As for not getting the plug-in model right away... that's good news from my perspective... though watching others upgrade to the new regular model in the meantime will certainly be a test of patience.

Getting it right for the masses is absolutely essential for rollout at this stage. We've already seen home much of a mess GM is dealing with from Volt not being targeted correctly. Ford hasn't exactly had hit the bull's-eye either. Toyota has come closest with being able to deliver something capable of reaching a very wide audience.

Mainstream acceptance is essential with the next generation. That means high-volume purchases, able to compete directly with traditional vehicles, and no dependency on tax-credits. The regular model of Prius is already positioned for that. The plug-in model is demonstrating the potential.

Waiting that plug-in means not getting sucked into fallout from other automakers and having the extra time to refine the new design. We know that lithium battery chemistry continues to improve and the addition of super-capacitors has been experimented with. Those are worth the wait. Cost reduction is obviously too. Then there's the convenience wireless charging has to offer.

Also overlooked is the opportunity lost from current PHV owners. Upgrading so soon isn't an option for many households. An extra year could make all the difference. Many would have had theirs for around 3 years at that point. It will still have retained decent resale value and not be too old to just be better off keeping. That's a good time to capitalize on those seeking the latest & greatest.

Like with my 2001 upgrade to the 2004, then the 2010, then the 2012 plug-in, each was totally worth it. This won't be any different. The wait will seem like forever, but the benefit from balance of purchase priorities will be worth it.

 

Here the upshot:
I couldn't agree more with AOL Autos: a great price on a car that makes "a lot of sense" - high MPG and tons of room for the family.

The Best New Car Deals: June 2014

 

We have already seen many 'early adopters' leave the Prius for other rides and I'm OK with that. EVs need sales to stay in business and more importantly, to come out with the next generations:

• 1st Generation - mind blowing, technological advance, suffers some painful sins but mostly works
• 2nd Generation - fixes the worst sins only to induce a few more "What were they thinking?"
• 3d Generation - YES, this is the one to get . . .

I don't own a lot of stock in Toyota and have nothing but good and great things to say about our 2003 and 2010 Prius. But even I realize a Prius is still too far of a reach for most 'gassers.' The pedal-to-the-metal crowd just doesn't get it . . . there is a car that actually rewards those who drive sensibly. As for the rest, I'm amused at folks who can't even find, much less change their own air filter calling the Prius 'too complex.' Still, let's be realistic, we're only 3% of the new car market.

If Toyota can crack the mind-set of those who would not buy a Prius . . . heck if they could get more hybrid Camrys into owner hands . . . we really need to see closer to 25% (as unrealistic as I know this sounds!) But there is buyer resistance out there which somehow Prius people and early adopters are not affected.

That was a long drink of water to suggest market share is not a technology issue, it is a human issue dealing with buyers. The car still is an impressive piece of engineering. But don't be surprised if I'm on a list for the 150 mile Leaf.

Bob Wilson

 

And for every Prius owner that sells a Prius and buys something else (Leaf, Tesla, Volt, etc.) a used Prius is put on the market for someone to buy that maybe can't afford a new car. So they get to become an advocate for hybrids. And Toyota is still selling more hybrids than everyone one else's hybrids/EV combined.

Mike

 

Well that sucks....

 

gas is too cheap, relatively speaking. and the government is afraid to raise the price of anything due to the 'fragile' economy.

 

Another nice part about the sucky wait... ...is that there will be less to rhetoric to have to deal with.

The amount of FUD (fear, uncertainty, doubt) we've been dealing with about the plug-in model is a real problem. The more data we gather with the current model, the less opportunity for those intentionally trying to undermine. It's sad, especially when it comes from supporters of other plug-in vehicles, but that's the reality we face. In a twisted kind of way, it is actually a beneficial... since designs incapable of appealing to the mainstream will reveal themselves. Hiding behind false claims only goes so far. Then of course, there are those who are just plain not interested in change. Their denial is easy to overcome when sightings become frequent.

To think that some people will still see hybrids as "too complex" as the 2nd generation complete their lifecycle with great success is perplexing. But then again, there's has been fallout in the automotive market lately. The re-rating of MPG estimates along with an overwhelming number of recalls does give reason for pause. So, it does make sense for there to be a delay.

Think about how well established the C and V models will be at that point too. Toyota gets the opportunity to work on improving them in the meantime. People are obviously going to be expecting them to get upgrades quickly after the regular model.

It will work out fine. But for those who were looking forward to the chance to upgrade sooner, it will be a test of patience.

 

So Toyota is later to market, and you comment how the earlier estimates were optimistic. GM is delayed and it is evidence of their total incompetence??

As for your perspective, I suspect Toyota could announce they are closing down the Prius family and you would still find only good things about it.

And regarding adoption of the masses, if everything has to fit that goal, why is Toyota coming out with a $70,000 FCEV? Just what "masses" are going to be buying those?