Hybrid sales are (going to be) in trouble as much as SUVs and trucks, maybe worse

The fact that it is going to be faster kinda undermines the point for efficiency.

 

How do you figure?

Taking less time to accomplish something doesn't necessarily equate to more energy being used.
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True, and in the case of burn and glide driving, it might even save you energy. Increasing the power output of the engine of car driven in such a manner could possibly save even more. You likely need to be OCD on the burn and gliding to see the benefit, and driving at the throttle openings that most drivers use can lead to drop in fuel economy in the powered up car versus the non power one.

The engine in the current Prius in is efficient because it has been downsized to the point that it operates at a more efficient, wider throttle opening for greater time. Upping the the power of the engine, while having the power requirements for most driving remaining the same means that the new engine will at a lower throttle with more pumping loss.

Simply, the current Prius is fast enough for everyday driving. Anything faster is unneeded and cuts into the efficiency of the car by, at least, adding weight, in larger engines and motors, to it.

Maybe my impression is wrong, and the 1.8L is the best match for fuel economy, but it feels like Toyota is bowing to the more power is better mentality.

 

But the question I'll never get answered is, what would the fuel economy have been like with a 1.5L engine instead of the 1.8L engine? In other words, How much did the tightening up of the software and other "things" increase the fuel efficiency and does the 1.8L further increase that fuel efficiency or decrease it?