Featured Should Toyota kill off the iconic Prius?

No.

Prius has become a "branded" name like Kleenex

The coupe's body style is avant-garde/ stricking when9 compared to a, more conservative Corolla or Rav.

So many options for Toyota, market research is needed.
I could recommend 50 mpg with Formula 1 vehicle performance

 

it's their best form factor. if it was a gasser or bev, it would be spectacular

 

If they keep it, it should be in a form that embraces the name; something of leading technology or embraces cleaner alternatives. Plug in only has been mentioned elsewhere here. Use it for a more pedestrian FCEV, as the Mirai goes more upscale. Perhaps have hybrid versions running on CNG, or making use of that blue ammonia Japan will be importing.

 

Worldwide, it's still a reasonable seller. Here - nope, I'm surprised they bother. I think they'd sell heaps more COROLLA HYBRID WAGONS if they bothered to try.

TAXIs here were predominantly PRIUS - but have moved largely to CAMRYs.

Camry are close to 50/50 Hybrid, RAV4 was nearer 80% Hybrid too. Mitsubishi PHEV barely sells any.

 

The article has a good point. The Prius was indeed the first and most notable hybrid, but now Toyota is making every model a hybrid, so there’s no real benefit to the Prius. It also is losing its market segment as more electric cars are being released. Instead of trying to redesign the Prius or change it to fit into a different market segment, I think it makes sense to retire the name and replace it with a new electric car with a new name.

 

Prius should carry on, make it sporty, sell a G’s version in the USA. Make it available with available accessories that have been only available in Japan, spice it up. Prius name is it’s own brand and can rebound with attracting it to younger folks looking for fun and sporty.

 

While a big seller in Japan, Prius sales have slacked off elsewhere.
In the US, its fortunes follow the price of gas. While Europe has higher gas prices, the import tax makes Toyota's hybrids built there more attractive to buyers.

The Aqua will be replaced by the Yaris hybrid, if it isn't already one retaining the old name.

 

They should make an all electric Prius with better handling and performance.

 

A former Prius owner, Toyota holds back low-speed torque that could really boost the urban driving experience. We don't need wheel spin but modern torque control can handle everything from black-ice to semi-melted asphalt. I used to have other suggestions by my Std Rng Plus Model 3 drove them away. <grins>

Bob Wilson

 

I'm torn on this as the name Prius has great brand recognition. But as others have mentioned, the times are changing and the Prius is being left behind. Sales have been declining for the last six or seven years as well with the introduction of more fuel efficient cars in a "normal" body style. The Prius is polarizing for so many nowadays and it seems people either love it or hate it.

When I think of Prius, I think of a car that pushed the envelope in regards to hybrid technology. While you don't want to lose that name, it IS really associated with only hybrids; a job it did well. The Prime is an outlier and more of a stop-gap in regards to the line until they go full BEV.

So I guess I'm on the retire the name side. Come up with a name that will usher in the BEV line for Toyota and push the boundaries of reliable, innovative auto technology for the next 20 years or so.

 

less and less young folk are even bothering to buy any cars. Next to that, people are buying pickups and SUVs. Now, if Toyota had built a Prius pick up? Or SUV? That would definitely keep the moniker alive and well - because it would be the latest and greatest..
.

 

Toyota killed off Prius for USA when Gen4 they made it look like a sedan, taking away cavernous inside space, and also when they stopped selling Prius v here. I had to go with RAV4H which is not the Droid I was looking for, but had to settle for it. 40 MPG is not too shabby, and almost as good as Gen2 Prius since you get 40 no matter what you do (not sure about winter yet).

I feel like Toyota USA does not have the vision to help Toyota Japan do better in the USA re: Prius design.

 

Agreed. I want to replace my 2010 Prius in the next year or so and don't find the reduced utility of the gen 4 acceptable nor do I find anything comparable to my gen 3 in the market now. I do hope for a gen 5 that goes back to a more useful design (with more leg and head room in back, for example) while adding a bit more pep.

I watched the What Drives Me 20th Prius birthday episode and was surprised that there is still a Prius marketing team here. I wonder what they do all day. Just like in Australia, they were "not at liberty to say" anything about future plans for Prius. That the team exists at all suggests that something has been in the works, whether they bring it to market at all and whether they call it a Prius is anybody's guess.

If they bring a Corolla Cross here that would be a Prius sized vehicle that might attract me.

 

E!us

 

Remember toyota is only hoping to sell 30,000 fcv a year, and has leased less than 3000 in 2019 and will in 2020. fcv need a lot of space for the tanks and its going to be expensive at least until 2030. No one is going to want to pay $40K for a fuel cell Prius.

They should design it around the rav4's type of phev system, maybe bias toward rear wheels and improve on it for a dedicated tall car phev. People will pay a premium for 300 hp and 50 mile ev range, and with lower weight and better aerodynamics they can probably do it with a less expensive pack. camry v6 performance in an efficient phev hatchback. Make it flex fuel so it can burn 100% renewable methanol in place where it is available.

CNG has the same problems as hydrogen with the big tanks and japan doesn't have enough natural gas. I believe the blue ammonia is going to displace coal to generate power.

 

Toyota can get our 2017 Prius Prime from Tesla ... OPPS! Too late!

Bob Wilson

 

A CNG Camry hybrid could go as far a Mirai using NG sourced hydrogen for the same amount of fossil fuel. But the tanks do take up space, even if it isn't has much as hydrogen ones. Another plus is the tanks could be good for 10 years longer than hydrogen ones.

Sounds like Japan will be mixing the ammonia in with NG at turbine plants. I did read that current cars can use 5% ammonia mixed into gasoline, and 25% is possible with modification. Somebody is probably working on a 100% ammonia engine. That would still need pressure tanks, but ones that can handle just 300psi or so vs. the 3500psi and 10k psi for CNG and hydrogen.

 

Uhm the used car market is the hottest it has ever been. Young are buying rather then taking the risk of an Uber during Coronavirus.