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

Considering how lame the "reveal" was, I wouldn't be surprised if Toyota had the driver use the Fred Flintstone method to get the car to the turntable.

 

Lame is correct. Hey Fred could probably pedal it further than that car moved.

 

if that were the case, the camry hybrid would be outselling the regular camry. it doesn't. you know why? because at the end of the day most people buying a hybrid want a hybrid. and the reality is that "people wanting to buy a hybrid" are not mainstream. sorry.

quoting from a PR statement is pretty great though, thanks for the laugh.

Felt: dynamically adjustable suspensions are expensive and don't come standard on any Toyota sedan. Tesla charges $2500 for it. I would highly doubt the Prius comes with one.

 

That requires an assumption that nothing else has changed.

 

No, some people want a car that looks like a Camry but works like a Prius. I think the main reason the Camry Hybrid is not outselling the regular Camry is price. At a premium of $4500 to $5500, no wonder.

We drove both the regular and hybrid Camry before getting our HyCam. While the regular Camry was OK, the HyCam just felt better, much faster and I know now it does great mileage. Plus, how many do you see on used car lots? Around here, slim to none.

 

Camry hybrid has smaller trunk too.

Packaging is getting better where HV battery is now located under the rear seat. Next gen Camry hybrid could be no compromise in term of space.

 

Yes it was lame no doubt about that,but maybe they didn't want give away everything before dropping the bombshell at Frankfurt Motor Show !
So many details we don't know about .yet .

 

That's pretty much the case, though I think the 'premium' is closer now. The mid-size sedan hybrid sales are fighting against that higher price plus less cargo flexibility and/or lack of a spare. Through in cheap gas and it is no wonder why the best they can do is 10% of the models total sales.

To get more on the road, gas prices have to go up, or the manufacturer has to either eat the premium or discontinue the non-hybrid.

 

Perhaps no or little future space compromise compared to the non hybrid Camry. Still badly compromised compared to the Prius.

 

I would say that if Toyota used the HyCam drivetrain in a sport Prius, it would be a winner. At 200 hp this car would move! Give it two doors, two seats or a 2+2 seating that car could be a sport driver. Just a thought.

 

And the non-hybrid Camry's is badly compromised compared to the Venza or a more sedately styled Camry wagon. A hatchback or wagon to a sedan isn't a like comparison on the item of cargo space.

The under floor cargo of the gen2 did not extend for the entire length of the cargo floor. That was because the battery was in the way. A straight ICE car using the Prius body will have more cargo space than the Prius because the space robbing battery pack isn't there. The Prius not compromising on space is an illusion supported by their being no ICE version of the car.

The gen4 with the Li-ion battery, and the 'non-flat' cargo floor that most don't like, is probably the very first hybrid car to not have to make a compromise on space to fit the hybrid components.

 

That will be a good idea too. But to really have a fast Prius, I reckon drop the V6 HSD in a sexier body as I posted before. A 0-60 in 5 second would put it on par with a lot of performance cars.

SM-G900I ?

 

Agreed, it would be great for straight line acceleration. My thoughts are if it was still a four cylinder, it might handle, too. Add all wheel drive and you could scare some of the so called "sports cars".
The V6 is a good engine, my fear would be it would throw the balance off. If they, Toyota, could get 50-50 weight distribution with All wheel drive and HSD, now that would be some car. Just an idea.

 

I'm in the believe that the battery would be bigger and heavier due to scaling and sizing? If so, should distribute the weight better... I'm sure Toyota have enough expertise to sort out whatever they need to be.

I would be in line to buy one if they dare to produce it!

SM-G900I ?

 

If Toyota got a big Li-on battery like what LG Chem has been doing, instead of NiMH, weight distribution wouldn't matter.

Then the V6 could work. I was thinking of a gymkhana car before. But, if they could balance it right, why sure I would line up with you.

Have you noticed how many manufacturers are doing hybrids now? In 2002, one of GM's VP's said hybrids are just a flash in the pan. Yeah, right.

 

that car would never get 55 mpg, but sure.

MERGED

and what has changed? gas prices have dropped, and there are more BEV options. that's about it.

MERGED

probably because there aren't that many to begin with? How many Fusion Hybrids do you see on used car lots?

also not sure where your premium numbers are coming from. Camry LE is $23,070, Camry LE Hybrid, slightly better appointed, is $26,790; that's $3700 not $5500.

 

Have you driven a Camry Hybrid, lensovet? Just curious...

 

hycam is a great car, but you can't pick one up for $17,000. that's where camry comes in, you can buy a low end model, nicely equipped at a good discount quite often. they stamp them out like cupcakes.

 

maybe as a passenger. i'm sure it's a fine car, my point was that the sales numbers show that clearly hybrids are not mainstream, and a radical facelift on the prius isn't going to change that. i'm not sure how me having driven it or not is relevant here.

 

I agree with you on most of what you have stated, except for that the Gen IV is more attractive then the Gen III. I don't see that one is more attractive then the other. They are so different, but both attractive.