The designer of the 2016 Prius speaks out on his decision of the final design

i think the biggest statement toyota has made is giving up .01 cd for styling. there must be some true believers there.

 

People have always been surprised to discover maximum efficiency was never the highest priority for Prius.

That was an easy assumption to make. I wonder if it still is. Hmm?

 

I can't believe I wrote that! How embarrassing.

I meant to say that the interior matters more than the exterior.

 

You should have just edited it; no one would be any the wiser, lol.

I think both matter. The interior you have to put up with more.

 

I couldn't; it wouldn't let me. :-|

 

i know i am, but if not that, than what? nothing else about the car appeals.

 

Not much else good about it except:
Reliability
Versatility
Longevity
Low cost of ownership
Low environmental impact
Compact external dimensions
Good characteristics for city traffic
Satisfactory for long distance trips
etc. etc. etc.
Who would be interested in that?

 

Preach!

 

Well I keep hoping Toyota will get it together again on the styling of the Prius. Hopefully the Gen 4 designers got canned and went back to designing tennis shoes... (no offense Gen 4 owners... This comment is directed towards the people that make the design desisions at Toyota)

 

No offense taken and no offence meant but that's a bit rich coming from someone who owns a Gen 3 that is absolutely more tennis shoe looking than the Gen 4

 

And I thought - TOYOTA designer talking about PRIUS Gen 4 - which is far more integrated design than other TOYOTAs.

Eg - the C-HR designer(s) who forgot that rear passengers need to be able to see out, and Corolla Hatch who have made the boot (trunk) smaller with every generation.

 

I'm absolutely fine with the exterior (on Gen4 Mod 1 redesigns). I agree that they put non-drivers in charge of designing the interior. City-based public-transportation engineers (as well as car-enthusiast-magazine/website writers) are useless in many areas, and this Gen4 interior was most likely one of them.

 

I don't mind the interior. The HUD has most everything I want to see at a glance. Don't like the RADIO here - we don't get buttons or knobs like you guys do. And the back seat is one of the best hatchback spaces - often have 3 back there. And the boot (trunk) suits me fine - has a large floor area, which is mostly what most people need.

Bad thingies ...
I'd like better driver's seat though. And that horrible, crazy, stupid foot-handbrake - is atrocious.

 

I was speaking of storage spaces - the bad ones that exist, and the ones they took away from the Gen4's.

The AC temp control lever having a delay (this would be far better as a dial that worked instantly), and no was to have absolute control over how the AC works when the car starts up.

 

Storage is dictated by the design. The TNGA platform is a TOTAL redesign, as well as a huge upgrade from the previous Gen 1, 2 and 3 - it wasn't just a re-hash like Gen 3 was.

Yes, the storage is different - but that's because it's different. But the driving is a HUGE improvement on the previous generations, as is safety.

 

is he still employed there?