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The new Toyota Prius made its world premiere on 2022
As the era of the ubiquitous SUV continues to reign supreme, an unexpected contender has entered the arena, challenging the norms of automotive design. Renowned virtual car tuner, Theo Throttle, has unleashed a visual masterpiece that’s captured the attention of car enthusiasts worldwide – an SUV iteration of Toyota’s iconic Prius.
In a world where SUVs seem to conquer every niche, the arrival of the fifth-generation Toyota Prius on November 16, 2022, turned heads. A significant detail awaited revelation, and on December 14, 2022, the United States witnessed the announcement of the retail price for this latest Prius incarnation.
Theo Throttle, known for his uncanny ability to breathe life into digital designs, took the stage by storm with a jaw-dropping rendering – a “Prius Cross,” a hybrid creation that fuses the distinctive Prius identity with the commanding presence of an SUV.
Witness the CG Enchantment: Unveiling the “Prius Cross,” a Convincing Fusion of Hybrid and SUV Elements
From the original Prius’s debut in 1997 as the pioneering mass-produced hybrid, to its fourth-generation evolution which commanded a staggering 5.05 million global sales, the Prius lineage thrived. The fifth-gen Prius, unveiled on November 16, 2022, promises an irresistible concoction of environmental consciousness and an irresistible allure that grips hearts and steering wheels alike.
This reinvented classic boasts a modern, avant-garde exterior highlighted by a distinct hammerhead motif. Evolution is undeniable as the new Prius features a 50 mm lowered roofline, a hip point positioned 25 mm lower, and an overall width amplified by 22 mm – a symphony of enhancements that embodies sporty elegance.
The interior encapsulates the “Island Architecture” principle, an amalgamation of expansive interior expanse and a cockpit ambiance that fosters unwavering focus on the road ahead.
Theo Throttle’s magnum opus, the Toyota Prius Cross, paints a canvas of possibility. While it seemingly elongates the new Prius into an SUV silhouette, the true magic lies in the meticulously crafted details. A bolder grille, enhanced headlights, and other subtle elements conspire to bring this crossover vision to life.
At the rear, the emblematic “CROSS” lettering respectfully bows beneath the proud “PRIUS” emblem, underscoring this visionary interpretation.
In an artistic portfolio brimming with imaginative wonders, Theo Throttle’s hypothetical realm has included the likes of a pickup variant of the Toyota Crown Estate and an SUV embodiment of the Toyota Century. However, the Prius Cross has taken the spotlight.
Theo Throttle muses, “Toyota has ventured into ‘Cross’ iterations with the Yaris, Corolla, and even the Crown. So, is a Prius Cross a stretch of imagination?” An inquiry that begets thought, considering Toyota’s existing lineup of similarly named crossover models.
While the notion seems to echo a fantastical daydream, reality may surprise. Theo Throttle artfully reminds us of Toyota’s penchant for expanding their crossover family, hinting at the conceivable emergence of a Prius Cross-like creation in the not-so-distant future. In a world where the inconceivable can materialize, Theo Throttle’s brush strokes on the canvas of innovation hold promise.
Why are there so few “commercial vans” represented by the Hiace? Only Toyota/Nissan/Daihatsu manufactures .
“Why are there so few models of “”commercial vans”” represented by the Hiace? Why only Toyota, Nissan, and Daihatsu manufacture them?
What is the Current Situation Surrounding Commercial Vans?
There is a wide variety of passenger cars available in Japan, with domestic models alone numbering around 150.However, there are only a few commercial vans, and excluding OEMs, Toyota offers only the Hiace and Probox, Nissan offers the Caravan, NV200 Vanette, and AD (orders will be temporarily suspended at the end of August 2022), and Daihatsu offers the Granmax Cargo.
“”Hiace”” with a “”Gila face””? Or the ultra-luxurious “”Caravan””? A look at premium popular vans.
Toyota’s “”Hiace”” boasts overwhelming popularity among commercial vans.
OEMs supplying other companies are also limited to a small number of small/ordinary commercial vans.
Daihatsu supplies the Granmax Cargo to Toyota as the “”Town Ace Van. Mazda offers the Bongo Brawny Van (based on the Hiace), Bongo Van (Grand Max Cargo), and Familia Van (Probox) manufactured by Toyota and Daihatsu, but other companies do not offer light/regular commercial vans.
At this time, Honda, Mitsubishi, Subaru, and Suzuki do not offer light/medium commercial vans.
On the other hand, light commercial vans are available in a wide variety of models. Suzuki has developed and produced the Every and Spacia-based models, while Daihatsu has developed and produced the Hyzet Cargo and the Atley, and OEMs have also developed their own.
Suzuki’s Every is supplied to three manufacturers as Nissan’s NV100 Clipper, Mazda’s Scrum Van, and Mitsubishi’s Minicab Van, meaning that of the eight domestic manufacturers that handle passenger cars, four sell the same vehicle if Suzuki, the supplier, is included.
Daihatsu’s Hyzet Cargo is also supplied to three manufacturers as Toyota’s “”Pyxis Van”” and Subaru’s “”Sambar Van,”” and Honda, which has no OEM relationship, develops and produces the “”N-VAN”” on its own.
Returning to light/regular commercial vans, the number of models, including OEM vehicles, is currently small.
The Hiace is by far the best-selling model, followed by the Caravan. However, the sales gap is large, and although the number of registered Caravans has increased compared to the past, it is still less than half that of the Hiace.
And Daihatsu Granmax Cargo & Toyota Town Ace vans are produced by Astra Daihatsu Motor in Indonesia. Due to the impact of being imported vehicles, even before the issue of the new coronavirus arose, delivery dates were significantly delayed depending on the timing of the contract.
Commercial vehicles are often required to be delivered in a short period of time due to corporate activities, and some dealers say that the Town Ace is difficult to sell because of its unstable delivery schedule.
In addition, vans with wagon-like bodies, such as the Probox and AD, are also experiencing lower sales. In this situation, the market for small/standard commercial vans has essentially become a market for the Hiace and Caravan, with no other vehicle types able to enter the market.
Why are there so few models of “”commercial vans”” represented by the Hiace? Why only Toyota, Nissan, and Daihatsu manufacture them?
Two Reasons for the Low Number of Commercial Van Models
There are two reasons behind the dearth of commercial van models. First, commercial vans, including small/ordinary vehicles, are thin-margin products.Because of the overwhelmingly long mileage of commercial vans, which carry cargo, dealers say that it is not unusual for a Hiace to run 300,000 to 400,000 km, requiring durability that cannot be compared to passenger cars.
Although the price is a little higher for this reason, there is not much profit to be gained by manufacturers and dealers.
For this reason, Mazda and Mitsubishi used to develop and produce light/regular commercial vans on their own, but Mazda began to introduce OEMs and Mitsubishi has stopped handling them.
The second reason why the market for small/regular commercial vans became the market for the Hiace and Caravan was the improvement of the light commercial van product line.
The 1998 changes to the light vehicle standards brought the body size to its current size and increased the load capacity.
For example, the cargo length, width, and height of the HiZet Cargo Deluxe are 1915 mm, 1270 mm, and 1250 mm, respectively, while the Granmax Cargo GL, a small commercial van, measures 2045 mm x 1495 mm x 1305 mm.
Although the Granmax Cargo is wider, the difference is only 130 mm in terms of cargo length, so many users consider the light commercial van, the HiZet Cargo, to be sufficient.
Moreover, it is not unusual for a single corporation to own several vehicles for business use. In such cases, the low maintenance cost of a light commercial van is also a big advantage.
If only one vehicle is owned, the economic burden of a light/regular commercial van is small, but if three or more vehicles are owned, the difference can be significant. A light commercial van with a small body is also advantageous when parking in a warehouse.
However, light commercial vans are more profitable than small/ordinary commercial vans. As a result, OEM vehicles have become popular, as mentioned above.
The total of the four sister vehicles, Every + NV100 Clipper + Scrum Van + Minicab Van, will reach an average of approximately 8,000 units reported per month from January to August 2022. The Hyzet Cargo + Atley + Sambar Van + Pixis Van are also approximately 8,200 units.
Since the Suzuki Spacia, the second largest selling minicar, is approximately 7,900 units, the Every and Hyzet Cargo boast an overwhelming scale when it comes to the total number of vehicles produced, including OEM vehicles.
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The number of models of small/ordinary commercial vans and light commercial vans is also much smaller, because it is a tough world of thin profit margins.
To put it another way, we have a lineup of products that are extremely affordable for users and firmly support Japan’s logistics industry.
They are essential and reliable vehicles for a small number of elite customers.”
A full-fledged SUV with a retro look! Are “box” designs like the “G Class” and “Jimny” cool? What is Alfa’s new SUV “REX” .
“Retro-looking SUV with a boxy design like the G-Class and Jimny! What is Alfa’s new SUV “”REX””?
New Retro-Faced EV Off-Roader, “”REX””, is Now Available
On May 16, 2022, the emerging U.S. EV manufacturer ALPHA MOTOR CORPORATION (“”Alfa””) unveiled the REX, an SUV developed by the company. It features a square keynote design, but what kind of car is it?Retro face is gobsmackingly cute! More images of Alfa’s authentic SUV “”REX””
Alfa’s new “”REX”” EV off-roader with a retro face
Alfa is an emerging EV manufacturer based in California, USA. The company develops vehicles with a retro look characterized by the use of straight lines and a variety of body types, including the ACE coupe, the SAGA sedan, and the WOLF pickup truck.
Alfa has developed the REX, a three-door SUV, using the WOLF platform.
With a choice of dual-motor 4WD or single-motor RWD powertrains, the REX accelerates from 0-96 km/h in 6.2 seconds and has a range of 250 to 270 miles per charge (approximately 402 to 434 km).
Body dimensions are 4828 mm (length) x 1900 mm (width) x 1720 mm (height), with seating capacity for four passengers.
The exterior of the REX has a linear, boxy design reminiscent of the Land Rover Defender, Suzuki Jimny, and Mercedes-Benz G-Class. The rear canopy can be removed.
The interior design is as simple and practical as the exterior. The rear seats are removable, and the combined storage space under the rear and front hoods can hold a total of approximately 396 liters of luggage.
Currently only a three-door version is available, but plans call for the addition of a four-door version and other variations in the future.
The price of the REX has been announced as $46,000 (approximately 6,130,000 yen) to $56,000 (approximately 7,460,000 yen), and reservations are currently being accepted.
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All Alfa cars are available for reservation, and the company commented in the release as follows
Alfa is passionately developing new electric vehicles to most efficiently meet the needs of the market. In line with our business plan, we will continue to develop attractive zero-emission vehicles and release our products responsibly. We are certainly gearing up for market entry.””
We look forward to seeing what Alfa has in store for the future.
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)”
Honda’s New Fit RS Sporty Custom is So Cool!
ByPawaniExciting Yellow Fog Lights! Honda’s New Fit RS Sporty Custom is So Cool!
What are the accessory parts for the new Fit RS?
Honda’s compact car “”Fit”” will undergo a minor change in October 2022, and for the first time in two and a half years, a sporty “”RS”” grade has been added.Cool yellow fogs on a black face! View 22 photos of the new “”Fit RS”” fully armed with genuine accessories.
With the introduction of the new Fit RS and some design changes to existing grades, Honda Access, which develops genuine parts for Honda vehicles, has lined up a lineup of exclusive accessory parts. What kind of customization can be enjoyed with the new Fit?
Yellow fog lights emphasize the presence of the new Fit RS
Under the grand theme of “”FIT. in YOUR LIFE,”” illumination items are available for the “”RS”” grade as accessories for the new Fit.
Two types of LED fog lights, clear and yellow, are available to illuminate the area close to the car in bad weather and other situations, making the car’s presence known to those around it. Together with the “”Fog Light Garnish,”” the fog lights can be used to show off the presence of the new Fit RS.
In addition, illumination items such as the “”pattern projector,”” which illuminates the “”FIT”” logo underfoot when the doors are opened and closed, and the “”side step garnish,”” available in white or blue, create a high-quality and gorgeous image.
Other new features include black emblems and aluminum “”sport pedals”” that give a fearless impression.
For grades other than the RS, a sharp front grille in Berliner Black and front, side, and rear lower skirts that give a sporty silhouette are available for the Basic, Home, and Luxe grades.
In addition, the “”LED Fog Light”” for the Basic and Home models can be combined with the “”Fog Light Garnish”” with platinum plating on the lower grille to give the front face a stylish makeover.
In addition, practical accessories for the SUV-like “”Closter”” include an “”armrest console”” and an “”LED tailgate light”” that illuminates the luggage space when the tailgate is opened.
Prices (including consumption tax) for the RS start at 30,800 yen for the “”LED fog light,”” 25,300 yen for the “”pattern projector,”” and 12,100 yen for the “”foot light.
The “”front grille”” exclusively for Basic/Home/Luxe starts at 27,500 yen, the “”lower skirt”” is 44,000 yen for the front and 35,200 yen for the rear, and the “”fog light garnish”” for Basic/Home is 11,000 yen.
Also, the Closter “”armrest console”” is 25,300 yen and the “”LED tailgate light”” is 11,000 yen.
Experience the driving of Toyota “bZ4X” as soon as possible! “More than I expected …”
“First hands-on experience of Toyota’s “”bZ4X”” driving! More than I expected…”” [Response EV/PHEV Test Ride] June 1, 2022 (Wed.) 12:45 PM
Toyota bZ4X (Response Readers Only EV/PHEV Test Ride Event)
The “”Response Readers Only EV/PHEV Test Ride”” was held at Ariake Garden (Koto-ku, Tokyo) on May 14th. The event, where visitors could experience the latest EVs and PHEVs, including the much-talked-about Toyota bZ4X, drew a large crowd despite the rainy weather forecast for the morning of the event.Staff members from each manufacturer were on hand to provide test rides and show visitors the appeal of their vehicles. Whether they are actually considering purchasing an EV or are still waiting to see how it goes, visitors had a wide range of reactions. This article reports on the test-drive event.
Toyota’s first EV “”bZ4X”” to be launched in earnest
The Toyota bZ4X, which has just been unveiled as a production model, is one of the most talked-about vehicles at this year’s event. Since the event was held before the dealers’ exhibits and test drives were fully underway, participants who had test driven other vehicles were able to observe the exhibits in detail.The exhibitor said that 500 orders had been received in the first two days after the announcement, and that the start of dealer test drives would probably spur even more orders. In fact, many people commented that the size of the car was more reasonable than they had expected when they saw it in person, so the response is likely to increase once the car is on store shelves.
Participants who test drove the bZ4X gave it high marks for its acceleration, responsiveness, and quietness, as well as for its ride comfort. The participants, who were skeptical about the performance of Toyota’s first full-fledged EV, were pleasantly surprised to find that they were able to experience the effects of the thoroughly low center-of-gravity design.
Is “”purchasing”” at KINTO still unfamiliar to you?
On the other hand, the brakes were the main area of concern. Some owners of other EVs pointed out the difference in feel, but what was interesting was that a MT vehicle owner pointed out that “”when not in one-pedal mode, there was not enough deceleration with the throttle off. The paddles to adjust the level of regenerative braking, which are equipped on the Subaru Sortera, might improve this situation somewhat.
Another question often asked at the show was about the purchasing method: visitors’ comments indicated that not only KINTO, which applies to the bZ4X, but also the leasing method is still unfamiliar to the general public. It is expected that this understanding will deepen as the number of business negotiations increases in the stores.
In any case, the reaction to being able to see the bZ4X up close just after its debut was generally positive.”
Toyota Unleashes the 2024 Yaris with 130 HP Boost and Cutting-Edge Safety Features.
ByPawaniIn a much-anticipated announcement, Toyota’s Spanish subsidiary has revealed the latest iteration of the beloved Yaris, set to hit the market in 2024. The new model is generating significant buzz, especially due to its enhanced hybrid technology and revamped design.
A Brief History of the Yaris/Vitz
The Yaris, originally known as the Vitz in Japan, made its debut in January 1999. Evolving through various generations, the Vitz was eventually discontinued in 2020. In the same year, the car underwent a complete transformation and was rebranded as the “Yaris” for a global audience. Now in its fourth generation, the Yaris has become a staple in different markets, with varying specifications to cater to regional preferences.
Global Appeal and Local Preferences
Despite sharing a common name globally, the Yaris exhibits subtle differences depending on the market. The overseas model, not available in Japan, has been gaining popularity among Japanese users who praise its wider build and easy drivability. The 2024 Yaris model unveiled in Spain continues to cater to these preferences, offering a larger size than its Japanese counterpart.
Upgraded Performance with the 5th Generation Hybrid System
The highlight of the 2024 Yaris is undoubtedly its advanced 5th generation hybrid system, featured in the Premier Edition and the sporty GR SPORT grade. Boasting a larger and higher-performance electric motor/generator, along with a new transaxle and revised power control unit (PCU) software and hardware, the total system output has been significantly boosted from 116 to 130 horsepower. Torque has also seen an increase, jumping from 141 Nm to an impressive 185 Nm.
These enhancements translate into improved acceleration performance, with the 2024 Yaris now capable of reaching 0 to 100 km/h in just 9.2 seconds and accelerating from 80 to 120 km/h in 7.5 seconds. The result is a more powerful and dynamic driving experience for enthusiasts.
Advanced Safety Features and Connectivity
Toyota has not only focused on performance but also prioritized safety in the 2024 Yaris. The latest generation of Toyota Safety Sense is now standard across all models, offering over-the-air software updates for seamless feature upgrades. New cameras and radar significantly expand the accident risk detection range, recognizing a wider array of objects, including pedestrians, bicycles, and motorcycles.
Additional safety features include an “”acceleration suppression function”” to prevent sudden acceleration when a collision risk is detected, proactive driving assist (PDA), and an emergency drive stop system (EDSS).
Connectivity is another strong suit of the 2024 Yaris, featuring the Toyota Smart Connect system across all grades. The entry-level S edition comes equipped with a 9-inch multimedia screen, while digital keys that transform your smartphone into a car key are now standard, enhancing overall convenience.
Pricing and Availability
The 2024 Yaris model is set to hit the streets in Spain with a starting price of 22,300 euros (approximately 3.6 million yen). The GR Sport, equipped with the new engine, starts at 28,050 euros (about 4.53 million yen), and the Premier Edition begins at 20,000 euros (about 4.53 million yen). With a variety of options to choose from, the 2024 Yaris is poised to captivate both speed enthusiasts and safety-conscious drivers alike. Starting at 9,750 euros (approximately 4.8 million yen), there’s a Yaris model to suit every driver’s preference and budget.”