Nissan Elgrand and Honda’s Odyssey are expected to be the next models.

Toyota Prius is too sporty for previous owners! The new “”Prius”” is too sporty for previous owners! Thursday, December 15, 2022 10:10 What do you think of the new Prius?The Toyota “”Prius,”” renowned as the pioneer of hybrid cars since its birth in 1997, has been fully remodeled into its 5th generation. I’ve never seen a Prius like this! Customized versions with extreme flair are already on the market!

　The new Prius is longer, wider, and lower than the previous model, and has a new sporty appeal.On the other hand, the new Prius has been criticized by some for its change of character, as it aims for a premium line that emphasizes style rather than family use.In this issue, we asked owners of successive generations of the Prius about the new model. How do they view the change from pursuing practicality and fuel economy to a more stylish and sporty line?

　Mr. T, a man in his 50s who has been driving a third-generation Prius, said that while the stylish new direction of the new model is appealing, he is concerned that it will be even harder to drive. I’ve been driving a 30 Prius for quite a long time, but originally the front of the car has a steep drop, so it’s hard to get a sense of the vehicle in front of me.

　The new model is cooler and more attractive, but I am concerned about whether the A-pillar will be laid down further, making the driver’s seat feel more oppressive and the front of the car more distant.If my parents, who are in their 70s, are also driving, I am concerned about the design, which seems to have poor ease of getting in and out of the car and poor rearward visibility, and I worry that it will not be kind to the elderly.””

　The C segment, to which the Prius belongs, is exquisitely positioned between the compact car and the middle class. There are many previous owners who don’t want to drive a compact car, but don’t want to drive a car that is too big, so the bold change of course is controversial.

I am sure that this is a proposal for a new sense of value. It is a matter of course to have good fuel economy, but we needed something more attractive, and I think the answer was ‘sportiness.It is definitely a good car if you actually drive it, but I think it would have been better if they had prioritized practicality a little more, including increasing the size of the car.It seems that many people are demanding practicality from the Prius. Especially for novice drivers and the elderly, ease of getting in and out of the car and visibility are very important. I wonder how users will evaluate this area after the car is actually sold.On the other hand, there are those who welcome this stylish line.

　Mr. E, a man in his 30s who currently drives a compact car, used to own a third-generation Prius, and he says he is quite impressed with the new fifth-generation Prius, partly because he shunned the “”overly aggressive design”” of the fourth-generation Prius.The fourth-generation Prius, especially the previous model before the minor changes in 2018, was not very perfect, to be honest,”” he said. In that respect, the new model has a novel impression in its face, but it was immune to the new “”Crown”” and I think the rear style is like a hatchback, and yet it also gives the impression of a more futuristic look.

　Moreover, thanks to its low and wide profile, it looks as stylish as an imported car, and I would like to drive it.I’m also interested in the sharp acceleration that only PHEVs can provide, and I’d like to give it a try if I get the chance to test drive one. Mr. A’s opinion seems to indicate that a car needs to have not only performance but also a cohesive overall design.

Toyota’s new “”Prius”” is too sporty for previous owners to resist! Some are concerned that the visibility will be poor…What are the features of the new Prius?What catches the eye in the new Prius is its different and elongated proportions: it inherits the 5-door hatchback style from the second generation, but clearly emphasizes a lower profile. Furthermore, the front face has been redesigned with a “”hammerhead”” motif, which is also used on the new Crown, and is typical of the latest Toyota models.At 4600 mm long x 1780 mm wide x 1430 mm wide, the new Prius is not only slightly longer and slightly wider than the previous model, but also 40 mm lower.

　At a time when SUVs are the mainstay of the market, with many models exceeding 1600 mm in overall height, the new Prius gives the impression of a much lower stance, emphasizing its sporty nature.Toyota’s new Prius Another notable feature of the new Prius is its revamped powertrain: in addition to the 1.8-liter hybrid, a 2-liter hybrid is available. In addition, a 2-liter plug-in hybrid (PHEV) will be offered.Maximum output is 140 hp for the 1.8-liter hybrid, 193 hp for the 2-liter hybrid, and 223 hp for the 2-liter PHEV, with an agile 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 6.7 seconds. In fact, as of December 2022, WLTC fuel economy figures have not been released, but horsepower and acceleration are clear, as if to emphasize the sportiness of the car.

　The 1.8-liter hybrid emphasizes economy, the PHEV uses a large amount of electric energy to drive the motor for sharp acceleration, and the 2-liter hybrid aims to combine the best of both worlds, offering the performance that users demand in a pine, bamboo, and plum arrangement, as one might expect from Toyota.The new Prius has taken the sporty route, but even at the expense of some practicality, it seems to be aiming for a premium line like the sports 4-door coupe, which has become rare nowadays.

　There are several possible reasons for this, including the fact that Toyota has a large lineup of hybrid vehicles in addition to the Prius, and that the role of the world’s first mass-produced hybrid vehicle has been fulfilled, and that a new appeal was needed to maintain a presence in the C-segment class, where there are many strong players. The new Crown is in the same vein as the new Crown.

　This seems to be the same trend with the new Crown, and Toyota’s decision to add crossovers and SUVs to keep the Crown name alive was a bold change to keep the Prius alive.It also made it possible to appeal that hybrid vehicles can offer fun features other than fuel economy, and it may be that a suitable style was necessary to push sportiness to the forefront.

　There is an impression that the new Prius is designed to appeal to new users rather than existing users.There are various opinions on the change to a sporty line, but it seems certain that the stylish new Prius will still “”sell”” well.