2009 Prius BIGGER and FASTER (Yeah better mileage too)

[Tempus]

Toyota Prius: Next Chapter Opens in January - AutoObserver

According to this the New Prius will be bigger (by a couple of inches) and more powerful (up to 160 HP).

It will also get slightly better mileage (50-55 on the new EPA scale?)

But, I really worry that Toyota is missing the point.

Every Model always seems to 'creep' up in power and size.

For me, that's most definitely NOT what I want to see.

Something the size of the current Prius that gets the BEST MILEAGE POSSIBLE is what I want.

Toyota - PLEASE!!!! - Don't go down this road with the Prius.

So you made it bigger without Increased Weight? Why didn't you make it the same size and Decrease Weight?

So you made it faster? WHO CARES?

If this is true, it's exactly what I was afraid of. If they start creeping the Prius up, that they risk loosing the very audience that made the Prius the success it is.

Excerpts:

"While it's still of course firmly under wraps, a well-placed Toyota source says the next generation Prius looks good. "Still Prius-eque, but a bit bigger and more solid looking."

Toyota will re-engineer the Prius' unique gas engine/electric motor/battery powertrain to make it more efficient, more tightly packaged and to extend the driving range using battery the electric motor.

Toyota will install a bigger 1797 cc four cylinder gas engine to cope with the bigger body and counter criticism in some quarters of the weedy performance of the current 1.5.

With the new 1.8, output's expected to shift from today's 75 bhp to a more rousing 100 bhp. This together with a next generation electric motor should lift combined system output from the current 110 bhp to some 160 bhp, sources predict.

As such, the next Prius will be significantly faster, especially off the line and in low to mid range. But advances with the motor, battery and recharging inside Toyota's trick Hybrid Synergy Drive means economy won't be adversely affected.

Quite the reverse, in fact. While the current Prius posts a class-leading 35.5 km/l in Japan's 10.15-mode fuel cycle (equal to 83.5 mpg in the US), Toyota's reported target with the Mk 3 Prius is a stellar 40 km/l (94 mpg) in the same cycle.

Different markets around the world have their own take on exactly how green and frugal the Prius actually is. America, for instance, rates the 2008 Prius at a far more real world-like 48 mpg/45 mpg/46 mpg for city/highway/combined.

Japan's 10.15 mode, nevertheless, while not perfect, does give an idea of the kind of efficiency improvements we can expect with the next Prius (ie some 10 per cent-plus) and suggests, perhaps, that America's Combined rating for the 2010 Prius will lift up to the 50-55 mpg mark."




I will be REALLY disappointed if the next gen only gets 50-55 MPG.

[Austin50mpg]

If Toyota can do this, they should leave the Prii alone and start working on hybrid pickups.

[Solarman44]

I hope the 09 will be much better in MPG. I'm getting a constant 53.4 MPG so it needs to be higher then that to warrant trading up to. I wish they would hurry on the plug-in, that is the answer.

[lefat1]

it may debut in jan '09, but doubt it will be out til 2010 or at least when the 2010's come out usually around sept '09

[john1701a]

Originally Posted by Tempus

Toyota - PLEASE!!!! - Don't go down this road with the Prius.

Looks like you forgot to consider the big picture...

Pushing Prius in that direction opens up the opportunity to create a smaller one too, a second model to address the market that deems MPG an even higher priority.

We like when they offer a choice.

.

[YoungOrganist]

My guess, and this is only a guess (though also a hope), is that the increased power is simply a spin-off of the more efficient hybrid system, like maybe a bigger electric motor and battery for longer range, faster EV. Something like that would probably boost power and fuel economy.

[zenMachine]

If by making it bigger they will be able to put in telescoping steering wheel and height-adjustable seats then I'm all for it!!!

[douglas001001]

The 62 mph ev ability reported for the new version by itself should overcome a loss of efficiency for the larger engine. Only thing that has me concerned is that they get rid of whatever the inefficiency is that happens as you cross from 40-42 mph and from 42-40 mph around the new 62 mph thresh hold.

[a priori]

I'm with John on this one, hoping that this is the start of Toyota's development of more of a Prius family of automobiles. My guess is that they need to hit the larger sedan market with Prius-like numbers. With that success, they can then produce the smaller (Corolla or current-sized Prius) with 80-90 mpg. Then, after the plug-in is proven, they can develop the crossover/minivan with 50+ mpg.

Anyone with me?

[hobbit]

"Weedy" ??!
.
It's a rare day that I ask for as much as half of what the current
powerplant can give me...
.
_H*