2010 Prius information & pictures from Car & Driver

[PriusSport]

I'm looking for technology upgrades, not styling tweaks. The car is basically sound as is. I would like to see a new, more powerful battery, Li ion, for example, that offers a plug-in feature. Gas mileage upgrade to 60-75 mpg.

Styling and handling are adequate with the current car. If I want a sports car, I'll buy one. The Prius is not a sports car. Why waste your time trying to make it look like one.

[PriusSport]

Originally Posted by flareak

are they serious? the rear needs to be fixed. i am actually really disappointed. and since when was a fully loaded 30k? used to be 26 and now its 30... super disappointed.

The rear end is probably there for an aerodynamic reason. The Prius has a drag coefficient of .26. The Porsche 911 has a coefficient of .29. The car is shaped for minimum drag.

I suspect that everything is being pushed up in price right now because the price of oil is out of control. Especially fuel efficient cars like the Prius.

[pdhenry]

Originally Posted by JoeMagnusson

Am I reading this right? The 2010 will have two (2) Electric Motors.
Joe

They're counting MG1 and MG2 each as motors. No change from the current model.

[ShinerBTX]

Very Nice ! Makes for a awesome wallpaper on the computer screen !

[06prius]

Sounds good. I just hope this is released sooner rather than later next year.

My lease is up on my vehicle (not a Prius) at the end of April and I hope they come out before then. I plan on getting on the 2010 waiting list around January after seeing the official release. I really want a plug in but this will do for a few years until then.

[DeadPhish]

Originally Posted by JoeMagnusson

Am I reading this right? The 2010 will have two (2) Electric Motors.
Joe

ALL Toyota hybrids have at least two ( 2 ) electric motors. The current HH has three ( 3 ).

This as opposed to Honda which has one ( 1 ).

[DeadPhish]

Originally Posted by PriusSport

The rear end is probably there for an aerodynamic reason. The Prius has a drag coefficient of .26. The Porsche 911 has a coefficient of .29. The car is shaped for minimum drag.

I suspect that everything is being pushed up in price right now because the price of oil is out of control. Especially fuel efficient cars like the Prius.

Currency, currency, currency, currency, currency..... catch the drift.

Toyota is losing ( relative term ) $2000 - $4000 worth of revenue ( probably their profit ) on every Prius shipped and sold here in the US. Now if you were in business in their place would you continue to sell your vehicles at a probable loss when they are in overdemand.

I'd expect a currency/cost/demand bump of about $1000 on the next MY Prius then another $1000 bump for the Gen3's

[Tideland Prius]

Originally Posted by Godiva

I must say I'm disappointed in the added trim, to me that spells more chrome. I think there's too much chrome as it is. I'm not happier with the perceived need for a larger engine. And I want to see if the real world mpg are really better or not.

Wider. I don't care. Longer. I don't care.

Now what about the things people are really complaining about? The seats and their lack of adjustment? If they put in programmable seats with heaters, I could talk my parents into one.

I may have to order my 2010 plug in....now if it's limited to a few hundred.

umm.. correct me if I'm wrong but there's NO chrome on the 05 model (emblems excluded since all cars have them). The only chrome is the grille bar for 2006.

[mrg]

"Limited supplies of the nickel-metal hydride batteries have held back Prius production, but a new factory in Japan due to go on line in 2010 should break the logjam and create capacity for more hybrid models. Indeed, Toyota also plans to unveil another hybrid besides the Prius at the Detroit show in January.

The price will float above the current $22,160 base price but only modestly. Expect a loaded Prius to top out $1000 or so above the $29,692 for a fully loaded 2008 Prius. Hitting the road in 2010 will be Toyota’s first plug-in Prius. Customers want more drive time in pure electric mode, but the current Prius can’t deliver for various reasons, including battery longevity. The plug-in Prius will address that through the use of more-powerful lithium-ion batteries, but plans are to limit volume strictly, at least at first, to hundreds of units rather than thousands.

Like the lines for gas in the 1970s, the waiting list for the plug-in Prius is expected to be long."


I copied the above from the article. If they are only going to introduce hundreds at first, then they will probably not be available to very many areas. I wonder how much above list price those will be going for? There must be a dozen companies claiming they will have a plug in model in 2010.

[orenf]

I like the new look.

One feature I'm desperately looking for is all under the hood - the ability to P&G at speeds higher than 64 km/h. Even going up to 70 km/h will make a huge difference, enabling me to P&G on roads where the posted speed is 70 (many such roads in BC). I'm assuming it is nothing more than a software fix.