Next Gen Prius Pics

[spwolf]

Originally Posted by David Beale

I'm still a little skeptical of the original article that showed the dark "new Prius" and the white "new Prius". -I- suspect there are two cars here, the dark one being the new Lexus (and the interior shots would then be the Lexus interior). Look at the spot on the front grill for the emblem. It looks like it was sized for the Lexus logo, not the Toyota oval. -I- think the white car was the "new Prius", and we didn't get an interior pic. of it.

My reasoning is:
1. Toyota has promised both a new Lexus and a Prius.
2. That interior looks "Lexus like", not "Toyota like". Even though they are the same company, they keep the interior styling very different.
3. There were two cars shown in the "spy photos" that the interior pic in this thread is part of. One was dark gray/charcoal, the other was white. The white one looked a lot more like the current Prius. The dark one sure looks "Lexus like" to me!

But we shall see "in due course" what is and what is not.

it is as simple as the one from last year, which is early concept and one from this year - almost finished vehicle... nothing else to it.

Interior that we saw is 100% Toyota.

[spaceglider]

Originally Posted by donee

Hi All,

Yep me too. Hate the center console. My knees get sore from bumping into those things. And besides one has to look down to see the screen. NOT GOOD!!!

Agreed! I hate this mainstream - especially if it makes no sense.

[spaceglider]

Originally Posted by David Beale

I'm still a little skeptical of the original article that showed the dark "new Prius" and the white "new Prius". -I- suspect there are two cars here, the dark one being the new Lexus (and the interior shots would then be the Lexus interior). Look at the spot on the front grill for the emblem. It looks like it was sized for the Lexus logo, not the Toyota oval. -I- think the white car was the "new Prius", and we didn't get an interior pic. of it.

My reasoning is:
1. Toyota has promised both a new Lexus and a Prius.
2. That interior looks "Lexus like", not "Toyota like". Even though they are the same company, they keep the interior styling very different.
3. There were two cars shown in the "spy photos" that the interior pic in this thread is part of. One was dark gray/charcoal, the other was white. The white one looked a lot more like the current Prius. The dark one sure looks "Lexus like" to me!

But we shall see "in due course" what is and what is not.

Interesting aspect. ;-)

But the seats definitly look Prius-like.

Also I think to see more the extreme oval of the Totota logo on the steering wheel than a Lexus logo.

[eman17]

Originally Posted by MikeSF

I reaaaaaaally dislike that center console, it completely cuts off passenger from driver, and most likely will have a feeling (real or perceived) of a much smaller interior space.

yea, but you gotta concur that the center console is a piece of crap. Mine has come apart a few times, and I had to snap it back together. Just seems a bit on the flimsy side.

[Tideland Prius]

Originally Posted by Rybold

Now that you put the two interior pics together, what I've said is even more obvious. The screen is a LOT lower than the current one. It's almost like looking at the CD Changer on the current one (or say, similar in position to the one in the Camry Hybrid). Definitely lower than I'd like.

Originally Posted by David Beale

I'm still a little skeptical of the original article that showed the dark "new Prius" and the white "new Prius". -I- suspect there are two cars here, the dark one being the new Lexus (and the interior shots would then be the Lexus interior). Look at the spot on the front grill for the emblem. It looks like it was sized for the Lexus logo, not the Toyota oval. -I- think the white car was the "new Prius", and we didn't get an interior pic. of it.

My reasoning is:
1. Toyota has promised both a new Lexus and a Prius.
2. That interior looks "Lexus like", not "Toyota like". Even though they are the same company, they keep the interior styling very different.
3. There were two cars shown in the "spy photos" that the interior pic in this thread is part of. One was dark gray/charcoal, the other was white. The white one looked a lot more like the current Prius. The dark one sure looks "Lexus like" to me!

But we shall see "in due course" what is and what is not.

The white one is the older one and I believe they were testing something else (e.g. the headlights). Right now, there's a white Sienna going around with the front end and the taillights taped in white. Again, the headlights look different. You can be sure when the actual prototype is built, it'll be covered in black tape instead.

[spwolf]

i would say around 3"-4" lower than before. You know, it could be safety thing too - Toyota might want us to look less at it :P. I drove an Prius after year of driving other cars, and mfg display was quite distracting, despite its position. It takes a bit to get used to it and not look at it all the time.

who knows, maybe they will have heads up display with basic mfg info? :-)

[DaveSheremata]

I'm surprised that there aren't more comments about the shifter location - it look outright dangerous to me! I can imagine ejecting a CD and inadvertently putting the car in neutral, or even brake-mode, which could be pretty bad while going 70mph...

Also, being 6'2", my right knee is usually leaning against the console - where it looks like there's less space than before - it looks to me like this will not be as comfortable.

Dave

[Subversive]

The outside looks slightly sportier, and my fat ass would love a slightly wider car, however the inside doesn't look so good. It looks like a cramped cockpit, with smaller, crappier components. And I am really going to miss having those great cupholders. How much better mileage are we talking fo 80MPH again? It's going to have to be a lot better for me to not just keep my existing car and run it into the ground.

[dallas27]

at first blush, I think I like to old cockput better than the new. Definatley prefer the old steerig wheel.

[Rybold]

"BLUE SPRINGS, Miss. -- An unnamed automotive supplier is clearing a 30-acre site on Mississippi Highway 178 in Blue Springs near the new Toyota manufacturing plant.John Byers with the Three Rivers Planning Development District confirmed the site work, but said that he can't name the company.Byers said that he expects an announcement from the governor's office, the Mississippi Development Authority and the company in three or four weeks.
It would be the seventh supplier to locate in Mississippi or Tennessee to serve the Blue Springs plant Toyota, which is scheduled to open in 2010 to make the hybrid Prius."

(this exact same text was also posted on NBC)
Automotive Supplier Clears Site In NE Miss. - Automotive News Story - WAPT Jackson