Forbidden Fruit: Toyota Esquire Hybrid Luxury Minivan

<grumble>Estima</grumble> has (had?) been a Japan-only minivan since forever.

Bob Wilson

 

Be nice if they sold it here in the UK which is a RHD market and one of the oldest export markets for Japanese cars. Unfortunately it'll never be sold outside of Japan. Cars like the Esquire are popular grey imports here (one for you Bisco).

 

Hi from Japan

For those of you who know Toyota's models in the Japanese domestic market, this car is a variant of the Noah/Voxy. The hybrid version actually has the same drivetrain as the Prius.

If you want something larger with a bit more power, the Estima (Previa), Alphard, and Vellfire are all available as hybrid minivans with different bodywork on a shared 2400cc drivetrain that is is sold as 4wd, although the rear wheels are powered by motors only.

 

(sigh) I hear ya . . . . it's like flashing tri-tip in front of starving dogs.

 

Yep but that tri-tip is quite expensive and probably wouldn't sell well if the dogs had to pay for it themselves.

Chrysler Plug-In Hybrid Minivan Will Launch Late Next Year, Company Says

 

So how much will Chrysler lose on each one?

I'll have to fly out to California to buy one and drive it back. Actually my Aunt, a California resident, will buy it and sell it to me. <GRINS>

Bob Wilson

 

good luck with a chrysler hybrid, they have a hard enough time making their gassers work.

 

But isn't a bunch of Chrysler stuff now manufactured by Mitsubishi?
.

 

i thought it was fiat?

 

wow, that thing makes the front of the new v look good

 

Every now and then I daydream about transplanting our 2003 Prius drive train into a VW MicroBus body. But it might be easier to just to chop behind the front seats and make PricoBus. . . . My next PowerPoint engineering concept vehicle. So SEMA is just a year away?

Bob Wilson

 

you should start a joint venture with bill the engineer.

 

Don't get your tickets just yet Bob. I'm chompin' for some forbidden fruit myself. But between a mini van or (drum roll) a crossover plug in? Fall of 2015 is just around the corner ! !

Mitsubishi Canada gets ready for PHEV and the 4WD SUV | The Chronicle Herald

Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-In Hybrid: Gas Mileage Drive Report

It's gona be really really good!
.

 

The Outlander PHEV is a game changer. They can't sell them fast enough here in the UK. It's the best of everything and a great compromise. Bigger and faster than the Prius and more economical for most people too. Sure it uses more fuel that a Prius if you regularly travel more than 50 miles a day or don't bother plugging it in. But for most people that's not an issue.

The price here is about a grand more than the top end Prius or slightly less than the PIP. Very good for what you're getting.

It'll be a hit in the US and Canada once it's released. The gen4 Prius, especially the PIP, had better be good.

 

GC,
I hope it is a hit in the us, it can't be a game changer her though. volt, leaf, and tesla S all sell in high numbers relative to the rest of the world. I don't think it can be priced in the US as well as they do in the UK since prices in the US don't get boosted like in the UK.

competition when it gets here will be that chyrsler minivan phev, plus gen II volt, tesla model X, and c-max energi. I think the most we can hope for in the US is around 20K/year for the mitubishi phev in a market of around 160K/yr plug-ins in 2016.

 

I'm thinking game changer like G.C. because Mitsu's offering can come in AWD, and it is towing-rated. Peeps in the U. S. really like their suv-esq rides ... but tend to shun the minivan. now if the minivan was plugin - that would be a different story for our family, as we don't worry about the minivan stigma. Both of them have the extra cargo area - as does the Prius V .... but Toyota appears to have dug in their heels - claiming the V will NOT be receiving a plug in version due to costs. So for us, roughly 30 miles of Mitsu's EV sport utility driving (+Chademo!!) will be super.
.

 

The tesla X, and town and country phev, arriving around the same time will also have optional awd. The gen II volt, and ford energis also will compete in the US. Low gas prices may hurt outlander phev versus cute utes (rav4, cr-v, escape) which cost much less

In no region does the outlander phev outsell the leaf, so it is doubtful with stronger competitions in the US it would be able to change the game here. It will be slightly additive to a growing group of plug-ins.

 

game changer is probably the wrong adjective. it will be another player, and yes, for the suv lovers should be interesting. but most of them will still want 3 or 400 miles and quick charge.

but let's not change gc's words. he said game changer there, and a hit here.