Any Chance that Toyota Might Make the Prius C at Least a Little Fun?

So far, it seems that about all we're hearing from Toyota on the Prius C is about it's great fuel efficiency. Maybe I'm in the minority on this, but I'd like Prius C to be at least be a little bit fun to drive - and not just testament to the engineering expertise of Toyota in maximizing automotive fuel efficiency.

Since the Prius C will obviously be quite a small car, the hope is that Toyota takes a hint from BMW and offers a small car that is both fun to drive and not too dorky looking. More along the lines of a Mini Cooper HB as opposed to a boring Yaris.



Of course, I'm likely kidding myself that Toyota will come through this time - but we'll see.

The Yaris started at $14,115, The mini starts at $22,000, its mileage: 37/29/32-combined on Premium. We don't need to go into what BMW cost and their mileage, but I suspect you may really like this!

Awesome Car!

If Toyota's main concern is the highest mpg possible then I doubt it's going to be anything like a mini. The mini is a tiny car that is sporty and as a result it gets poor mpg. The Honda CRZ tried to take on the task of high mpg and sporty and it failed at everything except looking cool.

I 'drather see Toyota continue their trend of high efficiency and low emissions but make the car attractive. If you want sporty then add wheels and a couple suspension mods.Trust me, it works.

OP: if you want a mini -- you know where to buy one.
Whining that the 'C' is not a mini is missing the point.

As for looks, some will like them, and some will not. Who wudda thunk ??

If it was even accidentally sporty, they would rename it a Scion, not a Toyota, and for sure not a Prius. So, if it makes it to market with a Prius badge, no.

OTOH, if the Prius division thinks we are not confused enough they will tip the V over and name it the Prius <

It seems the prius has somethings designed to make it not fun to drive.

We have a good idea of what the C will look like, it is in the creepy person people commercial. We don't really know how it will drive.

Simply putting the same drive train in a lighter smaller car will improve handling. Giving a handling package with sportier suspension perhaps using the one from the lexus ct200, and 16" or 17" tires. Modifying the steering to allow fewer turns end to end like the prius v(5) trim. Allowing the driver to select virtual gear ratios would also help. I would not expect miracles, but there are many small things that they could do to make it more fun to drive.

Really no chance IMO. It will drive like a Prius possibly a tiny bit better and I do expect it to be a little bit faster given the power/weight, unless they bastardize that to some degree in the name of efficiency. What I've read about the car so far is excellent but this won't be a high handling car like a mini.

I hope it is not as ugly as a Honda Fit.

Toyota Prius Family
click the c and you get bigger pictures. There are much ugglier cars than the fit. This one looks about as pretty/ugly to me.

An option of a "sport package" would be pretty neat, I think, esp with the smaller car. Maybe they could partner with a company that specializes in that stuff to offer it. As long as it doesn't add like $5k to the cost, it might sell in decent enough numbers. It could possibly do what the CRZ failed to do. I'm not talking larger engine, but more the handling mods stuff that you mentioned.

I am waiting for the previous posters to outline, describe in words, what make a car ugly, pretty, not just to themselves but to everybody, also to describe fun to drive!

Like a Performance Plus package but without the expensive ground effects!

they keep calling it c concept. I assume we've not seen final pics yet, right?

It's all subjective. Fun to drive, to me involves more driver feedback/input, and the ability to corner a bit quicker (more force).

As for looks, one could use an analogy to compare why so many people think X model is pretty, or Y person is ugly. Personally, I don't know that I've really ever selected a vehicle based upon any perception of looks. If so, I must like pretty bland looking objects based upon my vehicle selection lol.

i don't get it... rumor is that toyota licensed the mini body back a few years ago and has been waiting to use it on a car like the prius C...

the mini doesn't get all the bad gas mileage.. if you spank a prius all day (easy to do).. you'll get less mpg.. but if you drive it like any other prius owner.. you'll get over 40 (my g/f matches my gas mileage all the time around 40mpg)

anything toyota is designed to perform while staying comfortable.. non sporty.. just comfortable... as others have mentioned, wheels and suspension does a bit...

the way i see it.. in the end all cars really are the same... especially in the lower markets... toyota beats the rest with comfort and mpg. (when does anyone use that 0-60?.. never)

Ok, speaking of "fun to drive" I Just watched this video of the new 2012 Camry XLE V6 at the track. I think the car did pretty well except for the tires.

This "fun to drive" moment records an 8.7mpg at the track. The 2012 Camry V6 XLE is 21 City/30 Highway. You can not have "Fun To Drive" and fuel economy at the same. I know, I had an Infiniti FX45.

Oh come on, I own a Honda Fit and I like the way it looks.

But seriously? "Fun to Drive" is subjective. If the "Creepy Multi-Person" commercial is accurate, the Prius c, looks like it's going to lean towards a 2 person sportish coupe look, as opposed to a Yaris, Honda Fit look.

I'd speculate that give a small engine and HSD, it's NOT going to drive like a Mini-Cooper. But that doesn't mean it won't be fun.

For me? The fun will be the opportunity to operate a vehicle that might get FANTASTIC gas mileage.

A plug in, doesn't work for me. So I'm looking forward to whatever the Prius c manifests into...

My guess, and it's only a guess, is that Toyota in expanding the Prius family needs to diversify. Plug in Prius, Regular Prius, Larger Prius v...I don't know if Toyota wants to homogenize the family by simply going "smaller prius" with simply a smaller version of a Prius.

But I'm waiting with great anticipation to see a Prius c in the metal....

If I can drive it and get upwards of 60 mpg? Then that IMO will be a blast....

Thanks for answering my questions, I agree that "Fun to Drive" may mean something different to different people. Now, the Prius has:

1. No exhaust note on take off, (Important for driver's feedback, fun to drive crowds),
2. CVT, does not have step gear shift(kicking transmission gear),
3. High PSI LRR(Low Rolling Resistance) tires, so less grip in corners.
4. Comfortable suspension settings for a family car(More body roll in corners),

* To me the best exhaust notes are from the Infiniti G35 and the Lexus LFA.

I prefer a manual transmission over the CVT in regards to being more fun to drive. Unfortunately for my daily commute, it becomes more of a pain because of all the constant shifting it would entail.

I would definitely throw some larger wheels and low profile tires on for handling, and some good suspension (less body roll) if I had the "C".

I like the sound of my Rush exhaust I put on my Harley . I could work with that same deep, throaty sound on a car. While that in itself doesn't necessarily make it more fun to drive, IMO, it does give that driver feedback that must stimulate something in the brain because I love it.

Those are just a couple things I think that would make it a more fun to drive car. However, given that it's part of the Prius family, I'd doubt that any of that will make to production. The only item that MIGHT have had a chance, would be a manual transmission. I just don't see that happening in today's world, though.

I would agree. I also think Prius c will sit lower, more like ct 200h. There seems to be an mpg hit with increased wheel/tire sizes, but I would trade 1 or 2 mpg for a nice wheel/tire package pushed at the corners with slightly flared fenders, also fog lamps, body kits, help the look.