And the third button is.... ????

Normal Mode?

Power Mode is interesting. I believe this is the first time in any HSD hybrids.

ECO mode better get me 100+MPG and PWR mode better get me 0-60 in 4 seconds or I will be disappointed.

Or perhaps EV mode?

We have the EV button here in Europe since ever, but I'm not sure if you guys in the USA have received it on the touring edition... have you?

It would make sense to me to make the 3rd button the EV one. You either drive for consumption, for power, or in EV. What kind of behavior would the car be required to have in "normal" mode?

It would make sense that the 3rd is an EV Mode. It already exists on the Highlander Hybrid so it makes sense to extend it to the primary hybrid in the lineup. Afterall....... Prius = Hybrid

The US spec Prius has never had an EV button. It would be nice for moving the vehicle in and out of the garage.

And in closed parking lots. I find it a must. It is our moral obligation to drive in EV mode inside closed spaces.

I think I have the location for this buttons... they are black, so they must be on the center console... and looking at the spy photos I think I got them here:



The leftmost button is CLEARLY the EV button symbol, the exact same symbol just like we have today, this one:

It can hardly be the case Tony.

The Prius without MG2 is a turtle. Running on ICE alone makes no sense for Power mode. Maybe for OPEC mode it would though LOL

See my post above, you can clearly see the 3 buttons, and the leftmost is the EV button.

This one was easy... can't wait for next Monday LOL

I do believe we have a winner folks, jprates you have done well!!

Funny thing is I thought we already had the power and eco mode which the driver determines with his right foot.

I'd love to know more about the eco and power modes. Would be good if the car gathered statistics that Toyota could publish on the % use of the 3 modes.

my guess is that it's the EV button.. and ... a norm button doesn't make sense.. if you accelerate too hard or press the ev button again, it kills EV.. and power, i assume, is based off how much battery you have.. unless power means a higher ICE rpm?


my point being; you press to engage, you press to disengage.

I meant it was easy to spot the buttons on the console, and to realize the first one was the EV button.

Concerning the differences on HSD behavior in each mode, one can only speculate...

I would risk saying that the difference will be ICE controlled rpm. The eco mode would not let the ICE go out of the most efficient regime, i.e. specific power (consumption/power). The power mode would do the opposite, i.e. not care about efficiency and simply put as much juice available as possible, combining the ICE and MGs the best way it could.

This is not very different from what happens today when in EV button, it's all about software control. When we press the EV button, the ICE will not fire even if I ask for too much power from MG2 up to a certain limit. It's all about redefining the power and torque limits that each component of the HSD can tackle in each mode I would say.

Eheheheh thanks!

Ultimately you are in control, no matter how sofisticated the control software is. But just think for a minute: if we have this much fun driving these babies around with only 2 modes (normal and EV), imagine in the future with 3 modes... oooohhhhhh :rockon:

Keep on dreaming! So you want a personal logger on board the Prius coming straight from the factory ehm??? You can ask Santa... eheheh

My Volvo 850 had an "Economy Mode" and a "Sport Mode":

Economy Mode

This mode is used for normal driving. The gearbox changes gears at a lower engine speed to achieve the lowest possible fuel consumption.

Sport Mode

This mode is adapted to "sporty" driving characteristics. The transmission upshifts at higher engine speeds and less accelerator pedal pressure is required to initiate a downshift.

i'm wondering if they plan on changing the system. adding more planetary gears and make it more like the Lexus hybrid drive ( click on Lexus hybrid drive technology overview)

that may be fun... it would give you full independence of the electric and ICE sides at a higher rpms...

sport is featured in toyota crown hybrid - it spends more electricity for acceleration, and regenerates more aggresivly from ICE.. eco does the opposite and lower A/C.

Makes a lot of sense, and I love the fact they are there.

And looks like people already guessed where it is - good spot, looks like it is meant to be used...

Balance between Eco and Pwr... like the current Prius as we don't have neither modes.

EV Mode makes sense too.