Toyota plans bigger 'wagon' Prius with lithium-ion battery for next year

Nice photoshopping, Pat
Subaru actually marketed something similar in the US. 'Baja' maybe ?

 

You must not have kids and their grandparents to haul around. Either that or you've never been in a real station wagon. Having something with some real people hauling capacity that still gets perhaps 45 mpg is a serious niche to fill. The Prius doesn't do it. It is okay for up to 5 at times, but is really a 4 person vehicle for longer trips. A true six person station wagon is needed. That would be a minivan/SUV replacement.

Even my Tundra will haul 6 when needed (but not suitably for a long haul.) My Prius is limited to 5. That one person is periodically the difference between driving two vehicles or one.

 

I agree with Shawn. A little more trunk space would be what my wife for one would like in a Prius, then we could take it camping with the bicycles etc. Our cooler doesn't quite fit under the tonneau cover, and she likes that closed so people can't see our stuff when it's packed. That means we take her Honda Accord, which isn't much bigger but the cooler and most of the rest of the gear fits in the trunk. Since her 2003 Accord will need replacement eventually, what better vehicle than a larger version of the Prius?

The Hybrid Highlander is not an option because it is too expensive and doesn't even get 30 mpg, let alone the 40 mpg I require for my next vehicle.

 

Here's what I think the "larger" Prius will be--imagine this vehicle:

Toyota Wish:



With the drivetrain from the Lexus HS250h. If such a combination can be made US-legal it will fly out of dealerships.

 

oh yea ... this is a reliable story ... let me see if I got this straight:

1) The Canadian Priss, is reporting that the Associated Press, is reporting that the Yomiuri newspaper is reporting, that Toyota is going do change battery chemestry ... but Toyota declined to comment.

:twitch:

2) Toyota has already officially stated that they're happy with NiMH chemestry, and that was stated after they officially state they've researched it out for years now.

Er, may they've gone 2 face - double speek, but I don't know if I'm so hard up for a new story that I'll buy into it yet ... at least not until the story drops from triple hearsay to double hearsay.

.

 

Utes are huge here, not F250 huge, but big sales. Ford and Holden both make 6 and 8 cylinder utes, Malaysian Proton sell the 4 cylinder Jumbuck ute in Australia and other parts of the globe, I know the UK gets it. The Subaru ute, Brumby was a good seller here.

Utes are the Australian equivalent of 2 door sports coupes.

 

and here I was thinking I was talking to a wall up above, thanks for also voicing some skepticism

 

With the popularity of minivans, I think Toyota should make a hybrid Sienna. Soccer moms and elderly folks do a lot of city driving. Only downside would be the price.

 

You wish (pun not intended based on what I said earlier ) might be granted--the redesigned 2011 Toyota Sienna is being unveiled early in 2010 and Toyota may offer a hybrid version of the Sienna, possibly powered by the same drivetrain used on the Lexus RX450h "crossover."

 

i have to think that the Leaf is forcing Toyota's hand here. after Toyota bailed on Li battery tech, they maybe forced to rethink that since NiMH is simply too bulky to be effective in any real plug in situation. so we shall see.

as far as other hybrids, i still say a hybrid mini-van is a very highly needed car. still too many people who have greater carrying needs.

i did a 5 day car trip in a Pri. can be done cause we did it, but it was PACKED and there is only 3 of us. make it two kids and its just about not an option.

 

better not tell that to Tesla, who have been using LiIon batteries for a while now in their roadsters.

 

I think the mini-van is going to get mileage that is just too low at highway speeds, plus be too heavy for good mileage in the city. It needs to be 40+ combined. I believe that will take a station wagon. Not that a minivan isn't needed for those who have large families and haul 6+. I'm thinking incrementally with the wagon being the next in the progression.

The problem with the minivan vs. a station wagon is twofold: large cross section and extra heft. I believe (perhaps wrongly) that a station wagon could approach the cross section and Cd of GenII Prius while only adding 500 pounds or so (yes, that is a lot.) Drop in the GenIII engine and it should be able to overcome the extra weight without getting hammered too badly on mileage. I'm curious to see what a really modern hybrid wagon would look like. We had 70's era wagons when I was a kid.

 

Honda seems to be willing to play the Fit vs. Gen III Prius game again in
the as yet unaddressed minivan market:



Honda’s Hybrid Minivan to Break New Ground for Families | GreenCar.com

I wonder if this will be the straw that forces Toyota to show its hand for
a N. American/global hybrid minivan.

 

Camry Hybrid, will easily do 40 mpg in warmer months/climates.

 

You would think there would be a market for such a vehicle, but boy is that (Honda Freed?) ugly IMO...

 

Li ion is the next big step in hybrids. That's the jump I'm waiting for. That will increase power and reduce weight. It's a question of whether reliability will be as good as the NiMH batteries have proven to be.

Off-topic, I see in the Sunday paper today, the Honda Insight is being offered at a dealership for $19.5K, fully equipped. That compares favorably with the base Prius price I've seen of $22.5K. $3K is enough to make a difference.

 

Sure it is. That's what a roof-rack is for. Heck, back in the 80's we drove a K-Car from MN to FL and back that way... with 2 adults and 3 kids inside.
.

 

It's a good deal if you only need a 2+2 seating arrangement. But for those who actually want a real family sedan the Insight just doesn't fit the bill.