Prius family to add SUV & sports coupe by 2014?

Discussion in 'Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News' started by Danny, Jul 28, 2011.

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  1. Danny

    Danny Admin/Founder
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    Four models make a Prius family, but apparently six models could make a Prius brand. Auto Express has "revealed" (read: put together many various sources of rumors) that Toyota aims to have six total members of the Prius family by 2014, and that Prius will be a separate brand, like Scion, to be sold through a unique dealership experience. In addition to the current Prius, Toyota will be adding the Prius v this fall, and the Prius c and Plug-In in the Spring of 2012. Those are the currently-confirmed four models that will be coming our way. The other two models are ones that I have been hearing on-again, off-again rumors about for over a year: a compact SUV Prius and a 2-door sports coupe Prius. We actually wrote an article earlier this year about the possibility of the A-BAT concept eventually becoming the Prius t, a light-duty unibody truck. The rumor mill has now shifted from the truck design to a compact SUV design, but those sources could be confused by the potential for a hybrid RAV4 when it gets a full makeover sometime around 2013. The 2-door coupe Prius is probably the more attractive rumor for Prius enthusiasts who are excited at the prospect of a light, mid-engine design that brings torque and handling along with the potential for some hellacious MPG numbers. We've seen a converted 3rd Gen MR2 running HSD, so we know Toyota's working on it. What we don't know is whether Toyota plans on bringing this model out as a member of the Prius family, or if it will be a reincarnation of the MR2 badge… or if it's just a fun side project the engineers in Japan took on. While all of this is still rumor and conjecture at this point, using mocked-up illustrations for the cars, one way for Prius to eventually overtake Camry in annual US sales would be to keep bringing out new models and slap a Prius badge on them. Let's hope they at least get decent incredible MPG. Source: [Auto Express]
     
    #1 Danny, Jul 28, 2011
  2. macmaster05

    macmaster05 Senor Member

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    Creating a new brand is a BAD idea. Doing this would alienate customers further by making the Prius even a weirder, niche car. People who buy the Prius also want to buy a Toyota. Reliability, brand. I am guessing fewer people would buy the Prius, the same way fewer people buy Scions.

    Also, if Toyota let go of the Prius, they would basically have the most non-eclectic, boring, nothing-going-for-them lineup ever. They lost the performance crowd to Lexus. They lost the young crowd to Scion. Now they'll lose the hybrid crowd to a seperate Prius brand. It'd be a huge mistake...
     
    #2 macmaster05, Jul 28, 2011
  3. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    Bring us the ABAT!!!

    Although a smaller SUV would be kind of cool. I need ground clearance.


    Then again, I probably shouldn't have lowered my car.... lol
     
    #3 F8L, Jul 28, 2011
  4. Silver bullit

    Silver bullit Right Lane Cruiser

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    If Prius comes out with an SUV with good mpg I would take a serious look at it.
     
    #4 Silver bullit, Jul 28, 2011
  5. billnchristy

    billnchristy Active Member

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    I honestly don't think they care if they lose customers to themselves.

    But I do agree that it will not help the Prius' image...and will probably just raise the price even more.
     
    #5 billnchristy, Jul 28, 2011
  6. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Because we all know pickup drivers love to drive a Prius pickup :rolfl:

    The difference is that the Prius name has been built up through 10 years. The Scion name was just thrown at California in 2003 and the rest of the country in 2004 (and Canada in 2010).

    Prius SUV? :tsk:

    Prius sports coupe? :bounce:
     
    #6 Tideland Prius, Jul 28, 2011
  7. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    Are you suggesting I'm an anomaly? :) I'm a pickup driver and I think the idea is great. Utility and high mpg = cool.

    The idea isn't ridiculous. Most of the time the girlfriend and I go hiking we end up taking her Rav4 because of the ground clearance. When I'm out working on one of my Preserves I have to park at the gate instead of driving closer to whatever spot I need to be in. The reason I can't go further is because of ground clearance issues with rocks, uneven terrain and grasses (catalytic converters start fires when parked over dried grass). If I could have an SUV or truck that gets 40+mpg combined then I'd be all over it like a bum on a ham sandwich!
     
    #7 F8L, Jul 28, 2011
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  8. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Pretty much. Over here, if you want a pickup, compacts don't usually end up on the list. They go straight to the Big 3 (RAM, F-Series, Silverado).

    I just think it shouldn't be under the Prius name, that's all. It'll be diluting the brand (see what BMW is doing to MINI... with the Clubman, Countryman and upcoming Coupe/roadster.)
     
    #8 Tideland Prius, Jul 28, 2011
  9. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    That is because people in North America are greedy and stupid. lol

    Every other country has small pickups for the most part. With wealth comes the need for large pickups. It's not due to necessity 90% of the time. The main reason I get for someone buying one of the big pickups is "I need something to tow my boat with." :rolleyes:
     
    #9 F8L, Jul 28, 2011
  10. macmaster05

    macmaster05 Senor Member

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    ^MINI is a great example of a good brand gone wrong. I think MINI should just go away and come back in another 50 years, like last time. Now they're just butchering the design trying to come up with models.
     
    #10 macmaster05, Jul 28, 2011
  11. DianneWhitmire

    DianneWhitmire High PRIUStess

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    Ragtop! Ragtop!
     
    #11 DianneWhitmire, Jul 28, 2011
  12. Sergiospl

    Sergiospl Senior Member

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    Adding a Coupe and a small SUV is a great idea I think. But, I also think Toyota should quickly offer within this brand, a Prius e, yep, that's right! a Prius EV with a modified or its own body style completely electric.
     
    #12 Sergiospl, Jul 28, 2011
  13. ItsNotAboutTheMoney

    ItsNotAboutTheMoney EditProfOptInfoCustomUser Title

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    I consider the Prius to represent "efficient utility".

    Although the U in SUV stands for utility the problem is the S. Same as the s in sports coupe.

    However, a "lifted Prius", small pick-up or small cargo van would make sense.
     
    #13 ItsNotAboutTheMoney, Jul 28, 2011
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  14. zenMachine

    zenMachine Just another Onionhead

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    It may be true that typical American big-nice person truck drivers wouldn't be caught dead in a Prius "anything". However, many Prius (as well as non-Prius) owners would love to have a high-mpg pickup truck option, IMO.
     
    #14 zenMachine, Jul 28, 2011
  15. priuscritter

    priuscritter I am the Stig.

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    i would not buy a prius truck. i'm not even sure how you do that. there's no way to get close to the drag coefficient we have now in a truck, and if you don't soup up the engine to be able to tow something or haul a couple thousand pounds of stuff in the bed, there's no point. a prius suv is more logical, but the v is already down to 42 mpg, so a regular suv that's taller with bigger tires is probably going to be in the high 30's.
     
    #15 priuscritter, Jul 28, 2011
  16. edmcohen

    edmcohen Member

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    #16 edmcohen, Jul 29, 2011
  17. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
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    Re: New Prii revealed!

    Yeah that article was in one of the car mags I got a week ago. It's not from Toyota and the pics are just drawn by someone who thinks they will look like that. Until I get more solid info from Toyota I don't put much stock in it. I'm not saying the family will not grow but speculation is speculation until confirmed.
     
    #17 Paradox, Jul 29, 2011
  18. spwolf

    spwolf Senior Member

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    Re: New Prii revealed!

    i think people should stop posting that crap... it all started with motortrend.

    Prius c will look like... Smaller Prius.

    thats it.
     
    #18 spwolf, Jul 29, 2011
  19. edmcohen

    edmcohen Member

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    Re: New Prii revealed!

    Point taken. On closer reading, this magazine claims that the coupe is to have a manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive. That's not HSD any more. `Can't be right.
     
    #19 edmcohen, Jul 29, 2011
  20. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Re: New Prii revealed!


    In order:

    [​IMG]
    Toyota Verso S

    [​IMG]
    Scion xD/Toyota Urban Cruiser/Toyota Ist

    And the Scion FR-S is coming out so I don't know what this is supposed to represent. The rear quarters have similar lines to the last generation Celica.
     
    #20 Tideland Prius, Jul 29, 2011
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