Gen 4 Prius Delayed Until Late 2015 | Plug-in Late 2016

LACK OF DIVERSITY has been the complaint all along for the target audience of mainstream consumers.

GM's bet-the-farm approach has proven a terrible risk. Toyota didn't do that. Toyota chose to offer a variety of hybrids instead:

Prius
Prius PHV
Prius c
Prius v
Camry hybrid
Avalon hybrid
Highlander hybrid

Don't be defending GM about their lack of choice for mainstream consumers or the consequences they now face.

Don't forget about the Lexus models, including a large RWD sedan, plus the AWD minivan in Japan from Toyota either.

Who's making an effort to reach middle-market right now?

 

No one is expecting first-generation fuel-cell vehicles to be affordable, nor are they being promoted that way.

They are an effort to further expand diversity.

 

Yet you expect first generation plugins to be affordable?

John, you do an amazing job reading everything, including delays, that Toyota does as the best possible thing. And everything competitors do as the absolute worst, until Toyota does it themselves.

I have been disappointed in Toyota's lack of leadership in the plugin market. However, I have to say if they don't have a second gen PiP out before Tesla's 3rd gen sedan, I will be embarrassed for them.

 

There's no point responding to such a bias statement, especially since we've already been through this very topic. The conclusion has been drawn. Goodbye.

 

....interersting to see the Congress's new proposed bill raises Fed gaso taxes to 32 cents or so. But some are afraid to raise gasoline taxes now partially because hybrids are paying less gaso taxes. Even though this is small savings factor (like $25/yr savings in VA), there is a perception that fuel efficient cars are cheating. But what the heck you pay $5000 more for the cleaner car. How the heck is it unfair to save a few bucks?

 

That has nothing to do with diversity.

And what does that have to do with anything at this point?

 

Strong political headwinds in US maybe (GM bailout), but not worldwide.
Subsidies given in some countries are tailwinds...

 

There's that desire for debate again, taking something I didn't even infer as intended meaning.

I made no reference to sales of the current model increasing.

Find someone else to debate with.

 

My Civic Hybrid released in 2002 is "long in the tooth". I would not say that about the Prius G3.

I don't agree. The G1 model was six years (1998-2003) and the G2 model was six years (2004-09). The current model will be six years too (2010-15). Toyota is following a consistent pattern with how the update their Prius brand.

As for Tesla: They will only have two models of cars (the S and X) both of which cost 2-3 times the Prius tag. That competes against other luxury cars not the prius.

Gas was a little over 1 dollar in 2000, and now it's close to 4 dollars. If quadrupling the pricetag did not convince drivers to hop into 40+ MPG cars, then you must need a different way to nudge them.

 

Well it appears that I will be well over 200,000 (currently at 170,000) miles by the time the gen IV arrives. For me it is good news as I am not quite ready financially for a new car yet.

 

Well, blast. Was hoping the delay was to incorporate that power savings tech - which would have been a cool thing to wait extra time for. Since I really want a PHV next go-around, the +1 year wait is more troubling. My current car will be 7.5 years old before they even produce the things.

 

I feel funny being the Prius defender against people saying the G3 is too old, but I really don't see it. 6 years is not that long for cars. 3 years new + 3 years with a facelift..... that's pretty standard for a cycle. Plus I think the Prius is doing just fine:

It's still the #1 seller in California despite competition from new hybrids and EVs (and not receiving any cash or HOV stickers from the government). (shrug)

 

I too believe the Prius is getting long in the tooth. The best Toyota can deliver gets 50mpg. They coasted because for most of the time it was the leader. Now there are more choices & the Prius is not the most fuel efficient vehicle on the market.

When gasoline prices spike the public changes their buying habits. When the previously outrageous price becomes the norm they go right back to their old ways. Many Americans believe our gas prices are high but Canadians & Europeans would buy tanker loads at our prices if they could.

GM's recalls have not dented their overall sales or the price of their stock so I doubt any poor selling model can use that as an excuse.

 

So I've been thinking about the "big" delay on the GenIV's today. The delay that has a lot of people feeling down. So if I must wait for the new PiP, I will be forced to live with the same 2010 Prius hatchback level V for another 2.5 years at least. What a complete bummer!

What does this mean to me? It means that I will be forced to live with a car that costs extremely little to maintain because it is designed that way. I will be forced to live with a car that fits the way I drive and travel. I will be forced to live with a car that has better build quality than almost any I've ever owned (BMW 325es was the exception -- back in the day). I will be forced to live with a car that gives a real 53+mpg on vacations, at highway speeds*, fully loaded up with luggage and people and with the air conditioning on. I will be forced to live with a car that, at max, requires a measly ten gallons and at half the interval of almost everyone else's cars that I know. I will be forced to live with a car that, if I have a problem that the dealer can't answer, has a support forum such as this one with a high likelihood that someone has already posted the answer to or soon will if I ask an unusual question. I will be forced to live with a car that even five+ years on, no other car company has yet matched or topped for its MPG's and hybrid drive train. I will be forced to live with a car that I have enjoyed due to all the above, a while longer than I had imagined.

Dang. I hope now I won't regret my decision to buy it in 2009.

* at <70mph

 

The irony is in 2009 we almost walked away from the 1.8L Prius because the accident avoidance technology was a $2,000 add-on to over $6,000 in up-model eye-candy. But this evening five years later, I'm seeing ads from a lot of vendors offering their accident avoidance technology. Toyota abandoned a lead five years ago by pricing their technological advantage on the far-side of the market price.

Perhaps the folks in Toyota City realized that pricing technological advantages beyond the fair market price, they created a gap that their competitor have been more than willing to fill. But as time marches on, today's technology creates goals for the honorable competition to meet.

Assuming the Leaf comes out with a 150 mile range before or concurrent with the next Prius, we will have an interesting decision to make. Our 2003 Prius is working just fine but over time, an accumulation of faults and marginal parts, eventually the wheels will fall off and we'll be looking for a replacement.

Bob Wilson

 

The Rav4 had a reaallly long redesign cycle too. Previous one came out for 2006 and latest one was new for 2013.

7 years. that's long.

Early arrival for 2010 and late arrival for 2016. At least it gives a heads up. Haven't heard anything for long time.