26-27 Refresh

Discussion in 'Gen 5 Prius Main Forum' started by Cactus, Jan 5, 2026.

  1. Cactus

    Cactus Junior Member

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    Anyone have any news on a refresh for 2027?
     
  2. Gokhan

    Gokhan Senior Member

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    TSS 4.0, but without Arene, will likely replace TSS 3.0 in the 2027 model year, as it’s only a software update over TSS 3.0.

    2028 will likely be identical to 2027.

    2029 will likely be the year for Gen 6 with TSS 5.0, extensive Arene use, and a newly designed engine with a higher thermal efficiency. There could also be a BEV Prius.
     
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  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    it will be interesting to see if they tweak any of the outside. hard to believe it could be improved on.
    i wonder if a prius bev without a new bev platform would be a good idea.
     
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  4. Gokhan

    Gokhan Senior Member

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    I doubt it. Remember that the Gen 4 Prius Prime PHEV (2017–2022) saw zero external refreshes because it is such a beautifully designed car. The Gen 4 Prius HEV (2016–2022) saw some major external refreshes (one or two?) because of the weird design choices they made for it. The Prime only had its white internal accents in the early model years later removed, though, which didn’t look good. Here is a recent photo of the Turquoise Jewel. I mistook a black one from the side for a Tesla Model 3 a few weeks ago:

    [​IMG]

    One more nice thing about the Gen 4: It is bigger than an SUV inside! I sat in a Hyundai Kona SUV last week, and it felt claustrophobic with my head almost touching the roof, and I am short!

    Some new Toyotas, like the 2027 Highlander, are coming in both the HEV and BEV forms.
     
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  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    you're living in the past. gen 3 had a better hatch, but it's not coming back
     
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  6. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    And then the gen4 hybrid had Prime parts it could borrow for the reface.


    The Kona is a size class or two smaller than the Prius.
     
  7. Gokhan

    Gokhan Senior Member

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    Gen 4 HEV and Gen 4 PHEV have different body styles, with different drag coefficients.
    Kona is an SUV.
     
  8. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    The Kona is a compact SUV; possibly subcompact. The Prius is a midsize car. The interior seating dimensions near identical between them.
     
  9. Gokhan

    Gokhan Senior Member

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    The Turquoise Jewel is only five years old. I hope I am not living that far in the past.

    That said, I traded it in for a $150,000 Corvette in my dream the other night. Then, I saw new Gen 5 Prius PHEVs around, including a nice red one, and I regretted not getting a Gen 5, but I was hoping that I would be cool in the Corvette and was checking its handling. Given that it was a dream, I couldn’t make it handle well. I was also feeling bad about no longer having the nice turquoise color. Then, I woke up and was relieved.
     
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  10. VelvetFoot

    VelvetFoot Active Member

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    I saw a yellow one at a local car show. Some special model. Big black wing on it. Hideous.
    Then again, a guy at the local diner has a silver and black one-gorgeous.
     
  11. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk MMX GEN III

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    If Gen 4 is an SUV, Gen 3 is a Ford Transit.

    If I’m driving in dreams the roads tend to get preposterous, for example: slowly/inexplicably banking more and more, 20 degrees, 40, 70…
     
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  12. VelvetFoot

    VelvetFoot Active Member

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    [​IMG]
     
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  13. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk MMX GEN III

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    Speaking of Ford Transit, Google’s AI says most Transits are 16” rim. Meanwhile, any gen 5 Prius hybrid for sale up here (not the plug-in iteration) has 19” rims. Different priorities I guess.

    (on a phone turn it landscape to see location)
     
  14. bionicbadger

    bionicbadger Junior Member

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    2027 Toyota is planning the Corolla PHEV. The market for Prius is going to MUCH smaller, hopefully they keep it around or do something to differentiate it.
     
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  15. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    cool! we'd be interest in a corolla cross phev
     
  16. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk MMX GEN III

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    Wake me when they have something with a hatch and a spare. Oh, RAV4, hmm...

    Same story with the Honda CRV Hybrid: I was stoked, watching for that. It arrived, and yup, no spare.

    I swear they get designs done, then retire to boardroom, topic: what can we do to eff this one up?
     
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  17. zelsius

    zelsius New Member

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    I do not believe this to be accurate, or at least I certainly hope it is not as I patiently await a Sedan with TSS 4.0.....SUVs and crossover vehicles are not to my taste. My understanding of TSS 4.0 is that there will be hardware changes- radar improvements that will be working in conjunction with the optical cameras to assist with the hands free lane centering available in TSS 4.0, as well as improved obstacle detection during night time thanks to the radar hardware: a key safety feature that is a must for me.

    Part of the TSS 4.0 "package" was supposed to be a continuous improvement process enabled by Arene. I don't know why you would bother to upgrade the hardware, and not the software. That being said, I am waiting for the FULL package. TSS 4.0 "lite" likely means I wait until 2030 or purchase from a different manufacturer if my vehicle dies before then
     
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  18. lostsoul

    lostsoul New Member

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    Why not get both? lol.. Both are hybrids. The E-ray is one of the best street Vetts ever made. AWD, tq vectoring, standard Carbon ceramic breaks, 600lbs of tq, 650hp and 4 miles of ev mode. lol

    20260123_082804.jpg
     
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  19. Gokhan

    Gokhan Senior Member

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    TSS 4.0 is a minor update over TSS 3.0. There are no new features added.

    The hardware is the same: one camera and three radars, plus two more radars if you have the lane-change assist on the higher trims. However, I suspect they are using a higher-resolution camera and a more powerful computer for better detection capabilities.

    By 2030, there will be TSS 5.0 if not TSS 6.0.

    The next adventure begins: 2026 RAV4 arrives this winter—Toyota USA newsroom
     
  20. zelsius

    zelsius New Member

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    Is it not true that T.S.S. 4.0 will have hands free lane centering on certain roads? I am certain I read that somewhere