Adjusting My Expectations...

I think the V is a great concept and on the surface looks like it will do well. I am concerned by how much more over the Gen III it weighs, and the use of the 1.8 liter ICE in the hybrid system to haul around the add'l lbs. 40 mpg is notable, but 11.5 sec to 60? That's getting into slowpokeville for me. Toyota should consider going up to 2.0 or 2.2 liters for the V, and then maybe down to 1.6 liter for the C to maintain the optimal power/weight ratio and mileage.

 

40 mpg is kind of trouble for people to get some discount from toll charge - like ez pass green discount..
I think 45 mpg is required to get discount..

 

But, Electric Me, I do have a "V" and I get 50 mpg...

 

I have to join the disappointment with the mileage. Frankly there are similar cars out there in mileage that are potentially more fun to drive and somewhat cheaper. Ford's Fiesta comes to mind. In other words 50ish mpg off the shelf mileage keeps me in the hybrid/electric camp even at a premium price. But 40ish, there many other options out there. Also my Prius is plenty big enough. Not sure I need or want the bigger shell. I like the multimedia improvements though.

 

Although the MPG's are a disappointment for Prius owners they are a real step forward for non-Prius owners that are upgrading to an SUV/Crossover or are downgrading from a larger vehicle. If Toyota's VP is correct and gas prices rise to $4 this summer there are going to be lots of people in both categories that are going to give this vehicle a serious look, especially if they are buying a new vehicle anyway and in most cases will double their gas mileage.

We as Prius owners are probably going to buy another Prius when ours get old and tired so we already are and will most likely stay in the Prius fold. For many others, this may be just the right combination for the new Prius brand to win many new customers.

We'll see.

 

I agree with all these points. Since I live in snow country the only thing that might sway me to take that kind of mileage hit would be AWD. Given that some have been calling it an SUV (which is IMO pushing it) or crossover (not much better) I think some kind of light duty AWD such as electric only rear, would have been a reasonable option. Although, now that I think about it, if they lost 20% of the fuel economy with a modest sheet metal change the extra weight of AWD would positively kill it.

Given how practical my regular Prius is, for me the extra space doesn't justify the difference in MPG. I guess it's a case of Toyota setting a very high bar with the gen III that is proving a tough act to follow except for niche buyers.

 

People that say Prius is big enough forgot that Camry is the best selling vehicle in USA, not Corolla... Different people have different needs and most of the USA buys cars that are larger than Prius and offer more space... for them, new Prius v was designed.

Prius v is quite big and in fact has bigger wheelbase than Camry, and is approximate size of US Rav4... And gets 50% better mileage than Rav4 too.

 

I'm old enough, that I look at the 'v' and think "station wagon." None in my memory approached 40 mpg though.

Personally I find the 'c' a car I might purchase in a plug-in version. I'll have to stare at the styling for a while before I decide whether I like it, unlike the G2 which was love at first sight.

 

This vehicle squarely targets the family market, particularly those who perfer a larger vehicle than the current Prius. As such, the 11sec 0-60 number is not an issue while the 40mpg would be a huge improvement over what many of them are currently hauling their kids in.

 

I think this is the point. Above, someone complained about the V getting worse mileage and being bigger... the V wasn't meant for you. If you are driving any mainstream midsize sedan, though, you will get far more cargo space and better fuel economy with the Prius V. For those that aren't opposed to hatches/wagons, the V will be a pretty compelling option.

As far as me, I'm not sure what I'll do. I love cargo space, but I already have something that will carry anything anywhere (4Runner, which I'll keep). I should probably just go with the Prius instead of the V due to the extra efficiency and likely being cheaper than the V. I love being able to toss my bicycles in the back, though. Who knows, I might decide to go with the CT200h that gets V fuel economy and less space than the Prius but is loads more fun to drive, haha.

 

Re: Adjusting My Expectations...Toyota will loose market share

The V and C are in direct competition with the ionic Prius and I think they will be cutting into overall sales, unless gas prices skyrocket. Lets not forget Ford, Nissan, Chev and Hyundai are selling electric,hybrids,PHV this year. For me the Ford Focus Electric has caught more of my attention in Detroit.

 

Yes, there are other cars that get 40 MPG. None of those are near the size of the Prius v though. So it depends on what you need.

Absolutely nailed it. This is why the Prius v won't cannibalize sales so much, because people who want the 50 MPG are a different type of buyer. The young family primary target is a big market and has a a large number of buyers (not all, but many) who want and need the space. And, oh by the way the styling is not distasteful (to them) and the 40 MPG is icing on the cake.

Ditto

Doug Coleman
Prius Product Manager
Toyota Motor Sales, USA

 

No surprises here.

Driving a Classic model for 3 years then an Iconic for 5.5 years informed me well that the engine in the 2010 was overkill from a power viewpoint. The thought then was that the same system would be used in a larger vehicle later, especially having driven the 2010 now for 1.5 years later. Today, we got confirmation.

From a business viewpoint, Toyota has a killer platform. They'll be able a high volume that's both affordable & profitable.

From an efficiency viewpoint, the 40 MPG combined (42c/38h) is definitely competitive. Gotta love the emission expectation too.

But what should really make you think is the point that there's nothing to cause an acceptance delay. Since the same system is already in the 2010 and is already well proven, there shouldn't be any hesitation. No first-year jitters is a big deal. Heck, it even looks like a Prius... but it's bigger, fulfilling the wish scores have had about size.

This new choice should make for a very interesting next step. I'm certainly looking forward to how it will shake up the market.
.

 

The Camry is not the best selling vehicle in the US. It's the Ford F-Series truck. However, the Camry is the best selling car in the US.

See America's best-selling cars and trucks of 2010 are... — Autoblog.

 

How about 2.0 or 2.2 liters for the c? :smokin:

 

Hi jhinsc,

That 11.5 seconds is very similar to the 11.3 seconds that the Gen II Prius was often indicated at performing at (although as fast as 10.5 seconds was also measured). 11.5 seconds is plenty for a family car getting on the highway and merging.

I really think they should consider direct injection, rather than any size increase.

The weight is probably needed to get the cargo weight capacity up. The Prius has about a 800 pound payload. If you want 1200 pounds that all that space can encompas, that is going to take larger tires and heavier suspension.

 

It's impossible to go against the laws of physics. More weight and more room = lower fuel economy. There is no way around this limitation.

Consider what it competes against....almost nothing. There are only 3 other vehicles in its size range that might be considered competitors...

1. the HHR
2. the Mazda3 hatch
3. the Matrix.

None of these gets above 30 mpg combined, the best are the Matrix and the Mazda3 at 28 mpg combined. The Prius v will kill all of the entries in this segment.

 

Actually the F-Series is a group of truck nameplates in the Ford lineup, F150, F250, etc. The Camry beats every one of the individual trucks in that grouping.

 

Perhaps Mr. Coleman can answer this question. Several posters have raised the question of what additional advantage the Prius v provides (besides trunk space) for small families- which is clearly stated by Toyota as one of the target customers. I am that target- I have one child in a car seat. The current prius (owned by my father in law) and my own car, a PT cruiser I'd like to replace, cannot fit a car seat and 2 people in the back seat. No one over the age of 8 can sit in the middle with a car seat fastened in. In order to go somewhere with parents visiting, or visiting the parents, we have to take 2 cars- in order to fit 4 adults (2 of them small) and 1 car seat. When a car seat is secured in the back seat of the Prius v, can someone over the age of 8 sit in the middle seat? Understanding that it probably would still need to be a smallish adult, and not for a 8-hour drive, but is it at least possible? If it is, we'll both be in line to get one. If not, all you've got is a bigger trunk- not worth buying.