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.
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.
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: 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.
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.
Gen 4 HEV and Gen 4 PHEV have different body styles, with different drag coefficients. Kona is an SUV.
The Kona is a compact SUV; possibly subcompact. The Prius is a midsize car. The interior seating dimensions near identical between them.
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.
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.
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…
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)
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.
