Toyota Greenlights Prius Subbrand

A prius wagon with foldable rear-facing third row seats? I could go for that!

 

A small pickup, like the Tacoma used to be - Hybrid Pickup... the Hy-ckup? (hiccup)... or the Prius Pickup, the... nevermind.

Okay, not the best marketing idea... but I know a lot of people who really like those small pickups (like my Dear Hubby), and who would be really happy with a hybrid version. They are small enough that they would still get great MPG (unlike the behemoth type truck).

I second the idea of the itty-bitty college kid car - Yaris sized.

 

Seriously, one or more of these would be great and in any order:

• light pickup truck
• minivan
• utility version of minivan
• even under-sized hybrid (... no kids so not high on our list)

Bob Wilson

 

The world is changing. Here in NA we lived off the fat of the land and drove V8 BOF minivans, er SUVs, for the last 15 yrs....in addition to minivans.

There is still a huge need for family haulers but right now nothing, absolutely nothing, stands out in the family hauler segment that has excellent fuel economy. By excellent I mean over 30 mpg day-in and day-out.

I was hoping for a 4c+HSD Sienna by now but I can understand that the past 4c ICEs even with the HSD boost didn't have enough giddyap to haul half a soccer team plus gear. But if this vehicle somehow existed in the price range of most NA families it would kill the market dead.

Most minivans and midsized crossovers ( the same vehicles with different doors ) get low 20 mpg on a daily basis. The HH is a good step up - to 26 mpg - but not at $40000 in this economic environment.

The Sienna and the Highlander are the same vehicle soon to be made in the same plant. The Highlander now has the new 2.7L 1AR I4 as an option getting 188 hp. This new ICE has power and it's very efficient. Add a good powerful set of e-motors front and/or back and now the Sienna hybrid puts out 220-ish HP and could be in the 31-33 MPG range day-in and day-out.

Price it beginning at $33500 and everybodyelse in the market closes up shop.

 

Lots of good idea here.

IMHO the single vehicle that would bring the most buyers into the Prius brand is a high efficiency three row vehicle. Most families in this country unfortunately won't even consider the Prius, either because they have 3+ children and its really not an option, they have 2 and are convinced they could never sit in the same row and not kill one another, or they have 1 and think they need to carry so much stuff that they need a big vehicle. I think something along the lines of a Mazda 5 with ~35-40mpg, ~$20-25k price tag, and flexible seating options (ie two kids in middle row, cargo in back, or two kids in two rows, cargo on side, two kids in one row, cargo on one side of third row etc) would get a lot of attention. I also agree that panel sided utility version of this vehicle would do great!

My second vote would be a small commuter. There are a lot of people that buy a Prius for its great mileage even though its larger than what they really need, but I would bet there are also a lot who don't for that very reason. A lot of commuters would be all over a small 70mpg car that embodies the Prius fun/techy spirit (vs typical lifeless econobox).

PHEV goes without saying of course

 

When I think of Prius as a "brand", several things come to mind:

- forward looking
- fuel efficient
- ecological
- practical
- high tech

 

5. A vehicle that forces me to burn gas. But it sounds like once we get Doug out of bondage, we could have some good news!

 

How about a high MPG AWD vehicle. Add a MG to the rear axle of some Prius models as an option (As does the THH) PLEASE for those of us that live in northern climes. Not only would it provide good traction, it would result in better performance with only a small weight penalty.

JeffD

 

I like to see a smaller hatchback that's more affordable and higher gas mileage. For my wife and I, the 2004-09 Prius is a bit too large most of the time. We used to own a 2002 Corolla (2 gens older than the current one) before we bought a 2006 Prius (and later a used 2004). As a couple with no kids, we won't even think of getting a Prius if it is not a hatchback AND a hybrid.

I know there's a lot of need in larger cars and trucks in the U.S., but making cars larger and larger (the newest Corolla is larger than a 1994 Camry!) without providing a smaller option shuts door for those who enjoy a smaller environmental footprint and/or conscious in spending.

 

I agree that a smaller car more purpose-built for mileage would be a great addition. At $18,000 and 75mpg this would be a no brainer for a lot of people.

 

Based on the frequency of requests for both a smaller and larger Prius, I must say that the original design hit the sweet spot in the middle range (not too big, not too small, not too expensive, not too cheap).

Now that the Prius "concept" has been thoroughly tested and proven it makes perfect sense for the brand to extend its reach to more specific segments of the market. If it doesn't, it stands to lose those segments to competitors and waste a perfect opportunity to capitalize on its investments and forward momentum.

 

I'm going to second this question because I just read this article:
Toyota tells dealers it will use Prius name on more hybrids - Automotive News
and it says
"Toyota will have a range of Prius hybrid models “but Prius won't be a separate sub-brand like Scion,†Stewart says."

 

We would have purchased a hybrid Sienna many years ago -- but it wasn't available. We would have purchased a smaller people mover hybrid years ago -- but it wasn't available. And at that time the hybrid concept had not yet been truly proven.

I put my ideas of Prius-ness out there a couple of pages back. After reading through the latest and greatest posts, I've another thing to add.

Go for the people mover/light hauler/camper-ready vehicle. Not as big as the Sienna (at least not as heavy and not as wide). Keep some length for hauling and interior sleeping and third seat (plus some storage). Drop some width for weight savings. Add a bit more battery size and spread it out along the sides of the vehicle. Add a pop-up top. Add a built-in inverter (at least 800 watts) with two or three 120v outlets in different places. Build-in expandability to allow for third-party sales for camping gear, sports gear, tail-gating parties, etc. On top of all of this, you must get 5-star safety ratings, because most of the time it will be used to carry kids to schools and events.

Gear it for around-town driving (in terms of fuel economy). Use all recycled material and eco-friendly plastics. Add wi-fi capability so kids and campers can have internet accessibility (and you can drop the big, heavy DVD system.

AND . . . use the same basic design for a new panel van (and meet hobbit's requirements, too!).

There, that ought to be pretty easy!

 

saw another article on the Toyota move and it clearly states that they are not considering something like Scion. so what are they doing?? "Prius Inside?"

 

I wasn't aware they killed the A-Bat. That is unfortunate because I was hoping that it or a similar design was coming out. In my opinion that is the sickest truck ever. (and I mean that in a good way). I was planning on that being my next Toyota purchase when hopefully my oldest son inherits my 12 year old Prius around 2019. Probably go with a Honda Ridgeline if still available.

 

I want a smaller two seat commuter, that is fuel efficient above everything else. I think 100 MPG is possible as I'm regularly getting high 60's now.
Then the panel van, mini-van with a camper option. I had a Westfalia years ago, and with the hybrid system to power everything, it would make an excellent camper. Can you imagine a camper that you wouldn't have to run a Gen constantly to keep it cool inside and watch TV? Nobody else can build that now, but Toyota, right?

 

For some, the current Prius design is too small, and for some it's too slow. You'd do wonders for sales with a hybrid minivan, and you'd do wonders for image with a sports car. Judging from Doug's reaction, I'd say those are already in the works.

And Rae, it's called a Prickup.

An updated Sera with a hybrid drivetrain would be awesome.

edit: The codename for the Mazda5-beater could be Hy5.

 

I guess no one is going to answer this question? I guess that would make this whole thread pointless if we are right.

 

Given the fact that I have heard for the last 2 years, at least, how Toyota wants to have every one of their models to have a hybrid option, I would suspect that it is a given that the sienna and tacoma are naturals for this. Nobody else out there has the technology to do this, nor the funds, nor the "iconic" prius badging. I'm going to put this in black and white now, with a couple of random thoughts at the end:

2011 Sienna Hybrid : When the new Sienna debuts Maybe a 2011.5 release.
2012 Tacoma Hybrid : When it is scheduled to get a change
2011 Yaris Hybrid : Honda coming out with their small hybrid forces this move. That would be the 5 door option.
2013 Venza Hybrid : It already has the same motor options as the camry, and looks like it has enough room now, but holding off on the date until a refresh is due.
2012 Rav4 Hybrid: Again, same engines (essentially) as the camry. 2012 is the schedule on the new rav4.
2012 xB Hybrid: Again, same powertrain, but does Toyota really want to cross over into the Scion market with it???? I would think the Venza would suffice for that reason alone. Besides, can you imagine the sound of a Hybrid xB with a fart can exhaust?? Or worse, a teen trying to wire up his new subwoofer and tapping into on of the sacred orange cables? Now that should put out some watts!

1) The only flaw I see in all of the planning is the volume of batteries Toyota can dig up.

2) I don't know if using the Prius name as a Make is such a smart move though. Too confusing for the general public.
Joe Q Public: I just bought a Prius Sienna.
John Q public (possibly a brother): You bought two cars?
Joe: No, it is the Sienna but it is a Prius
John: (dumb look)

Cue the Abbott and Costello skit.

3) I see quite a painted floor Toyota has built themselves into. How do you get across a "new" hybrid only brand without confusing or diluting the Prius image and pageantry, if you will. Toyo can throw all the money it wants at it, but advertising will only get you so far... (Probably not something the marketing team wants to hear)

4) If you build it, they will come. With the understanding that if you price the hybrid models $5 to $6 thousand higher than their gas counterparts (like the highlander), you will stall the sales due to people doing math on the gas savings rather than look at the environmental reasons. Make the Hybrid option 2-3k more, and we will sell everyone you can build. Probably before you even build them.

So Prius Team, am I in the right ball park on my dates? Or am I in a completely different city, let alone left field?