Featured The all-new 2027 Corolla threatens the Gen 5 (and Gen 6) Prius

Rav3

 

Rav 6/7!!! ;-)

 

I believe this is the new engine family that Toyota is developing. I doubt it would be available this year, so it's likely a 2028. Toyota said the 1.5 liter will produce 94 hp and will be 10%-20% more efficient in a hybrid.

I would bet the new engine will cost Toyota less to build. I have no idea what the hybrid will cost. That engine probably has too little hp for an American sold straight ice without the 40 hp of the electric motor.

 

The diffusion of Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive system throughout the majority of their ICE models seems to have made the Prius's place in their vehicle lineup increasingly redundant. With both the RAV4 and Camry going hybrid-only, that further calls into question the Prius's future. If I could have purchased a plug-in Camry, I would have gone for that instead of the Prius.

Sure, an all-electric (BEV) Prius might make sense, but wouldn't that be a bit sacrilegious considering it was Toyota's first hybrid car?

 

The new engines aren't meant to be used without electrical assist. Sounded like Toyota traded away torque in the ICE to make they smaller.

Prius means something like 'to go before'. Using it for the model with the next new drive train would have been fine, but Toyota went with another naming convention for BEVs.

I think the only reason there is still a Prius and Aqua is because of their popularity in Japan. Sales outside the homeland are just to keep prices down there. Wider availability and options of the Corolla hybrid already killed the no plug Prius in Europe.

 

not sure I'd trust a toyota engine that hasn't been customer tested for at least 8-10 years