Turns out the 2010 version is actually the 4th generation Prius. Toyota Prius - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia I always liked the Number 4 better than 3 I wonder whether the G1 and G2 cars might have some sentimental value later
The G1 was not sold in the USA and the G1 and G1.1 (or G2 if you want to call it that) had the same body so most lump them together as G1. The car was of course substantially upgraded for the G1.1 version with upgrades to the ICE and the hybrid system. Toyota uses the nomenclature NHW10 for the G1, NHW11 for the G1.1 and NHW20 for the G2.
Somebody oughta fixing that Wikipedia article. It's the 3rd generation. The first generation was sold here in the U.S. in 2001. hampdenwireless calls it 1.1. I prefer 1.5 since there's rarely 2 revisions (Impreza and Saab 9-5 are exceptions). Either way, the first generation lasted from 1997-2003. You can't possibly tell me the 2006 Prius is Gen 4 and this is Gen 5 because the 2006 Prius got a midlife update. It's the same case for the 2001 Prius that got a midlife update.
Uh-Oh Tideland, Danny better get busy creating some new 4th and 5th Gen parent forums now that this news has come out...
I can't be "fixed" until the qualifications for a "generation" are clearly defined. For perspective, just look at the criteria other automakers use. And if you don't care for that, just do like many programming languages... start counting at 0 instead of 1. .
I ran into the same numbering problem and simply adopted: NHW10 - 1997-2000 NHW11 - 2001-2003 NHW20 - 2004-2009 ZVW30 - 2010-current It is unambiguous and correctly identifies the vehicle. Bob Wilson
can you see the pattern? 1, 2, 3 with the updated Gen 1 as 11. Why isn't there a 21? well the Gen 2 didn't get a hybrid system updated. The gen 1 did.
Briefly: NHW10 - 1.5L, rpm limit 4,000 rpm, sealed transaxle keeping the stators away from the transaxle oil and use of D-cells. NHW11 - 1.5L, rpm limit 4,500 rpm, wet transaxle and use of prismatic battery modules. NHW20 - 1.5L, rpm limit 5,000 rpm, more powerful transaxle and improved prismatic battery modules. ZVW30 - 1.8L, dry-sump transaxle, all gears, and improved battery electronics. As for numbers, perhaps the easiest approach: The first prius, NHW10, was not descended from another. It is not a generation but rather the beginning. The next prius, NHW11, was a descendant, a generation of the first. The NHW20 was another descendant, the second generation. The ZVW30 is the current descendant, the third generation. Weak but it provides a semantic basis for the curious numbering system. But I prefer the model numbers since it is unambiguous and we don't have to fight the strange model year problem we have in the USA. Bob Wilson
Well, ZVW30 - 2010-current would mean 2010-2009 for now . I propose to alter it to 2009-current, makes better sense in my opinion. I now you guys at the other side of the pond call it the 2010, but we still have 2009 back here in good ol' Europe .
Agreed! In the "Prius Technical Stuff" group we often ask folks to check their VIN numbers since it includes the model number. Bob Wilson
