Confirmed: This is the 2010 Toyota Prius
Posted Oct 16th 2008 12:32PM by John Neff
Click above for gallery of the 2010 Toyota Prius
Jalopnik is reporting this morning that images published last night on the web of what appeared to be the next-generation 2010 Toyota Prius are, in fact, the real deal. Toyota PR reportedly confirmed to the website that what we're looking at is the same car that will be revealed in January at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show. We've also included some spy shots in the gallery below that would seem to corroborate this.As Damon pointed out last night, the new design is an evolution of the current model that incorporates some recent favorite styling cues of Toyota designers like the bulbous badge housing up front. The interior, however, is a marked step away from the current model's spaceship controls, and thankfully eschews that car's dash-mounted shifter for a new one properly placed on the buttressed center console. Mechanically speaking, the new Prius is expected to arrive with a more powerful gas engine, bigger electric motor and, despite continuing to use nickel-metal hydride rather than lithium-ion batteries, improved fuel efficiency. It is the Prius after all.
UPDATE: Toyota has confirmed publicly on its Open Road Blog that these shots are indeed the 2010 Prius.
[Source: Jalopnik, Thanks for the spy pics, Jason and Merritt!]
Reader Comments (Page 4 of 5)
spencermfi 2:23PM (10/16/2008)
As long as those ugly Nissan headlights are fake I will still consider purchasing this car.
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imoore 2:23PM (10/16/2008)
Even hybrids can be exiting. Come on, Toyota, you can do better than this.
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Matt 2:36PM (10/16/2008)
Sweet, now with 10% more Yaris!
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Eek 3:00PM (10/16/2008)
Confirmed? Gross.
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Nobody Special 3:10PM (10/16/2008)
puke,,,,,,
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Long+5 4:06PM (10/16/2008)
Congratulation! Toyota has finally arrived to be one of the big inefficient over-bearing car company as others... No longer produces competitive and exciting products. Move over Here comes Kia & Hyundai and Chinese manufactures.
This prius does not deserve to be call a next generation. It is 3.1 at best, clearly not 4.0 !
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ExqueezeMe! 4:35PM (10/16/2008)
So a Hippo and a Manatee walk into a bar...
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kris 4:39PM (10/16/2008)
Looks like Toyota's design team were experimenting with LSD-induced dream states and taking styling cues from their findings. This thing is hideous, and it looks like another EVO-WRX coup. Just like the this abomination, Subaru took the WRX's new style straight to hell. And just like Mitsu did, the new Insight will eat its lunch (it also helps that the Honda is supposed to be like $5k cheaper). I don't think they could have done this new iteration worse.. Unless they restricted your paint color choices to s--- brown.
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jaynyc27 5:49PM (10/16/2008)
I like the Honda version better.
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ZedeX 5:59PM (10/16/2008)
Just when I thought that hybrids couldn't get any uglier...WTF!?!?!
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P.V. 6:32PM (10/16/2008)
Wait, the designers screwed up so much they forgot to make the headlights symmetrical (to each other)!
Wow, Toyota really dropped the ball on this. The Honda Insight will probably get much better fuel economy than this for quite a bit less.
It is, however, still a Toyota and still the environmentalists' poster child, so people will still flock to it in greater numbers than ever.
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old blighty 7:40PM (10/16/2008)
"thankfully eschews that car's dash-mounted shifter for a new one properly placed on the buttressed center console. "
Because wasting space is a good thing?
dash mounted shifters rock.
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Mike 12:27AM (10/17/2008)
?????????????
Dash mounted shifters rock?
Did you really just say that?
Eek 9:32PM (10/16/2008)
The front end, well.. B-pillar forward, reminds me of the Honda Fit. Which I guess works out OK since the new Insight looks like a Prius.
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RLQ 1:18AM (10/17/2008)
I bet hippies and Hollywood can't wait to hump one.
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Avinash machado 5:34AM (10/17/2008)
Nice looking appliance. But a bad looking car.
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hyundaifans.com 7:33PM (10/17/2008)
Yuck. This thing is fugly!
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blablabla 8:17AM (10/18/2008)
I see we're all in agreement.....one "f-ugly" car...just as the previous Prius...was an automotive abortion.
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Dennis Carr 8:53AM (10/18/2008)
"thankfully eschews that car's dash-mounted shifter for a new one properly placed on the buttressed center console."
? Properly Placed ? WTF, it works, doesn't it?
I like it up there were it belongs, it is not buried down and to the right! I had a 64 Dodge that had push buttons on the left dash and it worked just fine.
As far as the design, I am not about to buy a car that makes other people smile at it's looks!
I am buying one that is aerodynamic! In it's own way it is cool and sexy to me. Sleek and sturdy and a smooth ride!
With my heavy foot and going past the speed limit on most roads, I still get 46 MPG, I'll stay ugly and keep my money where it belongs, in my pocket.
Not rattleing after two years like the 04 Honda I had that decided that a right turn at all speeds must be maintained. Forcing the driver to compensate by holding the wheel to the left.
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Dennis Carr 10:03AM (10/18/2008)
"Chevy Volt is designed to move more than 75 percent of America's daily commuters without a single drop of gas.(1) That means for someone who drives less than 40 miles a day, Chevy Volt will use zero gasoline and produce zero emissions.(2)"
Currant bunch of lies by Chevolet!
Most people drive at least 40 miles ONE WAY! Then what? Using E85 ethanol is 85% ethanol, 15% gasoline is still going to cost the same or more than what I use!
Plus your ear of corn will go from $0.50 to $1.50 and most foods with cost you more now!
"ZERO EMMISIONS?" Only true if you get electric straight from a Nuclear Plant, except then you have to get rid of tons of stuff that will take 20,000 years to waste away. Otherwise your going to get electric from coal, oil and gas! All of which pollute the air you breath! Ride a bicycle, even then you will pollute, since you will be producing methane! WOW!
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