This Prius is by far the best looking design ever. This guy needs to get a medal. It looks good at every angle. It is better looking than any other high end luxury cars or electric cars out there.
Wish Toyota would address the problems with the low profile 19 inch tires. Blow outs and no replacement tires available. If nothing else, the dealerships should have access to OEM replacements. People are switching out the 19” wheels/tires so they can buy smaller easily accessible tires. We should’ve have to buy a new set of wheels immediately after buying a new car. Great interview questions. Thanks!
I can't wait, I've been into cars for a long time, modifying/tuning/etc; I bought my Prius in 2015 (3rd gen) and love it. It fills my needs, but w/ the new one, i think its going to fill my modifying needs also
As an owner of an 07 & 12 Prius, I must say I like most of the changes on the 2023 Prius. The three things I don’t like is the lower ground clearance, large wheels and no back up spare tire. I would prefer 16 inch wheels on base model and 17 inch wheels on more expensive models. 19 inch wheels are overkill on a Prius. I do love the new looks. When I was in the market for a new vehicle in 2021, I couldn’t stomach the looks of the 2021 Prius for $33K MSRP so I bought a 2021 Venza and love it. In a few years I may buy another Prius or just a Tesla model 3 depending how my wife feels about going full electric.
I like how you describe in details what you like and don't like but then specify that at the end of the day, it will depend on the wife haha. I'm saying this because I would've said the same thing including the wife's part
@@peterc.jordan2420 I would have just bought another Prius if it had the new design and power train back in 2021 since my second vehicle is a RAV4. I just couldn’t justify paying $33K for the older ugly Prius with its pathetically weak motor.
When it comes to vehicles I make the decisions, not my wife. It appears looks of the vehicle is what drives my wife, not all the technical information that is important to me. I was considering a Mazda 3 but could not get excited about how low to the ground it is. Being a senior it is very important to sit by up high. My friend sold his 3 hatch because of that reason and purchased a CX-5. The CX-30 on 18" tires has 8" of ground clearance. That is because of the tire size. The 16"s will have 5.1" of ground clearance. Big difference. I have never had a Mazda before but my next vehicle most likely will be one. I have 2 aging Nissan vehicles and will look at a Hybrid SUV as well. No turbo charged vehicles
Consider adding a spare tire. Many don't mind losing 1mpg. Have you had a flat tire where the help is hours away? Also, please add a side view mirror blinker. It should be mandatory along with blindspot monitoring.
This version looks like one I'd buy. Makes sense to keep the Prius brand going since it has such a loyal following. A transitional vehicle like this is necessary until the day ICE vehicles are gone.
That only makes sense if you have the plugin. Otherwise, it's still a car that needs gasoline for all your miles. That's the thing Transitional vehicles like these have been available since the 2000s. Toyota sat on their hands,they should have evolved beyond hybrids by now
@@toyotaprius79 But a LOT LESS gasoline I prefer gasoline then to build a charger in the garage which most people cannot afford or have no Garage Also why be dependent on charging stations and waste few hours ???????
We just got our 2024 Prius after waiting 13 months. I totally love this car. I am an enthusiast, and I would buy another one if Toyota just put in the Camry's bigger hybrid powertrain in it and of course with the bright yellow Ferrari color (not the mustard yellow in the Asian market).
This is an interesting move and one that will pay off. There is a lot of excitement around the Prius which I can’t say was there in years past. For those who want more practicality, there’s the Crown.
Yes, a Prius GR would be EPIC! I’m already intrigued by how amazing this new generation is. Hybrids need a spotlight for performance capability also, especially as a daily driver / commuter.
The thing is, Hybrids were always able to be performance orientated. It took so long for executives to realise. But now there's a Prius that's less practical and more expensive, less accessible which goes against the point of hybrids and electrician. Yes there's the Corolla hybrid, a sedan, but Americans are denied the hatchback and wagon versions.
@@IIARROWS KERS is kinetic energy recovery (I.e. regen braking). The Prius petrol motor actually can act as a generator. KERS doesn’t work that way, it is regen only.
TBH, when he said a car that owner loves, I immediately thought the translation was off - because I bet most of the Prius owners really like that car - it is efficient, it's roomy inside, it's quite comfortable and well laid out (except for that US exclusive 11" tablet in the middle :) and it is exceptionally reliable ... is it fun to drive? Nope 😀 This new redesign is not for current Prius owners, this one is aimed at every one who did not try hybrid before because they think hybrid means slow or boring, or they like to make fun of Prius in particular. Feels like Toyota changing their strategy from relentlessly efficient to sparkling bit of fun here and there.
PRIUS always was a hero in terms of DURABILITY!!! But… 3rd generation was just an old Hero. And 4th generation was very retired hero… However PRIUS cycle of life always was heroic! In addition it was supported by quite sufficient performance in class of ordinary cars. And as for the future of Vth generation a GR PRIUS would be awesome! With this look it would be “an everyday Lamborghini” (Equipped with turbo hybrid power train and super-capacitors for example!)
for longveity of battery , fuel, tires, brakes, lubrication, and for safer hypermiling fun(cna be done at any speed): ask them on video for hydrallic steering for ability to minimize braking while as second priority, doing minimum g force smooth steering, while not using energy to move wheels unlike electric steering. then handling package to like hydrallic sway bar KDSS they have in land crusier lexus lx, japan has stiffer chassis, i think sway bar , better multilink suspension etc to carry more momentum around turns. pedals that push back the more their pushed into to dsicourage too much powering or too much braking and make it easy to hold position vs having to stiffen msucles more to hold position.tinted(to not make it covered by light) 3d HeadsUpDIsplay similar to 3d billboards, for less stress by less attention shift betwen distances , like distance of focus at speedometer then shitfing to focusing on a area far away in driving enviroment, can do etter at maintain momentum without speed lmit break . why keep digging heavy materials out ground for batteries when cant fully recycle them, what a waste... meanwhile petrol is pools of thick liquid byproduct of anaerobic bacteria, dont take out too much and it wont run dry like donating human blood, smog and acid rain need to be mnimized too, big battery is expensive and energy flow worsense battery dragradtion per energy flow rate, although adding battery to some extent makes things less bad, and its all so heavy (see aptera onwers club about crash saftey, lightweight is safer for everyone including people in weak cars in crash). plugin hybrid with small combustion charging slowly when battery is near dead, maybebetter than small combustion alone. analogizng it to endurance racing (minimizing pitstops, momentum preservaiton etc) makes hypermiling enjoyably interactive therefore safer than if person is paying minimal attention while stressing more form shifting attention from daydreaming, audio, eletronics, speed limit and actually paying attention to driving enviroment and what their doing. guilded server called swaziworld has vehicals tab where exlaining this concept car more, the site wont allow me to talk here too much , funvideo material.
The last time I've felt this excited about an upcoming car, was in 2017, when I saw, and later purchased, an Elantra Sport. This new Prius is a likely replacement for that vehicle. Well done Mr. Oya! Answering your question;, no, I think the current premise of the Prius is sufficient and satisfying, especially for current owners, and for those like myself, that are interested in owning a vehicle with a modicum of performance; current technology; excellent mileage.
I sorta of liked the idea of the commodity, utility, reliable mentality of previous generation with side walls and rear wiper blades. Perhaps a less polarizing design. New model seems to have function following form.
George only you could do such a solid interview like this, they only thing I think is a drawback about this car is they made it an inch lower to fit he ground and you will feel the road impurities a lot more. Bish Beta.😊
Nice to hear the thoughts. This is the first Prius I would ever consider owning. My fear is that while they're finally giving the Prius adequate performance, it will still be eclipsed by EVs. The mindset they're using to design this Prius also needs to go into their EV lineup. The Prius, effectively, should be used to compete against Teslas, in my opinion.
@@toyotaprius79 a hybrid will always cost more to build than a budget car, with 2 power trains put together. The earlier Pree-eyes were sold with very little profit, until the hybrids became more proven for reliability, especially the big battery that the Leaf failed with.
Great interview and great voiceover, I already visited some dealers in the New York City area but none has the car yet. I was hoping to see if the gauge cluster is a deal breaker for me. I suspect as a 6 feet man the steering wheel may block my view.
I've long disliked most every Prius on the road. They typically sit in the left lane on the highway, blocking anyone who dared go a single mph over the limit, and at the same time looking butt ugly. I will give it kudos for being a standard bearer of efficiency. This redesign is quite impressive...bravo!
Unfortunately, you've fooled yourself into believing that when they were perfectible able cars to behind with, incl.uding going +80mph getting 40mpg. You just got sucked into that American culture war mindset.
@@toyotaprius79 he didn’t fool himself. Most Prius owners can’t drive or they’re trying to hypermile. He never said the car wasn’t capable of going faster, just that the owners typically don’t drive fast and they don’t know what lane they should be in. The Prius can do 80mph, but let’s be honest, it gets much worse fuel economy compared to 65mph.
As a Prius owner who loves my car, I was looking forward to a Gen. 5 with the highest possible fuel efficiency and a quieter ride. The main point of a Prius is maximum MPGs. Inexplicably, Toyota didn’t focus on mileage. Tires that huge seem ridiculous for a Prius. My Prius has 15” tires and has no problem. They could have a least offered a trim with small tires and focused on high mileage.
You mean wheels here, not tires. But they sort of did that. The LE is that version except that they are 17". It's not clear that going smaller than 17" would yield anything better than 57/56/57.
@@TheGecko213 Only a nincompoop makes this ridiculous statement after swallowing whole the company’s press statements. Consumer Reports just did their “first impression” look at the 2023 Prius. They got MUCH LESS mileage.
They still make the Prius C in Japan, and a 7 seat minivan called the Sienta. But Toyota executives stupidly think that neither US or Europe want a Fiesta sized and B-Max sized hybrid.
Correction - Prius went from hero to zero and now back to hero. Many of us remember when this car was a statement vehicle for early adopters. It’s great to see it back to the cutting edge. I hope they add an all-EV version to the range in future showcasing cutting-edge battery tech. It would be a great addition.
I disagree. Being a “statement” vehicle did not make it a hero. The fact that it had tech that nobody else was revolutionary, but the making a statement part held the car back, by limiting its buyer base. Unless you wanted to be associated with granola eating, socks and sandals wearing, self righteous, vegan, fart sniffing liberals from LA, the original Prius was not an appealing car to drive, even though it’s execution and results were a technical marvel (at the time). The fact that the car now looks bespoke and distances itself from this crowd is a testament to the path that Toyota has taken.
Good commentary! PRIUS always was a hero in terms of DURABILITY and efficiency!!! But… 3rd generation was just an old Hero. And 4th generation was very retired hero… However PRIUS cycle of life always was heroic and supported by quite sufficient performance in class of ordinary cars!
Not a GR but how about a Prime Plus with adaptive suspension that keeps the added 90 ponies flat in a corner but could be dialed back to erase road seams for a road trip to that canyon road.🤔
Norway likes full EV as it is a small country and within range of all EVs . Everyone lives within 100 miles of Oslo :)) Hybrid is for those who drive 200k miles on a car .
@@TheGecko213 I was in Norway three years ago and was amazed at the number of EV's. More than I'd seen anywhere else. I was picked up at the airport by a chap driving a Tesla X. A very expensive car here in Canada and no doubt even more so in Norway. I asked my friend why spend so much ($ 120,000 in our country).He replied telling me that had he not bought the X, he would have purchased a Mercedes G wagon and that that would have cost more than a quarter million dollars. I said to him that's a lot more than one would cost in Canada. He went on to tell me that in Norway all ICE cars are taxed at 100% ! Essentially doubling the price of an ICE. I instantly understood why there are so many EV's in Norway.
@@thomaslawlor4200 Norway is a kind of benign dictatorship. Taxing ICE cars like that would be considered a manipulation of the free market by a government in favor of EV manufacturers. Such thing would never be allowed in any western democracies. Also Majority of the population lives within 100 miles of Oslo , the only major city in Norway. So it is well within range of most EVs
@@TheGecko213 Hi FutbolPro, No doubt, if Canada or The US implemented a 100% tax on ICE powered cars all hell would break out. However, looking at Norway it's clear the strategy worked effectively to reduce the number of gas/diesel vehicle's running around. And, that's a very good thing I hope you will agree. On top of the massive adoption of EV alternative's there's another positive aspect brought by the tax policy. The remaining ICE cars still being purchased and operated in Norway are almost always smaller, better mileage examples and that in it's self adds hugely to carbon reductions. To wit, a Toyota Corolla in Norway costs in the area of $ 68,000 twice the cost found here, little wonder small cars are popular there. Where we live the most popular vehicle is the full sized four door pickup. The vast majority of those are never really used as "work machines". Their personal transportation and are huge guzzlers. Where we live it's always been windy. But over the last fifteen years it's gotten extreme. Speeds of 180kph are not unusual. That's the direct result of Global Warming. Canada has a different approach to the same problem; we (varies province to province), offer government rebates (after purchase), for EV's and PHEV's. Perhaps less toxic to the F-150 duly crowd than taxing extra to own one. We ordered a Prius Prime (last June, it will be our third Prius), and, will get$ 6,500 in rebates from the two levels of government. That's a massive enticement to make more sense of the $ 40,000 investment we'll be making in the move to closer to EV.
Good job Toyota! This will be a very sucesfull car. It looks a bit like a 4 door Lambo, imo. Meanwhile, Norwegian shipping lines "Havila" prohibit the transport of electric cars and hybrids. Norway has the highest percentage of electric cars in the world.
I think a Prius GR could be a great idea. Just wait a year or so for the Prius “stigma” to be changed. I think most car enthusiasts have at least once said “I wouldn’t be caught dead driving a Prius” and we will need some time to change our minds 😂. But you know many of us love sporty hatchbacks.
I'll be very interesting on how they'll integrate either the HEV or PHEV system with a manual transmission. Honda already proved it was possible but not with a plugin.
True. But it could've been both. The raison d'etre of the Prius was its efficiency, reliability and practicality all in one. That has been compromised by going upmarket for drivers cars which are a considerably smaller competitive space. The Prius should be accessible as possible.
They did an amazing job!!! I only had one nit. The plastic that leads up to the driver display. The flat ribs are bit TOO plasticy. Too much nothing going on. I think some non adjustable vents would fix that. A nice sporty angle to got with the rest of the car. Call them hand warmers. That and I think a small brim around the display would give it just the right amount of depth for no reason at all. VERY impressed with this car. I would LOVE to see a performance version like the Teslas have. I mean out running supercars in a Prius.... So much fun..... Awesome work!
@@SuzukiKid400 You mean when I said this car as awesome but my nitpick is... LOL Your comment is useless as I covered it in mine. Ever heard of focus groups. Demographic analysis? People ask for something their cars don't have that they want. They take the good ideas and when a car gets refreshed hey look at that. They did that thing everyone wanted. You do realize the second they finished the first car they started designing the changes right for the refresh right? It's not like I said change some major thing. Something very minor. The reviews worldwide are doing the same thing. Praise and hey if you just did this it would be even better. Welcome to the world. 8 billion people live on it. We all like different things.
Stop talking about debates in an old Japanese company. Their structure is hierarchical and I don't believe it will be an American style debate with the president of the company.
The 2035 future should be HYBRID, not EV. Legit EV without vast sacrifice in quality of life is 40 years out. Also, I would rather have smaller diameter wheels and more tire. Not every car needs to have sports car sidewall tires.
Old Prius was made of pieces that you'd expect in a performance variant, but never realized (probably because of a mismatch of ideals from inception). Given that Akio is a race car driver and has a clear path for this products, a performance variant of Prius is exciting. Normally, I'd expect Honda to do it, but I no longer think they have the required passion. I also think, given how efficient ICE have become, when weaponized with a battery powertrain, it's a formidable combination... (much better then simplistic dedicated EV that can be created by any idiot who want to build a vehicle)
ICE is not efficient let's be clear. Toyota's hybrids Atkinson's are the most efficient, and that's only helped by the series/parallel hybrid system that makes use of excess spin/torque from the engine as much as possible. This isn't new, this hasn't changed since the first Prius. What any idiot should see is that ending fossil fuel use is inevitable.
@@toyotaprius79 get rid of China and USA and we cut our total greenhouse gas by a half. A Civic that can do 50mpg on the highway (Honda's K20C2 motor with 6MT transmission) is not the problem (or other vehicle with similar spec). Granted, I'm bias since I also race mine on the weekends. ICE is better in a lightweight application with a high efficient engine.
So many people are going crazy over full BEVs...and quite frankly, I think people are crazy pretending that tech is fully ready. I'd say a PHEV is the way to go first. 70-90% on electric only for every car would make a huge dent in pollution. In fact, I think BMW got the format almost right when they produced the i3. ie a tiny engine as a backup to a full EV powertrain. They just gave the ICE a much too small gas tank. Toyota imo, are right in saying hybrids are more viable than full BEVs but you can't convince the herd following Elon of anything now. It's all about chasing the full BEV dream and chewing up tires at twice the rate of ICE cars.
I agree. I hated the last car. The mushy driving dynamics, and the jerky braking performance when transitioning from regen to friction was horrible. Not to mention the “look at me I’m saving the earth” styling. This new model fixes all of that for me.
Everything is cool about the car. But I am not happy with the lowering of the Passenger seating. I hate getting in and out of low cars. I am on the wrong side of 50 yrs age.
Yes, on GR Prius! I don’t think it’s a bad idea because foundation is there. The new Prius looks decent, Toyota did a great job revamping this little car. It seems everting Mr. Akio Toyoda gets involved with turns to gold. He took “Toyota is a company with boring cars” very seriously, Mr. Akio Toyoda 👏🏼 Now let’s Morizo that Prius! Prius GR 2024
SMH. This guy would be responsible for the downfall of Toyota. "Design first, then engineering". That tells you that they can't do anything else with hybrid engines. How far can it go? Bigger battery? Might as well make it an EV. It's like the Blackberry phone with the keypads. Nice to have the tactile feeling but pointless.
My questions : why did you design such an ugly looking car in the first place ? Why did it take so many decades to finally have something that is less ugly or acceptable!
And what good would that have done other than make it heavier and more expensive? As a commuter hybrid car, the current formula works well. I’d rather have a lighter weight and cheaper car and the extended range capability of a hybrid rather than some extra EV range which isn’t necessary. If you want an EV, buy an EV, but this is a PHEV.
Why are you Americans obsessed with more more more? It's a problem. I would like more EV range as the next guy, but be real, 40-50kWh is more than enough for most people's needs in a car. The kicker is efficiency, battery cooling and rapid charger. That gets harder when every new EV is designed to be sold as a crossover. For something like a Prius (or Volt). +18kWh is ideal, it does most of the range while preserving materials and weight, because weight is important for efficiency. That includes making the engine, the exhaust, fuel tank, radiator etc lighter.
55kwh is just not enough, America is the land of the freeway so at 70-85mph depending on state at best at that speed your be getting 2.4kwh on average giving a theoretical just 132 miles range , but to make matters worse you only charge to keep the battery life to 80% (44kwh) so that takes it down to just 105.6 miles at best , this is why more and more models are appearing with greater than 100kwh, 55kwh is fine for Europe city as then the average would be 3.6 kwh 158 miles I’m a firm believer that the rules should be changed if the manufacturers are recommended only to 80% of daily charging or in rapid change then they should only public be allowed to advertise that at the daily range than full capacity and a legal minimum life of pack in 85% in 8 or even 10 years (since that’s the average life of second hand car), the majority of new models are warranty of 70% that’s impossible to claim against in less than 100k miles to get to 70% even the majority of Vegas to la taxis are still at 84% after 400k miles but manufacturers also limit it to 100 or even 50k miles making it impossible to claim in the mileage bar major battery failure which is less than 2%
Didn't watch. Just another E shitebox. No amount of precious metal mining will ever replace ICE cars, trucks, motorcycles, planes, ships, manufacturing etc etc etc....ad nauseum.
A prius with its ICE platform is far from a threat to you than a Tesla. If anything, the EV crowed hate the prius because they consider it to be an evil polluting car right up there with a big gas guzzling V8 SUV. I do find it funny that people like yourself hate this car for being electrified when I predict every single car GM and Chrysler will produce in the future will be all electric while the prius still sips on gas.
I think battery electric cars are a stop gap until fuel cells or biofuels are developed en mass. The weight of a full EV combined with the limited precious metals doesn’t seem like it’s changing our whole approach to sustainability. You can run out of lithium just like you can run out of fossil fuels. I don’t know what the answer is but I feel like we’re in the Beta phase and VHS hasn’t quite arrived yet.
The market right now is a taxi, so why why Toyota did you remove the rear wiper taxi drivers need to see at low speed, and make it harder for pensioners and small children getting into the back , it’s looks over practically, you’ve practically given the taxi market to other brands
@@CACressida the old generation is the slowest modern car I’ve ever driven. I’ll reserve judgement until I drive this new generation to make a conclusion, but it’s likely this will be slow as well.
These interviews with the engineers are some of my favorite content from Motoman
Thank you, Abid . . . probably the aspect of my job that I love the most!
This Prius is by far the best looking design ever. This guy needs to get a medal. It looks good at every angle. It is better looking than any other high end luxury cars or electric cars out there.
Wish Toyota would address the problems with the low profile 19 inch tires. Blow outs and no replacement tires available. If nothing else, the dealerships should have access to OEM replacements. People are switching out the 19” wheels/tires so they can buy smaller easily accessible tires. We should’ve have to buy a new set of wheels immediately after buying a new car.
Great interview questions. Thanks!
Amazing interview!! Very well done good questions. And he knows what he is asking !! Gooood
Cheers from Mexico.
I am really excited about this car. I intend to test drive one as soon as they are available. Great interview
Congratulation on another excellent interview and guest!
Thank you, Mike!
I can't wait, I've been into cars for a long time, modifying/tuning/etc; I bought my Prius in 2015 (3rd gen) and love it. It fills my needs, but w/ the new one, i think its going to fill my modifying needs also
Toyota mastered this engine and bettery working together thing. I wish I can buy one for my wife and kids
I never thought I would say this about a Prius, but that is a gorgeous car that I wouldn’t mind be seen driving it.
I bought one and was a Prius hater 🤷🏻♂️
As an owner of an 07 & 12 Prius, I must say I like most of the changes on the 2023 Prius. The three things I don’t like is the lower ground clearance, large wheels and no back up spare tire. I would prefer 16 inch wheels on base model and 17 inch wheels on more expensive models. 19 inch wheels are overkill on a Prius. I do love the new looks. When I was in the market for a new vehicle in 2021, I couldn’t stomach the looks of the 2021 Prius for $33K MSRP so I bought a 2021 Venza and love it. In a few years I may buy another Prius or just a Tesla model 3 depending how my wife feels about going full electric.
I like how you describe in details what you like and don't like but then specify that at the end of the day, it will depend on the wife haha. I'm saying this because I would've said the same thing including the wife's part
TBV...if the new design was available when you were deciding to purchase would that decision be a Prius or the Venza?
@@peterc.jordan2420 I would have just bought another Prius if it had the new design and power train back in 2021 since my second vehicle is a RAV4. I just couldn’t justify paying $33K for the older ugly Prius with its pathetically weak motor.
When it comes to vehicles I make the decisions, not my wife. It appears looks of the vehicle is what drives my wife, not all the technical information that is important to me. I was considering a Mazda 3 but could not get excited about how low to the ground it is. Being a senior it is very important to sit by up high. My friend sold his 3 hatch because of that reason and purchased a CX-5. The CX-30 on 18" tires has 8" of ground clearance. That is because of the tire size. The 16"s will have 5.1" of ground clearance. Big difference. I have never had a Mazda before but my next vehicle most likely will be one. I have 2 aging Nissan vehicles and will look at a Hybrid SUV as well. No turbo charged vehicles
A decision has been made.
Consider adding a spare tire. Many don't mind losing 1mpg. Have you had a flat tire where the help is hours away? Also, please add a side view mirror blinker. It should be mandatory along with blindspot monitoring.
This version looks like one I'd buy. Makes sense to keep the Prius brand going since it has such a loyal following. A transitional vehicle like this is necessary until the day ICE vehicles are gone.
That only makes sense if you have the plugin. Otherwise, it's still a car that needs gasoline for all your miles. That's the thing
Transitional vehicles like these have been available since the 2000s. Toyota sat on their hands,they should have evolved beyond hybrids by now
@@toyotaprius79 But a LOT LESS gasoline
I prefer gasoline then to build a charger in the garage which most people cannot afford or have no Garage
Also why be dependent on charging stations and waste few hours ???????
I'm really looking forward to driving one of these.
its a shame its not coming to the uk as I think it would sell very well looks amazing I would love to see it in show rooms here ....
Sadly it's not coming to Norway either😕
We just got our 2024 Prius after waiting 13 months. I totally love this car. I am an enthusiast, and I would buy another one if Toyota just put in the Camry's bigger hybrid powertrain in it and of course with the bright yellow Ferrari color (not the mustard yellow in the Asian market).
This is an interesting move and one that will pay off. There is a lot of excitement around the Prius which I can’t say was there in years past. For those who want more practicality, there’s the Crown.
Awesome interview! Thanks for doing these -- especially on something I never expected you would! :)
He was great to talk with . . .
The chief engineer direction is right as proven now with the response to this new generation Prius. The nicest, most interesting and the best yet.
Yes, a Prius GR would be EPIC! I’m already intrigued by how amazing this new generation is. Hybrids need a spotlight for performance capability also, especially as a daily driver / commuter.
Except this is no hybrid, this is just a petrol car with KERS.
No, this is a hybrid. It can charge the batteries from the petrol motor.
The thing is, Hybrids were always able to be performance orientated. It took so long for executives to realise.
But now there's a Prius that's less practical and more expensive, less accessible which goes against the point of hybrids and electrician.
Yes there's the Corolla hybrid, a sedan, but Americans are denied the hatchback and wagon versions.
@@SuzukiKid400 Like I said: a KERS.
It gets 100% of its energy from the petrol in its tank.
@@IIARROWS KERS is kinetic energy recovery (I.e. regen braking). The Prius petrol motor actually can act as a generator. KERS doesn’t work that way, it is regen only.
TBH, when he said a car that owner loves, I immediately thought the translation was off - because I bet most of the Prius owners really like that car - it is efficient, it's roomy inside, it's quite comfortable and well laid out (except for that US exclusive 11" tablet in the middle :) and it is exceptionally reliable ... is it fun to drive? Nope 😀
This new redesign is not for current Prius owners, this one is aimed at every one who did not try hybrid before because they think hybrid means slow or boring, or they like to make fun of Prius in particular.
Feels like Toyota changing their strategy from relentlessly efficient to sparkling bit of fun here and there.
PRIUS always was a hero in terms of DURABILITY!!! But… 3rd generation was just an old Hero. And 4th generation was very retired hero… However PRIUS cycle of life always was heroic! In addition it was supported by quite sufficient performance in class of ordinary cars.
And as for the future of Vth generation a GR PRIUS would be awesome! With this look it would be “an everyday Lamborghini” (Equipped with turbo hybrid power train and super-capacitors for example!)
for longveity of battery , fuel, tires, brakes, lubrication, and for safer hypermiling fun(cna be done at any speed): ask them on video for hydrallic steering for ability to minimize braking while as second priority, doing minimum g force smooth steering, while not using energy to move wheels unlike electric steering. then handling package to like hydrallic sway bar KDSS they have in land crusier lexus lx, japan has stiffer chassis, i think sway bar , better multilink suspension etc to carry more momentum around turns. pedals that push back the more their pushed into to dsicourage too much powering or too much braking and make it easy to hold position vs having to stiffen msucles more to hold position.tinted(to not make it covered by light) 3d HeadsUpDIsplay similar to 3d billboards, for less stress by less attention shift betwen distances , like distance of focus at speedometer then shitfing to focusing on a area far away in driving enviroment, can do etter at maintain momentum without speed lmit break . why keep digging heavy materials out ground for batteries when cant fully recycle them, what a waste... meanwhile petrol is pools of thick liquid byproduct of anaerobic bacteria, dont take out too much and it wont run dry like donating human blood, smog and acid rain need to be mnimized too, big battery is expensive and energy flow worsense battery dragradtion per energy flow rate, although adding battery to some extent makes things less bad, and its all so heavy (see aptera onwers club about crash saftey, lightweight is safer for everyone including people in weak cars in crash). plugin hybrid with small combustion charging slowly when battery is near dead, maybebetter than small combustion alone. analogizng it to endurance racing (minimizing pitstops, momentum preservaiton etc) makes hypermiling enjoyably interactive therefore safer than if person is paying minimal attention while stressing more form shifting attention from daydreaming, audio, eletronics, speed limit and actually paying attention to driving enviroment and what their doing. guilded server called swaziworld has vehicals tab where exlaining this concept car more, the site wont allow me to talk here too much , funvideo material.
The last time I've felt this excited about an upcoming car, was in 2017, when I saw, and later purchased, an Elantra Sport. This new Prius is a likely replacement for that vehicle. Well done Mr. Oya! Answering your question;, no, I think the current premise of the Prius is sufficient and satisfying, especially for current owners, and for those like myself, that are interested in owning a vehicle with a modicum of performance; current technology; excellent mileage.
It does resemble the 2017 Elantra. I had one which I leased and traded it in 2021
great interview ! yes Im would consider with performance model...bring it !!!
Great as always.. can't wait for the new Tacoma and 4runner to come out (some day).. and you interviewing the chief engineer
Today, I went to the « Salon de l’auto » in Montreal and I sat in the NEW Prius ❤ I fell in love. I want the Hybrid Limited.
I sorta of liked the idea of the commodity, utility, reliable mentality of previous generation with side walls and rear wiper blades. Perhaps a less polarizing design. New model seems to have function following form.
Amazing. He is wearing a Casio G SHOCK ! Well done Pique !
George only you could do such a solid interview like this, they only thing I think is a drawback about this car is they made it an inch lower to fit he ground and you will feel the road impurities a lot more. Bish Beta.😊
Agreed. FYI, it's "bis spater"...German for see you later.
Thank you, Evan!
Fantastic and well thought out interview
My pleasure!
Awesome interview.
I love this new Prius!
Nice to hear the thoughts. This is the first Prius I would ever consider owning. My fear is that while they're finally giving the Prius adequate performance, it will still be eclipsed by EVs. The mindset they're using to design this Prius also needs to go into their EV lineup. The Prius, effectively, should be used to compete against Teslas, in my opinion.
It's all welcomed. But as a consequence, the Prius has gone upmarket, less practical in space and therefore less accessible.
@@toyotaprius79 a hybrid will always cost more to build than a budget car, with 2 power trains put together. The earlier Pree-eyes were sold with very little profit, until the hybrids became more proven for reliability, especially the big battery that the Leaf failed with.
Great interview and great voiceover, I already visited some dealers in the New York City area but none has the car yet. I was hoping to see if the gauge cluster is a deal breaker for me. I suspect as a 6 feet man the steering wheel may block my view.
A touring version would be a realistic option. Previous to this new iteration, it would have been absurd. I’m seriously considering getting a Prime.
I've long disliked most every Prius on the road. They typically sit in the left lane on the highway, blocking anyone who dared go a single mph over the limit, and at the same time looking butt ugly. I will give it kudos for being a standard bearer of efficiency. This redesign is quite impressive...bravo!
Unfortunately, you've fooled yourself into believing that when they were perfectible able cars to behind with, incl.uding going +80mph getting 40mpg. You just got sucked into that American culture war mindset.
@@toyotaprius79 he didn’t fool himself. Most Prius owners can’t drive or they’re trying to hypermile. He never said the car wasn’t capable of going faster, just that the owners typically don’t drive fast and they don’t know what lane they should be in. The Prius can do 80mph, but let’s be honest, it gets much worse fuel economy compared to 65mph.
Fantastic video
That COLOR BLUE 🔵 IS AWESOME 😎 COOL .
and this looks way more sporty than the new Corolla
TRD Gazoo F-Sport with three-speed 'transmission' ?
As a Prius owner who loves my car, I was looking forward to a Gen. 5 with the highest possible fuel efficiency and a quieter ride. The main point of a Prius is maximum MPGs. Inexplicably, Toyota didn’t focus on mileage. Tires that huge seem ridiculous for a Prius. My Prius has 15” tires and has no problem. They could have a least offered a trim with small tires and focused on high mileage.
You mean wheels here, not tires. But they sort of did that. The LE is that version except that they are 17". It's not clear that going smaller than 17" would yield anything better than 57/56/57.
Are you that dumb ? LE model has 57mpg . They just improved the power and aesthetics for a wider market and not just ride share drivers.
@@TheGecko213 Only a nincompoop makes this ridiculous statement after swallowing whole the company’s press statements. Consumer Reports just did their “first impression” look at the 2023 Prius. They got MUCH LESS mileage.
GR? Maybe. The entire Toyota team should be proud of this beautiful, well-engineered car.
Yes, I would buy a Prius MAX please make one!!!!!
They still make the Prius C in Japan, and a 7 seat minivan called the Sienta.
But Toyota executives stupidly think that neither US or Europe want a Fiesta sized and B-Max sized hybrid.
Correction - Prius went from hero to zero and now back to hero. Many of us remember when this car was a statement vehicle for early adopters. It’s great to see it back to the cutting edge. I hope they add an all-EV version to the range in future showcasing cutting-edge battery tech. It would be a great addition.
I disagree. Being a “statement” vehicle did not make it a hero. The fact that it had tech that nobody else was revolutionary, but the making a statement part held the car back, by limiting its buyer base. Unless you wanted to be associated with granola eating, socks and sandals wearing, self righteous, vegan, fart sniffing liberals from LA, the original Prius was not an appealing car to drive, even though it’s execution and results were a technical marvel (at the time). The fact that the car now looks bespoke and distances itself from this crowd is a testament to the path that Toyota has taken.
Good commentary! PRIUS always was a hero in terms of DURABILITY and efficiency!!!
But… 3rd generation was just an old Hero. And 4th generation was very retired hero…
However PRIUS cycle of life always was heroic and supported by quite sufficient performance in class of ordinary cars!
@@SuzukiKid400 blame Toyota PR and your culture war industry. Over selling greenwashing did alienate and anger many over the Prius.
This thing looks so sick.
It has the same new engine as corola 2.0L?
This is the first car in a while that non car people and car enthusiasts both agree in.
🇺🇸 I want the new one! Love the mpg on my 2012.
You guys are asking for a Prius GR, well here in UK we don’t get any Prius at all. So my question is why?
Bigger market in USA .
Maybe they will in the future
Not a GR but how about a Prime Plus with adaptive suspension that keeps the added 90 ponies flat in a corner but could be dialed back to erase road seams for a road trip to that canyon road.🤔
Driving the Prius Prime at the end of March.
GR Prius? That would be wonderful! 😁😁
Irony in 2023 is that the EV country Norway does not sell this, but understand that Corolla will take its place... Cool video!
En skikkelig blunder av Toyota spør du meg! 🤔 ( A serious mistake by Toyota if you ask me)
Norway likes full EV as it is a small country and within range of all EVs .
Everyone lives within 100 miles of Oslo :))
Hybrid is for those who drive 200k miles on a car .
@@TheGecko213 I was in Norway three years ago and was amazed at the number of EV's. More than I'd seen anywhere else. I was picked up at the airport by a chap driving a Tesla X. A very expensive car here in Canada and no doubt even more so in Norway. I asked my friend why spend so much ($ 120,000 in our country).He replied telling me that had he not bought the X, he would have purchased a Mercedes G wagon and that that would have cost more than a quarter million dollars. I said to him that's a lot more than one would cost in Canada. He went on to tell me that in Norway all ICE cars are taxed at 100% ! Essentially doubling the price of an ICE.
I instantly understood why there are so many EV's in Norway.
@@thomaslawlor4200
Norway is a kind of benign dictatorship. Taxing ICE cars like that would be considered a manipulation of the free market by a government in favor of EV manufacturers.
Such thing would never be allowed in any western democracies.
Also Majority of the population lives within 100 miles of Oslo , the only major city in Norway.
So it is well within range of most EVs
@@TheGecko213 Hi FutbolPro,
No doubt, if Canada or The US implemented a 100% tax on ICE powered cars all hell would break out.
However, looking at Norway it's clear the strategy worked effectively to reduce the number of gas/diesel vehicle's running around. And, that's a very good thing I hope you will agree.
On top of the massive adoption of EV alternative's there's another positive aspect brought by the tax policy. The remaining ICE cars still being purchased and operated in Norway are almost always smaller, better mileage examples and that in it's self adds hugely to carbon reductions. To wit, a Toyota Corolla in Norway costs in the area of $ 68,000 twice the cost found here, little wonder small cars are popular there. Where we live the most popular vehicle is the full sized four door pickup. The vast majority of those are never really used as "work machines". Their personal transportation and are huge guzzlers. Where we live it's always been windy. But over the last fifteen years it's gotten extreme. Speeds of 180kph are not unusual. That's the direct result of Global Warming.
Canada has a different approach to the same problem; we (varies province to province), offer government rebates (after purchase), for EV's and PHEV's. Perhaps less toxic to the F-150 duly crowd than taxing extra to own one.
We ordered a Prius Prime (last June, it will be our third Prius), and, will get$ 6,500 in rebates from the two levels of government. That's a massive enticement to make more sense of the $ 40,000 investment we'll be making in the move to closer to EV.
red sox was an interesting choice
A GR AWD Prius please
Good job Toyota!
This will be a very sucesfull car.
It looks a bit like a 4 door Lambo, imo.
Meanwhile, Norwegian shipping lines "Havila" prohibit the transport of electric cars and hybrids.
Norway has the highest percentage of electric cars in the world.
Agreed on your third point!
I think a Prius GR could be a great idea. Just wait a year or so for the Prius “stigma” to be changed. I think most car enthusiasts have at least once said “I wouldn’t be caught dead driving a Prius” and we will need some time to change our minds 😂. But you know many of us love sporty hatchbacks.
I'll be very interesting on how they'll integrate either the HEV or PHEV system with a manual transmission. Honda already proved it was possible but not with a plugin.
“I wouldn’t be caught dead driving a Prius or one parked in my driveway” 😅
@@TheGecko213 🤭😆
🔥🔥🔥
Yes yes yes make the New Prius a GR!! Pls
I love my 2019 prime
More gr is good. GR Prius yes pls
I drove an early Prius many years ago, from a utility pool vehicle fleet I have never driven another hybrid or EV ever again… it was dead inertia
What was dead inertia? Didn't know how to drive it?
A Prius that moved from a beautifully designed appliance to more of a drivers’ car would be very desirable.
True. But it could've been both.
The raison d'etre of the Prius was its efficiency, reliability and practicality all in one. That has been compromised by going upmarket for drivers cars which are a considerably smaller competitive space.
The Prius should be accessible as possible.
@@toyotaprius79
Maybe they should continue the previous model for the Uber/Lyft and Taxi drivers.
They did an amazing job!!! I only had one nit. The plastic that leads up to the driver display. The flat ribs are bit TOO plasticy. Too much nothing going on. I think some non adjustable vents would fix that. A nice sporty angle to got with the rest of the car. Call them hand warmers. That and I think a small brim around the display would give it just the right amount of depth for no reason at all. VERY impressed with this car. I would LOVE to see a performance version like the Teslas have. I mean out running supercars in a Prius.... So much fun..... Awesome work!
This seems like a silly request. They drop this bomb of a car and you nitpick the plastic around the screen?
Y’all it’s a valid criticism. No need to jump in their back about it. He praised it.
@@SuzukiKid400 You mean when I said this car as awesome but my nitpick is... LOL Your comment is useless as I covered it in mine. Ever heard of focus groups. Demographic analysis? People ask for something their cars don't have that they want. They take the good ideas and when a car gets refreshed hey look at that. They did that thing everyone wanted.
You do realize the second they finished the first car they started designing the changes right for the refresh right?
It's not like I said change some major thing. Something very minor.
The reviews worldwide are doing the same thing. Praise and hey if you just did this it would be even better.
Welcome to the world. 8 billion people live on it. We all like different things.
I meant feel the ground more!
Toyota is smart, make a good looking car with some power and great gas mileage.
Stop talking about debates in an old Japanese company. Their structure is hierarchical and I don't believe it will be an American style debate with the president of the company.
And Toyota is not going to sell it in Australia! Good on you Toyota!
The 2035 future should be HYBRID, not EV. Legit EV without vast sacrifice in quality of life is 40 years out. Also, I would rather have smaller diameter wheels and more tire. Not every car needs to have sports car sidewall tires.
Agreed.
Agreed
Very miniscule number of people have their own garage to charge the EV overnight.
California and the eco-warriors seem to forget that.
Prius GR Sport, sure
Old Prius was made of pieces that you'd expect in a performance variant, but never realized (probably because of a mismatch of ideals from inception). Given that Akio is a race car driver and has a clear path for this products, a performance variant of Prius is exciting. Normally, I'd expect Honda to do it, but I no longer think they have the required passion. I also think, given how efficient ICE have become, when weaponized with a battery powertrain, it's a formidable combination... (much better then simplistic dedicated EV that can be created by any idiot who want to build a vehicle)
ICE is not efficient let's be clear.
Toyota's hybrids Atkinson's are the most efficient, and that's only helped by the series/parallel hybrid system that makes use of excess spin/torque from the engine as much as possible.
This isn't new, this hasn't changed since the first Prius.
What any idiot should see is that ending fossil fuel use is inevitable.
@@toyotaprius79 get rid of China and USA and we cut our total greenhouse gas by a half. A Civic that can do 50mpg on the highway (Honda's K20C2 motor with 6MT transmission) is not the problem (or other vehicle with similar spec). Granted, I'm bias since I also race mine on the weekends. ICE is better in a lightweight application with a high efficient engine.
Gorgeous Car..
I'm buying $$
Prius just needs to be a commuter car with great mpg.
Yeah for the NYC taxi cab drivers
GR Prius would be great as long as it’s under 35k.
So many people are going crazy over full BEVs...and quite frankly, I think people are crazy pretending that tech is fully ready. I'd say a PHEV is the way to go first. 70-90% on electric only for every car would make a huge dent in pollution. In fact, I think BMW got the format almost right when they produced the i3. ie a tiny engine as a backup to a full EV powertrain. They just gave the ICE a much too small gas tank.
Toyota imo, are right in saying hybrids are more viable than full BEVs but you can't convince the herd following Elon of anything now. It's all about chasing the full BEV dream and chewing up tires at twice the rate of ICE cars.
The Prius never really appealed to me....until now!
I agree. I hated the last car. The mushy driving dynamics, and the jerky braking performance when transitioning from regen to friction was horrible. Not to mention the “look at me I’m saving the earth” styling. This new model fixes all of that for me.
Everything is cool about the car. But I am not happy with the lowering of the Passenger seating. I hate getting in and out of low cars. I am on the wrong side of 50 yrs age.
Yes, on GR Prius! I don’t think it’s a bad idea because foundation is there. The new Prius looks decent, Toyota did a great job revamping this little car. It seems everting Mr. Akio Toyoda gets involved with turns to gold. He took “Toyota is a company with boring cars” very seriously, Mr. Akio Toyoda 👏🏼 Now let’s Morizo that Prius! Prius GR 2024
300hp prius lets gooooo take the rav4 prime drivetrain and plop it in
U not GETTING THE DRAWS in a Prius! LOL sang sang bang bang!!!
I would buy a Prius with more power. 300+hp.
SMH. This guy would be responsible for the downfall of Toyota. "Design first, then engineering". That tells you that they can't do anything else with hybrid engines. How far can it go? Bigger battery? Might as well make it an EV. It's like the Blackberry phone with the keypads. Nice to have the tactile feeling but pointless.
Respectfully disagree. In time, what Toyota is doing today and their plans for the medium and long terms will be the correct path.
You wash your mouth with soap. I miss the blackberry keypad. Being able to type without looking was nice. Tactile feedback is everything.
this is a small awkward car, I have the previous Prime, it's just cheap garbage, no wonder they didn't sell too many.
My questions :
why did you design such an ugly looking car in the first place ?
Why did it take so many decades to finally have something that is less ugly or acceptable!
Such a good looking car, too bad they didn’t just stick a 55kwh battery in it.
Don’t you mean an 80Kwh pack
And what good would that have done other than make it heavier and more expensive? As a commuter hybrid car, the current formula works well. I’d rather have a lighter weight and cheaper car and the extended range capability of a hybrid rather than some extra EV range which isn’t necessary. If you want an EV, buy an EV, but this is a PHEV.
Why are you Americans obsessed with more more more? It's a problem.
I would like more EV range as the next guy, but be real, 40-50kWh is more than enough for most people's needs in a car. The kicker is efficiency, battery cooling and rapid charger. That gets harder when every new EV is designed to be sold as a crossover.
For something like a Prius (or Volt). +18kWh is ideal, it does most of the range while preserving materials and weight, because weight is important for efficiency. That includes making the engine, the exhaust, fuel tank, radiator etc lighter.
55kwh is just not enough, America is the land of the freeway so at 70-85mph depending on state at best at that speed your be getting 2.4kwh on average giving a theoretical just 132 miles range , but to make matters worse you only charge to keep the battery life to 80% (44kwh) so that takes it down to just 105.6 miles at best , this is why more and more models are appearing with greater than 100kwh, 55kwh is fine for Europe city as then the average would be 3.6 kwh 158 miles
I’m a firm believer that the rules should be changed if the manufacturers are recommended only to 80% of daily charging or in rapid change then they should only public be allowed to advertise that at the daily range than full capacity and a legal minimum life of pack in 85% in 8 or even 10 years (since that’s the average life of second hand car), the majority of new models are warranty of 70% that’s impossible to claim against in less than 100k miles to get to 70% even the majority of Vegas to la taxis are still at 84% after 400k miles but manufacturers also limit it to 100 or even 50k miles making it impossible to claim in the mileage bar major battery failure which is less than 2%
@@ram64man Model 3 has a 55kwh battery with 270 miles range.
Didn't watch. Just another E shitebox. No amount of precious metal mining will ever replace ICE cars, trucks, motorcycles, planes, ships, manufacturing etc etc etc....ad nauseum.
A prius with its ICE platform is far from a threat to you than a Tesla. If anything, the EV crowed hate the prius because they consider it to be an evil polluting car right up there with a big gas guzzling V8 SUV. I do find it funny that people like yourself hate this car for being electrified when I predict every single car GM and Chrysler will produce in the future will be all electric while the prius still sips on gas.
I think battery electric cars are a stop gap until fuel cells or biofuels are developed en mass. The weight of a full EV combined with the limited precious metals doesn’t seem like it’s changing our whole approach to sustainability. You can run out of lithium just like you can run out of fossil fuels. I don’t know what the answer is but I feel like we’re in the Beta phase and VHS hasn’t quite arrived yet.
@@SuzukiKid400 Agree
You could get oil out of Ocean and Sea but for Lithium you are destroying and polluting land and poor countries.
The market right now is a taxi, so why why Toyota did you remove the rear wiper taxi drivers need to see at low speed, and make it harder for pensioners and small children getting into the back , it’s looks over practically, you’ve practically given the taxi market to other brands
A Camry hybrid is a better taxi.
@@SuzukiKid400 Yes
Whenever Prius taxi drivers comes over to airport to pick up my family, I send them back
it's ehh could be better.
Great looking car. But it’s veeery veeery slow
No its not...
@@CACressida the old generation is the slowest modern car I’ve ever driven. I’ll reserve judgement until I drive this new generation to make a conclusion, but it’s likely this will be slow as well.
@@SuzukiKid400 uh specs are out for 0-60 for both the slow one and the fast one