Toyota Prius V

"The Prius V is a segment-buster that has been difficult to describe by consumers in Toyota research."

Yea, it's the segment that is confused... not big enough to carry more people and not more fuel efficient than the current Prius. The only benefit is extra cargo room which the current Prius also has plenty of. If not enough, there is always the roof rack option.

I predict this will be a failure unless more seats (not more cargo room) can be squeezed out of this car.

Toyota left the door WIDE open for the competition to come in with a more minivan like hybrid that can give the same or better mileage.

They had the chance to really come in with something different, but all you get is an enlarged Prius that still does not really even fit five people!!!

They had a chance to extend the prius and provide a third row, or at the very minimum they could'a , would'a, should'a extended the roofline on this Prius V back another 6"-12" (which would get better fuel mileage and provide even more space.

"But the Prius V’s raison d’etre is more interior space."

I would refine that just a bit and say cargo space. The current Prius is a five passenger car just like the V. The V maybe a bit more comfortable with three in the back, but I still bet no adult wants to be the third person. So does anybody know the V's cargo dimensions?

If the Prius V can match my 2004 Focus wagon's cargo length and height it may well be my next car. Some stuff I squeeze into the Focus touches the roof, so a little more height would be welcomed.

If my car keeps running well, I will wait and see how the V compares to the Ford C-Max hybrids. The one that uses the least fuel for my normal driving and meets my cargo needs will be my next car (assuming I can afford it). No extra credit for going beyond my cargo needs.

Looks like a wagon to me. Why are people confused about that? And had it been six years ago when I purchased my Subaru, I would have considered it. But now, with 2 kids and on the verge of starting to haul around some of their friends, seating 4 (I agree with Craig, seating 5 is a joke) just isn't going to cut it.

I really thought that the Prius V was going to be a Mazda5-like hybrid. No third row, not a chance.

Even the Ford C-Max isn't a hyrbrid, but that one will seat 6.

The Ford C-Max versions that will run with electricity only seat 4 (don't tell me 5, show me 5 car seats and I'll believe you).

All of these cars/wagons/hatchbacks/crossovers, whichever you choose to call it, are close, but still leave me wanting.

seating: fail
fuel economy: fail
price: likely will cost a premium - fail
prius image: ruined

this car is opposite of everything that made the original prius irresistible. what was toyota thinking?

Sounds pretty good to me! No more back window bar, better integration of media, better dashboard, more room for hauling stuff. I for one can hardly wait! Looks like they are eliminating most of the current negatives that have made me hold back, waiting and hoping for genuine improvements! Great! I'll be near the front of the line!

I agree with Yegor that it will sell well. As far as its looks. I don't know what most of you are looking at. It looks beautiful to me. Considering it is a wagon, it has nice sleek lines. The aerodynamics make it look clean and well proportioned. It doesn't have the split rear window. It does not have the overly wedged shaped of the current Prius. What small SUV offers the 5th passenger as much comfort as the other 4?- None really. Seating for 7 - and keeping the fuel economy above 40 MPG - not. At least not yet. Sure a six or seven passenger hybrid will be a success whenever one is produced. In the mean time I think the Prius V will do fine for what it is - a 5 passenger wagon (that gets over 40 mpg in the city and 38 mpg on the highway).

if we look at prius 5 vs prius 3 and compare it to matrix vs corolla sales figures (it's about 1 to 2 ratio), it is reasonable to deduce prius 5 would sell about half of prius 3 volumes.

however, considering matrix is significantly more room than corolla and it is a hatchback design, there is probably more demand for the matrix due to significant features not covered by corolla. prius 5 on the other hand, is very similar to prius 3, which i suspect will draw very low number of buyers unless the price is almost identical.

Nelson Lu, Ford has said the C-Max Hybrid will beat the Fusion Hybrid, but if it only by 1 MPG it would tie the Prius V. I do think the C-Max will beat the Prius V by 2 or 3 MPG (see the following for why).

By looking at the specifications for the Prius V from Toyota and for the European C-Max (the one that the hybrid is based on, not the Grand C-Max with seating for 7 and sliding doors) from Ford, I think the Prius V will have a longer length, but be shorter in height. I think that will hold true for the cargo area as well as the overall car. The European C-Max basically matches my 2004 Focus wagon in cargo area, except that it is almost 2 inches (5cm) taller. Without knowing where the batteries are in the C-Max, it is impossible to know for sure about the cargo area dimensions. I have not been able to find cargo area dimensions for the Prius V, so my guess is from looking at the images and knowing the overall length of the car.

Because the Prius V is coming out first, Ford has the advantage of knowing their target's EPA's MPGs. Being taller the C-Max may have a disadvantage in drag. Using Li ion batteries should give the C-Max a bit of a weight advantage and a bit faster current delivery. The non-hybrid C-Max is about 200 pounds lighter than the non-hybrid Fusion. Assuming the non-battery hybrid systems add the same weight to each car, and the Li ion battery saves another 100 pounds, the 300 pounds could mean up to 6% better MPG (according to the EPA). That would translate to 43.5 and 38.2 MPGs for the C-Max Hybrid. I am guessing that Ford will target 45/38 for the C-Max hybrid. I think Ford will get there because they can use more current from the Li Ion batteries and do a bit more tuning of the newer 2.0L vs 2.5L ICE.

So if I am correct about the cargo area and the MPGs, and the cost of the C-Max Hybrid and Prius V are the same, which would you buy?

Anonymous says:
"Q: Why no seven seater for America?
Q: Why no lithium battery for America?"

maybe europe is being used as guinea pigs :)

This is the wagon I've been waiting for! The Corolla wagon was discontinued in the early 90's, much to my dismay, and I've been urging Toyota to bring back a small wagon. SUV's are a poor substitute for the station wagons, which were quite sufficient.
What a bonus to have hybrid advantage!! Hope it isn't priced
too high.

I have been a mini van fan for years- I have never had the rear seats up in any of them that I can recall.. I buy them because they are comfortable and because I can use them to schlep the stuff that I can't get into other cars.

The c-max and the prius v will be great for people who want plenty of gas mileage but who routinely have to carry a large volume of cargo.

I now own a standard prius- and miss the minivan sometimes. My wife's lease is up this summer and she will buy the Prius V. Great for vacations and moving furniture- it has as much cargo space as her current Ford Edge- which gets 16mpg.

This car will be perfect for SUV people who want better mileage but who can't do without serious cargo space.

Perfect car for a vacation for two couples for example- with golf clubs etc.

I got my Previa for that

Kids,kids,kids...need to know to know how to define build quality.
sorry kids too young to understand, you cant compare any ford product to Toyota. Rustproofing for 25years, trust me.

I'm interested in the new V, as having 2 young kids you are always carting around way more stuff than you would think. The current Prius just does not seem to have enough space for what I need.

My biggest issue now is - is this release going to be delayed significantly due to the nuke issues in Japan? Last word I heard a month or two, so mid-late summer perhaps?

Love this! I just bought a Matrix, and will be keeping it clean as a whistle so that I can trade it against a Prius V in a couple of years - I want to wait out the inevitable early-adopter premium price. But it's a perfect configuration for me - single driver, no kids, but need lots of cargo space on a regular basis. My partner drives a Prius now, and I love it, just can't get the dog crates in for getting to dog shows - the Prius V will solve that....

YAHOO!

I have a Toyota Sienna and would love a Hybrid of it!! Come on Toyota, we need a Hybrid Sienna here in America NOW!

I'm in the UK, we pay 8.60 per gallon NOW. ANY car which user less fuel and has enough cargo
space has got to be good news. I hope the new Prius fits that bill.

This car sounds perfect for me and my husband. He's just starting travel nursing, so we need a car for two people with great fuel economy since we'll be moving to a new state every 3 months. We'll also need a car that will fit our stuff, not a ton of stuff, but more than just a trip to the grocery. Sounds just like what we need to me.

I'm amazed at what I think have been some rather foolish coments regarding this not-yet-released vehicle. I drove a "regular" Prius rented for a 1000 mile round trip a couple of years ago. The car was pretty nice on the highway (where I was often traveling around 85 MPH), and I got 45.8 MPG per the onboard computer.

That aside, my only "complaints" about that Prius were the smaller interior (I currently drive a Camry), the electronic shifting mechanism, and the lack of view from the poor excuse for a rear window. Regarding "complaint" #1, that would also apply, to some degree, to a vehicle like the Honda Civic. But, if I were to perhaps drive the Prius, or a vehicle like the Civic, on an every day basis, that "complaint" might disappear as I became more used to the vehicle. And I even might become used to that electronic shifter, although definitely not the current Prius rear window.

Relative to the above, I can certainly see that a Prius with some more passenger and cargo room, and what maybe is a vastly improved rear view, WOULD be a HUGE advantage over the current Prius. And would be worth some more bucks. Further, the approximate 40/40 MPG would certainly make it a viable competitor to mid-size sedans, station wagons and small SUVs (except in regard to 4WD). So there IS a market for this vehicle, and I might be in that market once it's out and I test drive it.

Sometimes it's better to THINK before you write. Just because you may not be interested in a particular vehicle doesn't mean that others aren't, or that such a niche doesn't exist for that vehicle. And the niche here is pretty evident and simple: more room than the current Prius while still returning great (albeit lower than the smaller Prius) gas mileage!

Sorry but not having 7 seats is a deal breaker for me.

Toyota has already released the 7 seat version in Japan & Europe (or so it was planned before the tsunami.)

I have a Toyota Matrix and love it! I am sad that the Matrix has been discontinued. The Prius V seems to be a hybrid Matrix and will meet the demands of other customers who love the Matrix.

I have a 2006 Prius and it has 115,000 miles. I average approximaely 47-51 mpg.Usually we travel with tow otheer people and it seems to be very compfortable. I hae had people comment that it rides and drives like a larger car. If this one ever wears out I would like one just like ti. My total reparis consist of one set of tires at 100,00 miles and a headlight .
You cannot improve on perfection.

im doing a project in school to find out witch is more expensive in the long, a prius v or a ford escape. the ford escape is much cheaper to begin with and runs longer. in the life of a prius it will never become less expansive than some SUV's even though its mpg is great getting an SUV is smarter for price not but not the enviroment. just a thought

Wrong on all counts, in my opinion. Different strokes for different folks, I guess.

This car will probably keep me in the Toyota family. I will trade up from my 2008 RAV4, probably early next year. The Prius V wagon appears to offer me everything I use my RAV4 for, but at about half the fuel costs. Not so the earlier Prius models, which are significantly smaller inside.

I'll wait and see how I like the look and feel of the Prius V, of course, and how the actual user reviews come down, but it appears to me that Toyota has hit a homerun with this extension of the Prius technology to the station wagon market. On paper, this looks like a better product (for my family needs) than the bigger, very attractive Venza Wagon -- which is more expensive, both to buy AND ESPECIALLY to operate.

Prius V can,or can not be used to tow? If not now when?

Because Europe, unlike America, is not owned and run by Big Oil.

The Prius V is just like the Matrix of 2004, but a little larger, and a hybrid. I have a 2004 Matrix, and it looks the same, feels bigger, and the brochure says it's bigger. Gas mileage of course is better (44/40 vs 28/32). We were looking to move from the Matrix to a Rav4, but now we are considering the Prius V. The current Matrix is just too small.

Amen. I have a 2000 Sienna with approx. 215,000 miles on it. I have had minivans since 1980. I need it because of my back problems. I cannot sit comfortably in a sedan style vehicle. At times we need to haul wheel chairs and walkers. Will not fit easily and be easy to get in and out of back. I have been waiting for the hybrid minivan for over 3 years. It has been in Japan for that long. Not right at all.

Dave Karney I think you failed to think before you posted. Shut your face....

We just bought a 2010 Prius V yesterday to replace my 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac that has 185,000 miles and a failing transmission. We are delighted with our purchase and are now a 2 Prius family. Note: upgrade to leather from a base model, and you can keep it under $30k. If you get factory leather it comes with heated seats and a premium package that will just cost you unnecessary $$. This Prius is more roomy and has excellent cargo potential - another brilliant product from Toyota.

"What the hell, Toyota? I've been waiting for 6 years now and I will not buy from them until they make a hybrid 7 passenger minivan! Come on, Nissan, somebody...even GM"

it is not Toyota it is your federal government.
V is not a van.
the hybrid version of the real van (Sienna) has been out for many years - it is called Estima look it up. Oh yeah it is not avail in N america. Why - you have to figure out yourself...

I thought the Prius V is new for 2012...

Our Yellow cab has plenty of crash videos from dashboard cameras of taxis owned by privat drivers. Broken legs, arms, heads... Hybrid vehicles save gas not lifes! NY taxi has canceled "hybrid only law", ges why? You pay this way or another.

My husband is tall, and the regular Prius just did not cut it for head room. We did not want a mini van, just a little more room with great mileage. We tried some of Ford's hybrids, but the head room was just not there