Exposed: 2009 Toyota Prius

It was a little more than a decade ago when Toyota completely changed the automotive landscape with its small, oddly shaped economy car called the Prius. Equipped with what Toyota calls its Hybrid Synergy Drive, the Prius was the first mass-marketed hybrid in the world.

“Hybrid” refers to the car’s powertrain. It consists of a lean-burning gasoline engine and an electric motor that work together to achieve more than 40 mpg, or even 50 mpg, in city driving. With gasoline prices currently soaring to all-time highs, we at Road & Track have had our attention focused on the all-new third-gen Prius, which will hit dealerships in the spring of 2009.

Toyota is saying very little about the future Prius, but we were able to uncover key bits of information regarding its appearance and technology.

The general shape of the car will remain intact, but the front end will be thoroughly redesigned. Thanks to canted headlights and a steeply raked windshield and hood, the new Prius will look sportier than the current model. The car will grow slightly, to an overall length of 179 in. (up from 175.0 in.), resulting in a more spacious interior.

As for the motor/engine, here’s what we uncovered. The displacement of the inline-4 will grow from 1.5 liters to 1.8, which will result in more power and torque. The gasoline engine will produce about 100 bhp and 105 lb.-ft. of torque, and the electric motor generating about 60 bhp, making the new Prius more powerful than ever. We hear it will run from zero to 60 mph in about 9.5 seconds and reach a top speed of about 115 mph.

With this extra oomph, one would expect the car’s fuel economy to suffer. Nope. Amazingly, the Prius will be even more fuel-efficient than it is now. According to our sources, Toyota has improved its hybrid system so the electric motor plays a bigger role when driving. Therefore, don’t be surprised when a slow drive to the corner market is achieved without using a single drop of gasoline.
        
Now here’s the real kicker. The price of the all-new Prius will probably be the about same, perhaps even lower, than the current one. Toyota is expected to offer three trim levels: base, luxury and eco, with the base model starting around $21,000. Of course, these prices are at the mercy of the dollar/yen exchange rate, so don’t take them to the bank just yet. What is sure is that the next Prius will be as ground-breaking as the model before it, and Toyota will remain the global leader in fuel-efficient modes of transportation.

 

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