If you’ve been anxiously awaiting the all-new 2016 Toyota Prius, your day has come. This week Toyota revealed it at a special event up in Las Vegas.
The all-new Prius comes on the heels of nearly 20 years of being the number one go-to hybrid car. Like the Ford Mustang, it’s instantly recognizable around the world. And the all-new design of the 2016 Toyota Prius is likely to continue this iconic status.
Styling is more daring than ever. There’s more angles, more creases, and some quite bold origami-like shapes going on. LED headlamps are now standard up front. And at the rear are some wildly conceived LED tail lamps which will give the Prius an unmistakable new signature at night.
The silhouette is familiar, though stretched about 2.5-inches. It’s taller by almost and inch, and about a half-inch wider. The trademark hump in the roof moves forward a bit, making its unique shape even more dramatic.
This extra size Toyota says, all goes into the passenger space. The 2016 Prius is the first car to be built on Toyota’s New Global Architecture, which brings a taller belt line and a stronger passenger structure. This along with new Toyota Safety Sense features should make it safer than ever.
The dash retains the center mounted instruments and displays Prius owners are used to. But the rest of the design is entirely new. A more pronounced center pod has the joystick-like drive gear selector, and a new console layout has a dedicated smart-phone space.
The top trim grade here shows polished white plastic and black SofTex trims with blue stitching. And, in addition to expanded infotainment features, the new Prius will also be available with the latest driver assistance technologies.
The big news for Prius is a 10-percent increase in fuel efficiency which sould be about 55 mpg city. This comes by way of smaller hybrid components, a more power dense battery, and a more efficient engine. And they say, an even thriftier ECO version will come later.
The last piece of the puzzle for the 2016 Toyota Prius is a more sophisticated suspension and chassis afforded by the new architecture. This has a new multi-link rear suspension that Toyota says will make it more fun to drive than ever.
So basically, if you loved the Prius already, you will have a lot more to love. If you hated the Prius and everything it stands for, well you’ll likely have more to hate.
