The Latest Gen Toyota Prius Has Solar Charging Plus New Powertrains

While the car itself is unlikely to head to India, its hybrid powertrain will 

• The new Prius looks swankier and sportier than its predecessor, with a fastback profile. 

• The redesigned cabin looks neat and premium with a large touchscreen and a panoramic sunroof. 

• Powered by 2-litre strong-hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains with the option of a solar charging panel on the roof. 

• The plug-in hybrid gets a larger battery pack which will offer 50 percent more electric-only range than its predecessor. 

• The 193PS 2-litre strong hybrid will make its way to the Innova Hycross, which could offer an efficiency of around 20kmpl. 

Toyota has unveiled the fifth-generation Prius sedan. Now 25 years old, the Prius has received a complete makeover. It’s wider and lower stanced but a bit shorter than its predecessor. 

Looks Sportier Than Ever

While it still maintains its iconic ‘Prius’ silhouette, the new Prius looks swankier and sportier than the previous generation. It gets an aggressive front profile that supplements its low stanced profile. It sits on larger 19-inch wheels and is one of the few sedans to get C-pillar-mounted rear door handles. At the back, it has a fastback roofline with a large gloss black applique, housing the connected LED tail lamps. 

Let’s not forget that this was a digital unveiling and the final product may still have minor differences.

A Neat And Classy Cabin

The new Prius’ cabin sports the ‘Island architecture’ design, which looks neat and premium. It gets a large central touchscreen infotainment system, a digital driver’s display, and a panoramic moonroof as some of its interior highlights. For safety, it gets Toyota Safety Sensing, the carmaker’s speak for ADAS (advanced driver assistance system), which also features a monocular front camera and a rear camera with its display on the IRVM. 

Also Read: New Toyota Innova To Get These 5 Things For The First Time Ever!

Only Hybrid Powered

Powering the new Prius are new 2-litre strong-hybrid and 2-litre plug-in hybrid petrol engines. The PHEV (plug-in hybrid) gets a larger battery pack which improves the driving range by 50 percent over the previous model. The plug-in powertrain is rated at 223PS and can sprint from 0-100kmph in 6.7 seconds. The battery pack has been fitted under the rear seat instead of the cargo area, which gives it a lower centre of gravity. The Prius also gets an optional solar charging panel which charges the car while parked and generates power equivalent of up to 1250 kms per year. The solar panel-generated power will aid the driving and even functions like AC. 

The other powertrain is the 2-litre strong-hybrid rated at 193PS. It claims to offer the same fuel efficiency as the previous model’s 1.8-litre strong-hybrid, which offered around 24kmpl. The older 1.8-litre hybrid powertrain will continue to be offered in select countries. 

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The India Relation

The previous generation pre-facelift Toyota Prius was on sale in India till 2020 but was discontinued when the BS6 emission norms came into effect. The new version of it is unlikely to head over to India. However, its 2-litre strong-hybrid is most likely to be shared by the Innova Hycross. The new generation MPV will use the Prius’ 193PS strong-hybrid engine and is expected to claim around 20kmpl of fuel economy. More details about the hybrid MPV will be announced on November 25.