ndtourist.com: Tokyo 2011: Production Toyota Prius c to make debut

Thứ Ba, 15 tháng 11, 2011

Tokyo 2011: Production Toyota Prius c to make debut

Next year, Toyota’s popular Prius hybrid range will double in size. From the current hatchback and Prius v, Toyota will add on the plug in version of the Prius and this, the Prius c. Shown as a concept earlier this year in Detroit, the Prius c will be unveiled in production form at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show.

At less than four metres long, this will be a more compact and cheaper car than the standard Prius. Tagged as a subcompact in the US, the Prius c will be an entry point to Toyota hybrid ownership. It’s 3,995 mm long, 1,695mm wide and 1,445 mm tall, with a 2,550 mm wheelbase. The wheelbase is identical in length with the Vios, as is the width, so it should be quite a roomy hatch.

With the brand’s proven Hybrid Synergy Drive tech – a 1.5-litre petrol engine with an electric motor in this case – the Prius c achieves 35-40 kilometres per litre in the official Japanese test cycle. Toyota USA says that it can do 17.7 km/l (50 mpg) in the city, the highest city mpg of any non-plug-in vehicle.

The Prius c is bound to be quite well equipped despite its entry level positioning. Bluetooth hands-free phone connectivity, steering-wheel audio controls and nine airbags will be among the standard features in the US spec car.

Toyota’s Entune multimedia system will be optional. Entune links up with your mobile smartphone for fully integrated access to navigation, entertainment, and information services. It allows users to connect with popular apps (in the US) such as Bing, OpenTable.com, and movietickets.com.

The Prius c will be called Aqua in Japan.