As far as truly iconic cars go, one can’t overlook the modest Toyota Prius when making a list. It may not be the most attractive car ever made or the most fun to drive, but when it was originally launched, back in the late 1990s, the Prius was truly something different. And, as we’re leaving hybrids behind and heading into an all-electric future, the Prius will get a new generation, possibly next year.
The news comes from Autocar, via the Vice President of Product and Marketing Management over at Toyota Europe, Andrea Carlucci. Speaking to the UK magazine about the future of the Prius he said: “It has to keep a role, and we have to make sure it will always be a front-runner with that kind of technology, so – although I can’t disclose much – we don’t want to waste our icon, even for the future.”
That is definitely confirmation that the Prius name will live on, but there’s not mention as to what kind of drivetrain it will use. The current model was launched in 2015 and got a facelift in 2018, being bound to go out of production soon. According to various Japanese sources, the fifth generation is set to be unveiled in full by the end of next year, but we’re yet to learn all the details about it.
According to them, the upcoming Prius will keep its hybrid drivetrain alive and will include a plug-in hybrid version as well, just as it’s the case today. A few reports also claim that Toyota might also be looking into making the Prius a hydrogen-burning model but that’s a bit of a far-fetched idea for now. It would definitely fit the revolutionary image the Toyota model has built for itself over the years.
