I can’t post it here, but you can see the artist’s rendition over at World Car Fans. So what’s the big deal? Well, lots actually. The 2008 Prius will look very similar to the current Prius, but with a more futuristic – type design, if that makes any sense. The front end looks similar to the Honda FCX fuel-cell car, at least to my eyes. I think it’s a welcome change – I hate the current Prius look. I don’t love the new one, but it’s a step in the right direction.
Alright, enough about looks – what about under the hood? Glad you asked. Toyota’s not asleep at the wheel; in fact, they’ve made some very impressive changes to the Prius. For starters, there’s now a 1.8 liter 4 banger powering this little green-mobile, instead of the current 1.5 liter. Toyota performed some sort of voodoo on the Hybrid Synergy Drive, and they expect city gas mileage to hit an insane 80 MPG. Whether this is on the current EPA cycle, or the new one, I’m not sure.
Perhaps the most exciting offerings are still up in the air. Word is that Toyota is considering both a plugin recharging option ( we’ve been asking for this for a long time ) or even solar panels on the roof, to help recharge the batteries. Personally, I think solar panels would do absolute wonders for the Prius, if for reputation only. Toyota is working hard to be the ‘green’ automaker ( Tundra and Sequoia aside ) , and solar technology would be a huge boost there.
I love to see advances in hybrid technology. While I don’t yet own one, there may come a day in the next few years where I do. I wouldn’t mind getting 80 MPG – would you?
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I am eagerly awaiting the release of the new prius. I know it will be better than the old one for both acceleration and efficiency. What I haven’t heard is if they will improve the sound deadening over the last model and improve the braking. Although the braking distances could be due to the low rolling resistance tires.
An acceleration boost would be neat, but I think what most folks are looking for on the new Prius is the gas mileage – reportedly it’s going to be simply amazing. I, for one, can’t wait to see what numbers the EPA pegs it at – it’s going to be fantastic.
I hadn’t heard about the long brake distances though – but with the tires the way they are, it does make sense now that I think about it.
I’m already getting >80mpg – actually 85mpg door-to-door on my 35-mile commute this morning. Best to date is 87.6mpg for 130 miles from Boston to my home, and last tank was 81mpg (ca 9 gallons for >700 miles). I can tell you that 80mpg feels just fine, as does less-frequent stops at the gas station.
I have a Honda Insight, and my average over the 12,000 miles since I bought it is >71mpg (mileage is poorer over the winter, and I have been learning how to drive it better). Some other Insight owners get better mpg than I.
It baffles me that car enthusiasts are unaware that 80mpg technology already exists.
Hi J,
I am aware of the Insight, and it’s marvelous capabilities. People have been pulling incredible MPG numbers from that car for awhile now – some average in the 90 MPG area – with bursts over 100 MPG.
However, even preferring Honda to Toyota myself, I think the 2008 Prius is a more significant vehicle. The Insight, for all it’s mileage prowess, had anemic performance, only seats 2, and reportedly had issues in crosswinds ( I never had the pleasure of driving one, so I can’t confirm ). The 08 Prius will have better performance, and of course seats 5 ( four comfortably ). For anyone with a family or children, the backseat is an absolute necessity.
Plus, if the EPA rates the new Prius at 80 MPG, just think about what sort of numbers you could get out of it – you could probably average 100 on a regular basis once you learn it.
The Insight is rated higher than the current prius for mileage./ But 80 mpg and above is not typical.
Toyota does say the 2008 Prius will have more power than the current one with a 1.8 liter engine instead of 1.3 and more battery power too.City mileage should be especially miproved as the car will be able to travel much farther without having the gas engine come on.
Honda is working on a new very small hybrid which will may be a two seater update of the Insight with a different name.
The Prius is more mainstream, but I’m also really looking forward to a new version of the Insight. Not everyone needs the backseat of the Prius, and the mileage capabilities of the Insight are simply amazing.
When is the new body style scheduled to come out?? this summer??
No word on a release date yet. Some are saying that the new Prius will be a 2009 model, which would push the release date back even further. As soon as I have more info on an ETA I’ll pass it along.
Do you know if the 2008 Prius will have automatic adjustable driver seat?
Amy,
There aren’t any hard details like that just yet, though if I had to make an educated guess, I’d say that the power driver’s seat would be available as an option.
please let me know when the new Prius is coming out and at what price range.
Hanna
Hanna – potential bad news. The next gen Prius ( probably 2009 at this point ) is probably going to be delayed. There are apparently some issues with the new battery technology.
My biggest concern as a potential Prius buyer is that I’m too tall for the one I test drove. I can see the road just fine, but anything more than appx 5-10 degrees above level eye sight is blocked by the top of the window and visor. Adjustable seats in the 08 model would be a done deal.
Ouch Darcnes that hurts. Not being able to buy a Prius becaus of that is certainly a tough thing….
Out of curiousity – how tall are you? Just want to know how tall is too tall for the Prius.
If you look at it this way Honda insight and Toyota prius are both good vehicles (gas mileage)*, because of the fact that there is no other auto maker that has a car like for example :chevy that gets 60mpg or better right? I personally only like Japenese made cars! There are no other compediters when it come’s down to honda,Toyota,Nissan,Scion,Acura, Mitsubishi and last but not least Subaru. They hold there value!
Do you know if Toyota has or is considering making a minivan hybrid?
I would love to buy a Toyota Sienna Hybrid!!!
I’d say the only reason Toyota or Honda hasn’t come out with a hybrid minivan is the low volume issue. See, a hybrid van would be their first large hybrid, which would likely require a good bit of R&D to get the best results. On a relatively low volume vehicle like the Sienna, it would be difficult to recoup the R&D costs. We’ll probably see more hybrid SUV’s before a hybrid minivan.
I think the braking issue with the prius is because they have disc brakes in the front and drum brakes in the rear. Not sure why they did that. My F-150 King Ranch is about to get kicked to the curb for a prius, I’d like to wait for the new model to come out, but I may just have to go for the 07.
I stopped by the Toyota dealer and asked about the 2008 model. I was told that “there will be not much difference and the price might be more (but no pricing is released yet)”
Surfing the Internet, I read conflicting news. A few sites contend that the 2008 model has little change, and one might wait for the 2010 for a significant third-generation model.
Some others, including this forum, predicts that the 2008 model will be a new third generation w/ mileage up to 80MPG.
What to believe? Issue here is should I buy the 2007 model (the is expected to arrive the dealership the last week of August. Incidentally, the offered price is very competitive only $300 above invoice price (based on my Internet search). Please advise.
Tom,
It seems the issue is still a bit up in the air. I went into more detail in this post , which talks about battery concerns. At this point I’d say the 2008 will probably be the same / very similar to the 2007. The 2009 should be the big change, if they can get the battery issues squared away.
Leroy,
Thanks for the quick feedback. I am just a little bit surprise about the fact that, for most brands and model, the 2008 models are now known to prospective buyers… and there is so much speculation on the 2008 Prius.
I think you are right in that there would be little change in th 2008 model, when compared to its 2997 predecessors. With a significant discount (9.5% over invoice), I think I am getting a good deal in a car that has yet to be made. I think by now, Toyota should have fixed all the fixable and minor flaws the second generation model has.
Tom
I think they intended a redesign for the 2008 model year. They were going to switch from nickel cadium batteries to lithium ion but then had trouble with the new battery so the new model has been postponed until at least the 2009 model year.
Tom,
I think now would be a fine time to pick up a new Prius. Their resale value is pretty strong, so if you decide to trade up to the next generation in 09, it shouldn’t hurt too bad. Congrats on joining the hybrid club.
Automatic adjustable driver seat would be a plus interest to us. Our
opinion is a change in the rear view window not to have the bar split
effect across the back to interfere with the view.We have driven the
Prius from Quartzite, Az. to Los Angeles and back on the same tank I
believe 546 miles with a gallon to spare, or tops 59.6 mpg.
Mary & Anon,
I still can’t get on board with the Prius styling, but nearly 60 “real world” MPG is just so dang impressive from a car that can hold 5 people and a bunch of stuff. Congrats on a very smart purchase, and hopefully the new Prius will be that much better.
I still own a 1987 Toyota Celica. It has about 160,000 on the car with about 110,000 on a rebuilt engine.
I really want to buy a Prius, but I want a “PLUG-IN” Prius!
I keep hoping next year’s model will be a “Plug-in” version, but every year I’m dissappointed…
Does anyone know if Toyota EVER plans on making their Prius a “plug-in???”
I’ve heard rumors about the 2009 model and other rumors about 2010.
What is the truth?
Thanks!
George
What is the current best prices on a 2007 Prius? or any advice on when to buy it. I can wait for few months
thanks a lot.
I know there have been many requests for the plug in and I understand they
are considering but I don’t know if it will be only used as a back up or totally plug in. We personally like our 2005 Prius and were owners of an Avalon, we are also waiting to see if there will be more versions. Also in
the planning is solar.
When the Prius eventually goes plug-in , it will be in addition to it’s gasoline engine – i.e. it will be a plug-in hybrid, still able to run on gas. As far as the when, it’s only rumors for now… There’s still a chance the 2009 will have this feature, but knowing Toyota, they will wait until the technology is 100% ready, so it could be longer.
Are there any major differences between the 2008 Prius and earlier models?
Thanks!
George
Doesn’t look that way – should be all cosmetic / fluff stuff. No major mechanical changes for the 2008 Prius now – the 2009 should be the all-new one.
Are the big changes concerning the Prius coming in the 2009 model or the 2010 model?
TIA!
George
We have a 2002 Prius and have been happy with the 46 MPG, but are looking to upgrade to a newer Prius. I know some people in corporate and have done a lot of reading. Here’s how I think Prius will progress: 2008 was planned to be an 80MPG vehicle, but costs and obsticles have pushed Toyota towards a plug in model and more reliable battery technology. 2008 will remain basically unchanged. They are focusing on major changes for 2009, 2010 & 2011 in stages. They are now referring to the model year/technology changes as Prius A, Prius B & Prius C. Only time and testing will tell!
Dave & Victoria :
Nothing quite like a fresh new hybrid in the driveway.
Considering that dealers are actually dealing on new 2007 Priuses, now still might not be a bad time for an upgrade. Especially since the model change won’t happen until 2009 – I’d say go for it. By the time the ’09 is out, you’ll probably be ready to upgrade again
Finally, Toyota officially released news about its long-anticipated plug-in hybrid today.
See for example, http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070725/sc_afp/japanautocompanyenvironmenttoyota_070725074433
Well, I guess it would take at least 2 or more years to get it to the public.
Tom
When are the 2008′s comming out????
The plug-in hybrids really need the lithium-ion technology to be truly effective. The new 2009 Prius will probably *not* have li-ion batteries yet, due to Toyota’s safety concerns. They may still introduce the plug-in technology, but it won’t see the full benefits until combined with the superior li-ion batteries.
I think Toyota has concerns about the li-on batteries catching fire like some laptop computers with li-ion batteries have done.
But only 13 km (that’s about 8 miles) on a plug-in hybrid Prius is pretty pathetic…..
Any plug-in hybrid car MUST achieve at least 30 to 40 miles on electric motor only.
George
I’m seriously considering trading in my Toyota Highlander for a Prius. My iPod has become an important part of my car, and I use a digital fm transmitter to play songs. Is there an outlet on near the dash of the prius to plug in an fm transmitter for the ipod?
I’m hesitant to switch from a Highlander V6 to the Prius and losing acceleration power. How powerful is the Prius when going uphill on a highway?
Please help. I’m so close to converting…
George: The fire concern is exactly what Toyota’s worried about. It just wouldn’t do to have Priuses catching on fire while driving down the road. Especially with the batteries proximity to the gas tank – yikes. And you’re right about the distances. That’s why the lithium-ion battery technology is so important – they allow a much larger charge in a similar space, which will allow the longer distances on battery power alone.
But Leroy how difficult would it be for Toyota to equip their il-ion battery compartments with a fire sensor and a fire extinguishing foam canister, just in case of fire?
It would probably add maybe $20 or $30 bucks to the cost of the car…….
I’m sure Toyota is probably more concerned about their image if suddenly their cars started catching fire.
But think about it….. In the winter, a Plug-in Prius car owner could use the heat created by his batteries to heat his car!
George
I’m not sure what the failure / fire rate is on the batteries. If it’s relatively high, then the fire sensor / extinguisher would prevent a catastrophic fire, but it would still look very poor on Toyota.
I want a good plug-in hybrid with li-ion batteries as much as anyone. Even a 30 mile range would get me to work and back, and out for lunch if need be, all without using a drop of gas. I’m amazed by the prospect of that.
But launching the technology before it’s ready would do two things. One, it would damage Toyota’s reputation, which is already hurting these days. Two, it could turn Americans off of the technology alltogether, which coulc take years or decades to resolve. Just look at diesels – only now is the stigma starting to lift.
All very true…. I’m with you though concerning the potentiall of the plug-in hybrid!
I live about four or five miles from work, so I average about 12 to 20 miles a day in my car.
How terrific would it be if millions of folks like me, almost never used gasoline???
Maybe we would use a little gasoline on weekends or vacations and such, but during the work week? Never!
America “could” become energy independent!
George
I love having a short commute too – I’m 7 miles from work, so toss in a drive for lunch and I’m right around 20 miles per day. Not using gas would be simply fantastic – energy independence finally. Just 5 or 10 years ago this really wasn’t on anyone’s minds.. energy was abundant, cheap, and always available. Nowadays it’s changed so much.. just amazing when you think about it.
I’ve wanted an electric car for about 15 years now,
but it never seemed like any car company was interested in the technology,
until GM came out with the EV-1.
My friend leased an EV-1 from 1998 til GM made him return it in 2002.
I drove the EV-1 in 1999 and LOVED it, but it wasn’t available in my state.
George
I became concerned about energy conservation while in high school in the 70′s. I never drove to school and would walk or ride my bike to work. People made fun of me as it was essential not to be seen traveling other than by car when you were that age.
Ever since I have never driven to work on a regular basis. Either walking or, more frequently, bicycling instead. I have watched as co-workers have driven to work from as little as 4 blocks away and husband and wife commuting to work at eh same place in separate SUV’s!
Now the chickens are coming home to roost in the form of higher gas prices.
I wish I had the chance to drive the EV-1 – I didn’t even know about it until after it was gone. I wonder why GM took them all back? I’m sure there’s a reason floating around somewhere but I don’t know off the top of my head.
Mike: Congrats on the lifestyle change you made early on. Ideally we should all do things the way you do, but most of us aren’t ready to make such drastic changes yet. I know I can’t see myself biking to work every day.. but I’m sure it would do wonders for my health!
Mike, because you rode your bike to work, while they drove,
your bank account is probably FATTER and your waistline is definitely SKINNER.
The reverse can most assuredly be said about that couple…..
George
Leroy, if you haven’t seen the documentary film, “Who Killed the Electric Car?” then rent it immediately…
Honestly, it is hands-down the best documentary I have ever seen!
Your jaws will hit the floor when you see what big oil and big auto did.
They started killing the EV-1 program the moment the Bush Administration
took control in early 2001!
George
I am not naive enough to think everyone can or will ride a bike to work. But most everyone can make some change. Carpool, more efficient car , try to live near where you work, ride a bike once a week if possible.
My next door neighbor has TWO Chevy Suburbans. And the government gave him a tax break to buy them becasue he claims to use them for work.He’s a mortgage broker. So he could use a Prius if he has to drive to meet clients.
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