Toyota Hybrid X Concept. A pointer to the Toyota Prius Alpha MPV?
Toyota will launch a 7 seater MPV Prius in 2011 – the Toyota Prius Alpha.
Back in November we reported that Toyota were planning an estate version of the Prius. Which is a rumour/theory/fact that has been around almost as long as the Prius itself, as has the idea that Toyota will create a Prius sub-brand for its hybrid cars.
The sub brand theory took a bit of a knock when Toyota revealed the Toyota Auris Hybrid and revealed plans for a hybrid Yaris and Rav-4 – and probably every Toyota in the range. But the Prius range is growing with the Prius Plug-in and Motor Trend now report that the Toyota Prius Alpha will launch in early 2011.
The Prius Alpha would appear to be an extended Prius with an extra row of seats and the lithium ion battery pack from the Prius plug-in but will still run the 1.8 litre petrol lump from the Prius. That should make performance somewhat less than stellar and put a hole in the fuel economy figures.
In terms of price it’s reported that the Prius Alpha will be very keenly priced, coming in at around 2.5 million Yen and undercutting a number of conventionally powered MPVs.
We don’t get the Prius, we admit. We get the Prius Alpha people carrier/mpv/crossover even less.
But it will sell
Michael Brown says
What would be a better idea would be to bring the Hybrid Estima model to the UK.