Toyota Prius C Concept – a City Prius for 2012

The Toyota Prius C Concept - a 'City' Prius

The Prius – love it or hate it – has been with us for more than a decade, with the third generation Prius arriving in 2009. And we’ve long expected Prius to become a brand – just like Lexus – but it’s never happened. What is happeneing is the expansion of the Prius as a model range, starting with the Toyota Prius V MPV debuting at Detroit.

Confusingly, this expansion of the Toyota Prius model range is running alongside the introduction of Toyota’s HSD to many more cars in the Toyota range. The logic of which we’re struggling to understand. So let’s throw another confusion in to the equation – the Toyota Prius C.

The Toyota Prius C is a concept at Detroit, but a concept planned to be a production model by 2012. Toyota are calling the Prius C “…a “city”-centric vehicle, will appeal to young singles and couples who want an eco-sensitive, high-mileage, fun-to-drive Prius.” Does that mean decent suspension, decent feedback and a proper gearbox? Not likely.

Toyota has a different definition of fun when it relates to anything ‘Prius’. Fun seems to mean anodyne; removing the pain of driving so the driver is as insignificant as possible. Still, in an urban environment that’s something we would often welcome.

The Prius C seems to have a concept feel about it, but with only a year before Toyota plan on bringing it to market as “…the most value-oriented hybrid” we must assume it’s not going to change massively.

And does all this Prius V and Prius C malarkey mean the original Prius being renamed the Prius A?

By Cars UK