Toyota Prius wagon is roomier, heavier than its hatchback sibling

The new wagon-style Toyota Prius has entered production ahead of its global sales debut next month in Japan. And despite outward similarities with its hatchback predecessor, the newest member of the Prius family also gets noteworthy changes.

At a preview and test drive for journalists in Japan, Toyota Motor Corp. showed a roomier gasoline-electric hybrid that rides higher and heavier than the standard Prius.

The driver sits 1.2 inches higher for more vanlike command. And the wagon weighs about 220 pounds more, with the same drivetrain--meaning it can't match its sibling's 9.8-second 0-60 mph time, says Kenichi Kanada, a body design engineer on the car.

The new Prius also gets better visibility--to the rear and above.

The extended rear cargo space eliminates the need for the hatchback's split rear window. But it also increases the wagon's drag coefficient to 0.29, from the standard Pirus' 0.25.

The new Prius also gets an optional polycarbonate panoramic moonroof, the largest moonroof in Toyota's lineup and its first made out of resin, which weighs 40 percent less than glass.

Other wagon improvements include a version equipped with a high-capacity lithium ion battery and Toyota's latest computer mouse-inspired one-dial climate control button.

Toyota declined to give the concept's final model name, price or sales target. The test cars viewed and driven by journalists had their nameplates concealed in thick black tape.

Two versions

The car goes on sale in Japan in April, followed by launches in the United States and Europe. The wagon will start at 2.35 million yen, or about $28,600, in Japan, according to Japan's Nikkei business daily. That compares with a starting price of 2.05 million yen, or about $24,900, for the standard Prius.

Production began last month at the company's Tsutsumi assembly plant in Toyota City, which also makes the Prius hatchback as well as the Camry sedan and other models.

The third-generation Prius and new wagon have fewer than half their components in common, said Makoto Okabe, the new vehicle's deputy chief engineer.

But they share the same platform, engine and hybrid drivetrain. They also share such design cues as the wedge-shaped silhouette and creased corners for better aerodynamics.

But besides being heavier, the wagon is longer, wider, taller and has a stretched wheelbase.

The new Prius comes in two configurations: A two-row five seater and a three-row seven seater. The latter was unveiled at this month's Geneva auto show as the Prius Plus.

The United States will get only the two-row version, equipped with a nickel-metal hydride battery under the rear seat. Europe is expected to receive only the three-row version, powered by a compact lithium ion battery tucked under the center console to make room for the third row.

Both versions are expected to be on sale in Japan.

Wagon improvements include Toyota's latest computer-mouse-inspired one-dial climate-control button.

Quality checks

Like all models debuting in the wake of Toyota's global recall crisis, the Prius wagon was subjected to a newly instituted devil's advocate quality review. Development of the vehicle started two years ago, and Toyota assigned extra man-hours for the testing in recent months.

"We found several issues," said Hiroshi Masaki, a project manager who is heading evaluation efforts on the new Prius. He declined to say what the devil's advocates turned up, but said the matters had been addressed. "There was a lot more testing of how different systems interact with each other."

Even before that stage of testing, engineers particularly scrutinized the car's antilock braking system to ensure it meshed with other software onboard, he said.

Toyota had to recall more than 400,000 Prii early last year because a software glitch caused the brakes to let up momentarily under certain driving conditions.

Masaki said the vetting of the latest Prius claimed around 100 prototypes in real-life crash tests.

Over 3 million sold

Toyota is rolling out the new Prius just as the company passes the 3 million unit mark for cumulative global hybrid sales. It announced separately Tuesday that it has sold 3.04 million Toyota and Lexus brand hybrids since 1997, when the first-generation Prius debuted.

Annual sales of the gasoline-electric cars have climbed each year since then, peaking at 690,000 units worldwide in 2010. More than half of last year's hybrids were sold in Japan.

The Prius is by far Toyota's best-selling hybrid model. Customers have snapped up 2.2 million globally since its launch. The Camry Hybrid was No. 2 at 211,000 units.

By Hans Greimel- Automotive News