The next generation of Toyota's popular Prius hybrid sedan has been spotted, wearing almost no camouflage, by spy photographers. While previous reports had labeled the car a 2009 model, most media outlets are now calling the car a 2010 Prius, expected to make its first public appearance at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show in January, and reach showrooms in the U.S. by summer of next year.
Motor Trend is running photos, and reports that the next 2009 Prius is definitely "longer and wider than its predecessor." It features "what looks to be a significantly redesigned front end." Other than that, it isn't a significant departure from the five-door hatchback shape of today's Prius. The windshield is a bit more steeply raked, giving the car slightly more of a wedge shape than the current model. But the Prius's shape is part of its gas-saving design -- it has one of the lowest coefficients of drag (a measure of how much wind resistance a car encounters) of any car ever produced -- which is likely why Toyota has done little to change the car's shape.
Jalopnik says the new shape does "give backseat passengers a bit more space," and offers "some added trunk storage."
NextAutos reports that Toyota will be "replacing the current car’s nickel-metal hydride batteries with smaller lithium-ion units."
Autoblog, however, disagrees. "We're hearing that it will continue to use nickel-metal hydride batteries," they write. "Toyota is, after all, building a whole new factory in Japan to produce more nickel-metal hydride batteries that should be operational in 2010."
There are no conflicting reports on the car's power. The next Prius will reportedly feature a 1.8-liter gasoline engine, and enhanced electric motors, giving it a combined horsepower of approximately 150. Motor Trend notes, "Other speculation has the new Prius featuring solar panels on the roof to power such accessories as the air conditioning system, as well as to help charge up the hybrid's batteries."
NextAutos offers another rumor: "Look for the Prius to start a family in this generation as well, with possible station wagon and convertible variants reportedly on the table."
With Honda planning to offer three hybrid models by 2010, plans to expand the Prius lineup make sense.
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