Just hours after showing you a leaked brochure of the Lexus HS250h-based Toyota SAI Hybrid, we now have official information about new hybrid sedan as Toyota has just officially unveiled it. Compared its Lexus counterpart, the SAI has a slightly different front end with restyled headlights, hood, front bumper as well as a reworked grille.
At the rear, the only difference is the reworked tailights. On the side profile, the side windows on the rear doors have been reshaped. Inside, the Sai looks a little different thanks to a new instrument panel, revised air vents on the dashboard as well as a different steering wheel.
As expected, the front wheels are motivated by the same drivetrain found in the HS250h. The THS II system is primarily made up by a 2AZ-FXE 2.4 litre Atkinson-cycle VVTi 4-cylinder petrol unit that is good for 150 PS at 6,000 rpm and 187Nm of torque 4,400 rpm. The engine is coupled with an electric motor that develops 143 PS and 270Nm of torque. The drivetrain produces 190 PS of combined power. Energy is stored in a nickel-metal hydride battery pack and the system also features a continuously variable transmission (CVT).
Unfortunately the auto maker did not disclose any information pertaining to fuel consumption and performance. The Toyota SAI is available in four trim levels in Japan and is priced between 3,380,000 yen (about RM 126,000) and 4,260,000 yen (about RM 159,000). As reported earlier, Toyota has also made available TRD and Modellista packages for the SAI for those that want their car to look a little different.
For those of you wondering what’s with the name, the name SAI is based on the Japanese word sai—which means “talent” when written as “
” and “coloration” when written as “
“. Toyota intends for it to “combine advanced talent and multi-color sophistication”.
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Harvinder Singh Sidhu thinks there's nothing better than Formula 1, not even sliced bread. Having written about cars since 2006, he plunged head first into the industry out of a passion for all things four-wheeled and everything in between. The F1 enthusiast has been following the sport since 1999 and has been keeping up with it since. In between races he keeps himself busy as the host of the Driven motoring TV programme and as our version of the Joker.
why the name SAI? as in shit in hokkien?
Look the center compartment, one ugly pillar….yucks
Looks like Toyota Prius
weird dashboard….
haha kan na 'sai'
It's fun to see how japanese car design is going backwards.
boring.
yet another kanaSAI car again !!
front view I see little bit vios-ish… rear light OMG…ugly-ish. but maybe it will good look in real flesh…
sucks……
A Toyota with the name SAI, well who wants that parked in our garage. Might as well named it Toyota TURD.
bad name…..SAI! SHIT!
anyway, if comes here, sure will change name one.
basically just toyota branded lexus hs250. as with the other models in their stables.
The center console looks so terrible!!!
after this Sai, there's gonna be Toyota Dung, Toyota Fen, Toyota Pee…
since Toyota is fron Japan, maybe the word 'Sai' in japanese meaning
something good or pleasant. but in chinese as all the above said,
means shit. if the car enters into chinese market, surely they will
change the name.
lame design la.. not that great at all..
i think sai refers to a weapon used in medieval japan and still in use today among martial arts practitioners. the 3 pronged fork originally farming equiptment. like the one raphael uses in ninja turtles?
why must hybrid car look weird. just dun get it.
The Sai is based on a concept derived from the Japanese word sai – which means "talent" and "coloration" – as a hybrid-only sedan "combining advanced talent and multi-color sophistication".
Saite = sa-ee-teh = the worst, suck, bad.
What a name…
Sai is also Sasuke's replacement in Team Kakashi =P
haha toyota "shit" (sai)
gt mouse at the centre console..how cool is tat
The headlamps kinda BMW 3 series-ish.
nice design…first sight such look like Prius
hope the hybrid in Malaysia can be sold below rm90K
SAI for japan + chinese = very good shit..
If hit our shores, sure UMW over price it again. Look at current Prius, it's a sky high price.
nice car!
prius brother
Well the name sure does resembles the car ………
boring and shitty design…
Oh my goodness, why Toyota cannot have a better design?
Luckily I have opt out Japanese Cars, no more Japanese Cars.
Hehehhe…
Sai,,,,,,Tiu nia seng.
lack of design….boring…..
Toyota SohAI actually.
popular brand, over-whelmed demand, premium pricing……
Shit car
This would be a direct competitor to Civic Hybrid as it appear in a form of sedan. We hope the goverment can do something can do something about the hybrid tax incentive or even offer Toyota to build hybrid cars in Malaysia as a national car project, could have a JV with Perodua.
hybrid that can produce SAI..awesome LOL
skmasterhian said,
October 20, 2009 @ 6:11 pm
why the name SAI? as in shit in hokkien?
_____
cos the design is like shit.
next will be toyota sohai and cibai…..ahhahahah
the car's design does not inspire a driver to drive or be driven.
more like an elegant funeral casket with wheels.
DEMN UGLY
Dashboard kana Sai.
why the front whee too far back?the hood also looks too short
toyota's cars are getting uglier day by day! i still can't believe that some guys are getting paid to come up with such designs!