Tokyo 2011 live: Toyota Aqua hybrid is a smaller Prius

Tokyo 2011 live: Toyota Aqua hybrid is a smaller Prius

The Toyota Aqua is the JDM name for the Toyota Prius c – it’s essentially a compact hatchback with a Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive system. It measures less than four metres long with a 2,550mm wheelbase – the same as that of a Toyota Vios.

Tokyo 2011 live: Toyota Aqua hybrid is a smaller Prius

To suit its downsized dimensions, Toyota has also reengineered the HSD system. For usage in the Aqua/Prius c, it is more compact and lighter, with a reduced displacement. As opposed to the 1.8 litre and 2.4 litre systems in the Prius and the Camry Hybrid, the Aqua uses a HSD system based around a smaller 1.5 litre engine.

Toyota claims a fuel efficiency of 35.4 km/L under the JC08 test cycle and 40.0 km/L under MLIT 10-15 test cycle, which are some very impressive numbers. Now that the government has extended the hybrid car tax breaks, will UMW Toyota Motor offer the rest of the Prius family such as this Toyota Aqua in Malaysia? Not everyone needs the space offered by a Prius – a more affordable Prius could go head to head against the Honda Insight.

More details on the Prius c/Aqua in our previous story.

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Paul Tan

After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

Comments

  • kevin lee on Nov 30, 2011 at 1:56 pm

    toyota agua! very nice.

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  • Alpha on Nov 30, 2011 at 1:59 pm

    In Malaysia,it’ll be called the Toyota Ah Kua.

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  • kiddo on Nov 30, 2011 at 2:23 pm

    If UMW fix the price at RM90k, this thing would sell. After all, 90k for a hybrid is kinda acceptable. And this car looks kinda good, to me at least. And, they would have a rival for the Insight and also the Jazz Hybrid if Honda is bringing it in.

    I’d personally go for this instead of the Vios if it’s RM90k.

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  • Mat Mitsu on Nov 30, 2011 at 2:37 pm

    Hopefully it will not be banned from entering Malaysia market should UMW intends to bring it in, just because of the name.

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    • teelim on Nov 30, 2011 at 3:08 pm

      no prob mah. can just change the name for SEA market or something. just like the jazz, its known as fit in japan

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      • Visitor on Nov 30, 2011 at 3:33 pm

        Based on the news reports so far, the name ‘Aqua’ will be used for the Japanese market, while ‘Prius c’ is for the international market.

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  • nice side profile. but dugong nose kills everything

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    • BlackBJQ on Nov 30, 2011 at 2:44 pm

      its not that bad actually.. It is slight pretty than current dugong.

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    • teelim on Nov 30, 2011 at 3:22 pm

      actually, the “chin” sort of fixes the dugong-ness that the vios has.

      this looks pretty good IMO

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    • rambut sama hitam. hati lain lain. hehe

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  • jay8393 on Nov 30, 2011 at 3:06 pm

    This car actually looks much better than the Prius.

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  • teelim on Nov 30, 2011 at 3:21 pm

    Hope they bring it here and price it right.

    It will sure give the Insight a run for its money.

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  • This model if RM80K confirmed easy sales 10,000 in Malaysia. One month driving refuel once only. After 5 years fuel cost saved pay itself back already.

    Protongkat EMASS who? Where? Not confident? More testing? Slow poke lah u EMASS!

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    • blue-traveler on Dec 01, 2011 at 11:06 am

      careful, bro. “they” r going to bomb and thumb you down.

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  • Pondan/Ah Kua would buy this :D

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  • Lamusiqa on Nov 30, 2011 at 4:50 pm

    It will be released in Malaysia. My friend who works in UMW Toyota marketing dept already started work on the advertising materials. From what I saw, its still gonna be called Prius C but they could always change it anytime to Aqua.

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  • Maskey Ryder on Nov 30, 2011 at 4:51 pm

    The designer must have get inspiration from “Sea Creature”

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    • blue-traveler on Dec 01, 2011 at 11:14 am

      Aqua is water but also usually means blue color in design world. If you have notices, the western car industries pick green for their eco. trend, and the Japs have pick blue to represent their eco. color.(see T, H, and N)
      Have not seen any prefer color badge for the Korean yet. Wonder what color would P1 pick to represent their up-coming eco cars.

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      • Carl Wong on Dec 01, 2011 at 2:55 pm

        I think it might be blue for Koreans too. My Samsung Blue Earth a solar hybrid mobile phone is blue/black lol :].

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  • James on Nov 30, 2011 at 5:09 pm

    It should be more expensive than Insight due to higher engine cc (1.5 vs 1.3) and more advanced hybrid system (power split vs parallel).

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    • Visitor on Nov 30, 2011 at 5:30 pm

      I think it could be priced somewhere around the region of Honda CR-Z.

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  • darrez on Nov 30, 2011 at 5:42 pm

    i really hope the equipment is the same as in prius (vsc,trc,7 airbags,head up display n etc)

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  • Honda The Power Of Dreams on Nov 30, 2011 at 6:14 pm

    No wonder it’s called Aqua. it’s front looks like a sea horse. it even looks uglier than the many dugongs which are running on our roads daily. Honda Insight is much nicer than this sea horse. Honda Malaysia should bring in the Honda Jazz hybrid 1.5L and price it at RM103K to counter this sea horse.

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  • parasolx on Nov 30, 2011 at 7:10 pm

    definitely i will buy it when it reach here.

    no need to test drive.. just go and buy… wohoo

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  • RedBeanBun on Nov 30, 2011 at 7:12 pm

    Bring it on!!!!! RM100K to head to head with INsight! Honda is shaking now….

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  • BMW POWER FOREVER on Nov 30, 2011 at 8:50 pm

    looks better than any proton, there i said it. wait for it….bashers army arriving.

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  • black series on Nov 30, 2011 at 8:51 pm

    40km/l ? think that to ambitious. even prius/ct200h claim 27km/l still hard to get past 20km/l .

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  • Toyota Aqua or Mybee Aqua? Look like car for gay.. Euwww…. Awww

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  • Geecy on Nov 30, 2011 at 11:09 pm

    This hybrid would be almost a perfect car city if it has a plug-in to recharge the battery overnight.

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  • silver on Dec 01, 2011 at 1:40 am

    i wonder why ppl say this car looks like a dugong have u tried looking at pictures of how dugong is like… boy does ppl have great imagination… i personally think that this car is actually quite good looking well done toyota hope they bring it here while still keeping the rims cause the current pruis have the worse rims ever… unlike in the uk where u can op for better rims….

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    • I think they had to opt for the ugly rims due to the ‘awesome’ road condition in mlaysia.Reduce customer complain and warranty cost :p

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  • niamafufu on Dec 01, 2011 at 8:20 am

    the name…remind me of…ah kua

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  • sorry to say that this car is far better than new launched saga flx se bla bla bla…sorry for comparing its but i want to see better offering from proton, but dunno how long should i wait.

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  • Car Driver on Dec 01, 2011 at 4:32 pm

    I find this design nice. I do not find any resemblance at all to ‘dugong’. In fact the front bonnet curve to a mount for the toyota logo is very impressive design.
    Personally I like the car except for the back which is too compact and leave no space for back storage compartment. Cannot carry a wheel chair for the disable.
    For a small compact and ‘duty free’ should be 90k and below. Otherwise it is asking too much of the rakyat’s hard earned money.

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  • I’m just wondering about the Aqua’s boot space, as compare to Honda Jazz?

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  • nicee..i want this machine
    hope umwt wont price it above 100k

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  • General commentator on Dec 29, 2011 at 10:46 am

    Quite disappointed with the design. The outlook of the car looks really ugly. It looks more like a car for a kid. The rear view looks boring especially the bumper design. Sorry to say that this car looks kinda cheap for me. If it sell below RM80k still can consider. But i think the price tag will be around RM90.9k for the lowest specs. But dont worry Toyota, this car will sell well here just because you have too many Toyota fans here.

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