SPIED: 2016 Toyota Prius shows interior for first time!

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Our spy photographers have again managed to capture the 2016 Toyota Prius, and this time they’ve snagged a few shots of the interior of the fourth-generation hybrid as well!

Admittedly, not much can actually be seen as a canvas tarp obscures much of the dashboard, but there are still things we can garner from this. First off, while much of the control layout appears to have been retained, the interior looks to be more conventional than before, with a more upright centre console and a more horizontal transmission tunnel.

Secondly, there appears to be a lot of parts sharing going on, particularly with newer models. The touchscreen infotainment system interface, capacitive touch switchgear and knobs look identical to that on the new 2016 Tacoma, and similar to those in the new Hilux and Fortuner – although the latter two swap the volume and tuning knobs with touch buttons. It’s possible that Toyota is beginning to incorporate all its infotainment systems into a single family, much like Volkswagen.

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Other interesting new items include the much more premium-looking climate control switchgear – including a set of neat toggles to control temperature, fan speed and direction – as well as a new full-colour digital central instrument cluster (as seen on the rest of the Prius family) that looks a world away from the green-backlit LCD screens of old.

Also new is the steering wheel with a U-shaped lower spoke, finished in gloss white trim. That finish used on quite a lot of surfaces elsewhere in the interior – the largest being across the entire central tunnel, including inside the cupholders. We hope it’ll only be offered an option, as we’re not sure how well it’ll hold up to day-to-day usage.

Elsewhere, the still heavily-camouflaged exterior still leaves much to the imagination, though we can see a novel triple-layer front end with the headlights on top, a slim upper grille in the middle and a larger lower air intake at the bottom; this should give the new car the aggression and visual drama that’s been lacking from its predecessors.

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Moving on to the side of the car, the aerodynamic Kamm back profile has been retained, but it looks longer and lower than before. At the rear, there look to be slim LED tail lights that appear to reach all the way to the bottom of the car.

The next-generation Toyota Prius will be the first car built on the modular Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) and will be available in both regular and plug-in versions as before. It will make use of smaller, yet more energy-dense motors and batteries, as well as a more efficient internal-combustion engine for improved fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.

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Jonathan Lee

After trying to pursue a career in product design, Jonathan Lee decided to make the sideways jump into the world of car journalism instead. He therefore appreciates the aesthetic appeal of a car, but for him, the driving experience is still second to none.

 

Comments

  • tootf on Aug 13, 2015 at 6:21 pm

    Ugly

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 8
  • rear view on Aug 13, 2015 at 8:19 pm

    Toyota should drop the Prius line completely and put all their effort into the Toyota Mirai fuel cell vehicle. Then they have to build Hydrogen fueling stations across America (all 50 states). This will be the next industrial revolution for the better of mankind !!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 5
  • Allroadquattro on Aug 13, 2015 at 9:16 pm

    I encourage everyone to buy hybrids/EVs.
    You save fuel, we use it.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 1
  • They should censor the car, not the driver. Menjolok mata shj.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 2
  • C.P. MOHAN on Aug 14, 2015 at 10:16 am

    The thing going against Toyata Prius in Malaysia is the unfavourable tax structure that makes it unattractive.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • The last broadcast on Aug 14, 2015 at 3:36 pm

    I don’t see why they would want to maintain that humpy awkward rear instead of developing something sleeker. Many normal looking cars are hybrids now so there is no reason for this.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • DPCraft on Aug 15, 2015 at 11:41 pm

    Honda Civic losses two-tier dash, while this gets two-tier dash :l

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

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