No matter how much you may save on fuel and tax incentives the state or the government might provide, for a certain number of buyers, design plays a major role when deciding on a new car. Hybrids and EVs, while futuristic, are far from being called beautiful – the $100K+ Fisker Karma excluded.
Apparently, Toyota feels the same way about its line of Prius hybrids. Therefore, despite being on track to set record sales, the Japanese carmaker is mulling whether to continue with the aerodynamic, wedge-shaped styling, which truth be told, has been around for a while, for the next generation models or try something completely new.
“There’s an undercurrent among most people that they’re ready for a new Prius look”, Toyota U.S. vice president for strategic planning Chris Hostetter told Bloomberg News.
Hostetter, who is working together with the company’s design team on the next-gen Prius, admits that, “Maybe our architecture has been a little bit similar for the last two generations”.
Although he pointed out that they haven’t yet selected a look for the next Prius family, which has grown from a single model to four, he said that “one of the avenues we’re exploring right now is to evolve it, and the other is to really evolve it”.
In other words, to update the familiar shape with some new details, or adopt a new design direction.
Boston-based independent automotive analyst John Wolkonowicz believes that the current design has had its day: “Up to now the shape they’ve had was perfect for that product; it was distinctive and said, ‘This is a hybrid vehicle’”, he told Bloomberg. “But it also appealed to only a certain type of buyer. It’s time to move to a broader market.”
We’ll find out whether the Prius designers’ opt for the same-old, same-old, or for the path less trodden, in “a little more than a year” when, as Hostetter revealed, the new car will be revealed.
By Andrew Tsaousis
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