Fourth-generation Toyota Prius revealed

The fourth generation of the Prius has been revealed and will be the first model to be developed on the firm’s Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform – a modular set of components designed to offer quicker, cost-efficient development of new front and rear-wheel-drive models. The Japanese carmaker claims improved handling characteristics for models to be build to be built on this platform, thanks to a lower-mounted powertrain, resulting in a lower centre of gravity. The rear suspension features a double wishbone layout, replacing the current torsion beam layout. Up front, the Prius gets a revised MacPherson set-up.

The Prius borrows styling cues from the fuel-celled Mirai, with the front getting a more dramatic boomerang-like headlights and complex surfacing on the bumper. The blacked-out C-pillar creates a ‘floating-roof effect, with the rear featuring tall LED tail-lights. A spoiler has been incorporated into the hatchback's glass.
The longer front and rear overhangs suggest an increase in overall length of the car. An updated version of the current 1.8-litre petrol powerplant is expected to feature on the new Prius, in combination with a more compact nickel-metal battery-powered electric motor, expected to give the car a combined efficiency of around 32-34kpl,  as per Toyota's claim.

The TNGA platform will play a key part in Toyota’s future models, and will offer an improvement in body rigidity by 30-65 percent. The new Prius is expected to go on sale early next year. The arrival of next-gen Prius to India is still unknown.