Pics : Toyota Prius spotted !!

anekho · 3rd April 2009, 10:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Screwdriva

If they can price this within the 18 Lac price mark OTR, it'll give India a credible alternative to the Accord and the Superb and a fitting "upgrade" to the shitty Jetta and Laura. None of them can claim to be even remotely as technologically superior, despite the Prius in question being a generation old.

And don't underestimate the space. It has nearly as much space as a Camry.

+1!

the rear legroom is huge! also the shape of the car makes it very practical, as it is offers a space solution between a sedan and an estate.

The new generation prius is being launched this year if i'm not mistaken.

Great find and photos manish!

cheers

rranjith_kum · 3rd April 2009, 10:21

I too guess its going to be a demo or imported as CBU, if at all launched!! or perhaps is it just because they want to show us that Honda isnt the only one who can bring the tech ??

S_budhiraj · 3rd April 2009, 14:11

Superb Car, Perfect amalgamation of Technology and Envoirment but these lazy "Japs" will never launch this here, at least for fe years.

They haven't launched the Fortuner and Yaris as of yet, How come they can launch the Prius even as CBU.

Wish:- Toyota prove me wrong and launch this at good VFM prices

Screwdriva · 3rd April 2009, 14:27

...I think they WILL launch the Prius here before any other car. Think about it.

Any other car will require some development / investment in setting up tooling and manufacturing. The Prius has many left over units sitting in Japan, maybe the reason why they are rebadging it as the "Prius EX" and selling it for $3000 less there.

Toyota to slash new Prius price to match Honda Insight: AutoWeek Magazine

They could easily import some of those here and boost their brand equity and reputation amongst Indian car buyers, just like Honda hoped to do. Unlike Honda though, Toyota gets this one chance to price it right.

If they can get Indian beurocrats and politicians to see that this technology is the future, maybe they'll get the much needed tax breaks the car needs to sell well.

Sadly, neither Honda or Toyota seem convinced enough to sell any volumes of these cars here beyond their niche segments. For that honor, we can look to Chetan Maini's Reva.

S_budhiraj · 3rd April 2009, 15:05

Nice Thoght @Screwdriva, does make a lot of sense.

Toyota, Bring Prius and price it in a range of 13-15 Lacs and make a point.

vineethvazhayil · 3rd April 2009, 15:26

I doubt if a 13-15 lakh pricing would be possible for Toyota to achieve. Going by the USA prices (20k USD plus), and adding import duties for a CBU, the price will easily touch 20 lakhs.

cooldude1988765 · 3rd April 2009, 17:53

I am sure the prius will get a better response than the civic hybrid. The civic hybrid was just a civic with a hybrid engine. The prius is a completely new (in India atleast) car which is waaay more spacious than the civic and yet is pretty compact. It will definately be a good alternative to laura/accord/sonata/camry/superb/teana etc.

loving_alaap · 3rd April 2009, 18:11

A sophisticated "Hatch" for a 20 Lacs!!!

No doubt it looks good, but price is over over inflated.

eternalck · 3rd April 2009, 18:47

Thats a sweet car! And a bit better for the environment too, which means it will be highly overpriced in India, if at all it makes it onto Indian soil

.
Look at what happened with the civic hybrid.

GTO · 3rd April 2009, 18:52

Now THIS is a real hybrid! At low speeds, the Prius runs exclusively on electric power, unlike the Honda Civic hybrid (which seems to be a stop-gap from Honda at best). Car versus car, the Prius is way superior to the Civic hybrid.

Toyota would have watched Honda's hybrid pricing closely and knows that there isn't demand for a 20 lakh hybrid. Here is hoping that they price it competitively.

k_shanz · 27th May 2009, 00:11

I too spotted the Toyota Prius from Bandipur National Park at the Ooty : Mysore road.

vinaydas · 27th May 2009, 00:39

talk about going green!! even the location the prius is being tested(i think) in is green!!
but whats with the camry escort

amtak · 27th May 2009, 09:57

It seems as if Estilo had a face off with the Prius! The head lamps and the front end is almost the same!

f450 · 27th May 2009, 10:04

This is a great car, but I doubt how successful it will be here. They have to price it well...

k_shanz · 27th May 2009, 10:28

Some Toyota officials were on-board.

3rd April 2009, 10:21	#17
rranjith_kum BHPian Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Coimbatore/ Aachen Posts: 692 Thanked: 21 Times View My Garage	I too guess its going to be a demo or imported as CBU, if at all launched!! or perhaps is it just because they want to show us that Honda isnt the only one who can bring the tech ??
	() Thanks

3rd April 2009, 14:11	#18
S_budhiraj BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Delhi Posts: 275 Thanked: Once	Superb Car, Perfect amalgamation of Technology and Envoirment but these lazy "Japs" will never launch this here, at least for fe years. They haven't launched the Fortuner and Yaris as of yet, How come they can launch the Prius even as CBU. Wish:- Toyota prove me wrong and launch this at good VFM prices
	() Thanks

3rd April 2009, 14:27	#19
Screwdriva BHPian Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: London/ Bombay Posts: 586 Thanked: 532 Times View My Garage	Actually... ...I think they WILL launch the Prius here before any other car. Think about it. Any other car will require some development / investment in setting up tooling and manufacturing. The Prius has many left over units sitting in Japan, maybe the reason why they are rebadging it as the "Prius EX" and selling it for $3000 less there. Toyota to slash new Prius price to match Honda Insight: AutoWeek Magazine They could easily import some of those here and boost their brand equity and reputation amongst Indian car buyers, just like Honda hoped to do. Unlike Honda though, Toyota gets this one chance to price it right. If they can get Indian beurocrats and politicians to see that this technology is the future, maybe they'll get the much needed tax breaks the car needs to sell well. Sadly, neither Honda or Toyota seem convinced enough to sell any volumes of these cars here beyond their niche segments. For that honor, we can look to Chetan Maini's Reva.
	() Thanks

3rd April 2009, 15:05	#20
S_budhiraj BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Delhi Posts: 275 Thanked: Once	Nice Thoght @Screwdriva, does make a lot of sense. Toyota, Bring Prius and price it in a range of 13-15 Lacs and make a point.
	() Thanks

3rd April 2009, 15:26	#21
vineethvazhayil Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Chicagoland Posts: 1,514 Thanked: 459 Times View My Garage	I doubt if a 13-15 lakh pricing would be possible for Toyota to achieve. Going by the USA prices (20k USD plus), and adding import duties for a CBU, the price will easily touch 20 lakhs.
	() Thanks

3rd April 2009, 17:53	#22
cooldude1988765 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,055 Thanked: 222 Times	I am sure the prius will get a better response than the civic hybrid. The civic hybrid was just a civic with a hybrid engine. The prius is a completely new (in India atleast) car which is waaay more spacious than the civic and yet is pretty compact. It will definately be a good alternative to laura/accord/sonata/camry/superb/teana etc.
	() Thanks

3rd April 2009, 18:11	#23
loving_alaap BHPian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Ahmedabad Posts: 808 Thanked: 9 Times	A sophisticated "Hatch" for a 20 Lacs!!! No doubt it looks good, but price is over over inflated.
	() Thanks

3rd April 2009, 18:47	#24
eternalck BHPian Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: New Delhi Posts: 175 Thanked: 94 Times	Thats a sweet car! And a bit better for the environment too, which means it will be highly overpriced in India, if at all it makes it onto Indian soil . Look at what happened with the civic hybrid.
	() Thanks

3rd April 2009, 18:52	#25
GTO Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 71,850 Thanked: 321,624 Times View My Garage	Now THIS is a real hybrid! At low speeds, the Prius runs exclusively on electric power, unlike the Honda Civic hybrid (which seems to be a stop-gap from Honda at best). Car versus car, the Prius is way superior to the Civic hybrid. Toyota would have watched Honda's hybrid pricing closely and knows that there isn't demand for a 20 lakh hybrid. Here is hoping that they price it competitively.
	() Thanks

27th May 2009, 00:11	#26
k_shanz BHPian Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: KL - TEN Posts: 353 Thanked: 75 Times View My Garage	Spotted Prius! I too spotted the Toyota Prius from Bandipur National Park at the Ooty : Mysore road. Attached Thumbnails
	() Thanks

27th May 2009, 00:39	#27
vinaydas BANNED Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Bengaluru Posts: 1,399 Thanked: 148 Times	talk about going green!! even the location the prius is being tested(i think) in is green!! but whats with the camry escort
	() Thanks

27th May 2009, 09:57	#28
amtak Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai - The city of Sea Link!!! Posts: 2,983 Thanked: 1,108 Times	It seems as if Estilo had a face off with the Prius! The head lamps and the front end is almost the same!
	() Thanks

27th May 2009, 10:04	#29
f450 BHPian Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 794 Thanked: 7 Times	This is a great car, but I doubt how successful it will be here. They have to price it well...
	() Thanks

27th May 2009, 10:28	#30
k_shanz BHPian Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: KL - TEN Posts: 353 Thanked: 75 Times View My Garage	Some Toyota officials were on-board.
	() Thanks