The fourth-generation Toyota Prius, the Toyota Prius 2016, will officially make its debut at an event in Las Vegas this Sept. 8. Additionally, AutomobileMag reports that the standard edition will be the model available in September while the plug-in variant will be released in early 2016.
This would also confirm previous reports from AutoNews that the car would enter production starting late 2015, allegedly around December. It was previously presumed that the vehicle would enter production during spring but was later delayed to the end of the year, leading fans to speculate that the vehicle wouldn't debut until September or October.
Once the vehicle makes it official debut, the report cites that it will become available for consumers in North America starting late 2015 or early 2016, just in time for the debut of the plug-in variant.
The upcoming model is touted as a comeback for Toyota as it will now sport the new modular platform known as TNGA or Toyota New Global Architecture which is said to make the vehicle 20 percent lighter than previous models. It is also expected to sport lighter but more expensive lithium-ion batteries instead of the current nickel metal hydrid batteries which are heavier and less effective.
The 2016 Prius will also feature a newly designed gas-electric hybrid engine which will be 15 percent more efficient than the current model. Putting these new features together, the Prius 2016 may be rated at 60 mpg compared to the 50 mpg rating of the current Toyota Prius model.
The report also cites that the new 2016 model will still feature the aerodynamic hatchback design of the current Prius while giving it a newer, sleeker edge based on the Toyota C-HR concept. It will also have a more elegant interior with a newly designed dashboard.
New active safety features will also be implemented as a part of the Toyota Safety Sense package.
