New Toyota Prius hybrid to see an early 2017 launch in India

While the Toyota Prius has not exactly been a hit with India’s car buyers, with the rising pollution problem, it could be a good time to re-introduce a good old friend. Toyota Motor Corp plans to do just that as it has made up its mind and will soon be launching the new Toyota Prius come the first quarter of 2017. Yes, the Toyota Prius hybrid that went low on emissions and high on price may not have been a success when it first launched in 2009, but this time around things could change. Car and Bike have reported that the new Prius hybrid will be launched in the first quarter of 2017 with the company looking at January launch. Recently a senior Toyota official commented on how the company expects its hybrid car sales to shoot up to 20 percent by 2020 from the current 2 percent today.  Toyota, which already sells the Camry hybrid in India, plans to introduce hybrid technology in models like the Corolla and Prius sedans and could introduce it for sport-utility vehicles and multi-purpose vehicles, Akito Tachibana, managing director of Toyota’s India business told Reuters. Coming to the specifications, the Pruis is powered by the same 1.8-litre 4-cylinder engine that develops 97bhp and is paired to an electric motor that develops 71bhp. The new Prius comes with new nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) hybrid battery system that now sits lower beneath the rear seats for better weight distribution. The new and updated Toyota Prius features a more angular and aggressive design that is a big update from the previous model.