For quite some time, there have been rumors floating around that Toyota would be delaying the debut of the all-new 2016 Prius. However, just recently, those stories were laid to rest by Jim Lentz, CEO of Toyota North America, during an interview with Detroit Free Press. He spoke about the arrival of the upcoming fifth-generation Prius, shared info on the new model and talked about the future of hybrid vehicles.
The 2016 Toyota Prius will be the first product launched by the company under their new development strategy, Toyota New Global Architecture. Redesigned, the model is likely to share design elements with the Toyota C-HR concept crossover, provide better handling and offer greater fuel economy than the current model, which delivers an EPA-estimated 50 mpg combined. As of today, an official release date for the new Prius has not been revealed, but we do know it will arrive this year and could even show up at the Los Angeles Auto Show or Tokyo Motor Show this fall. Lentz would not give any specifics regarding its debut, but he did say he’s driven the 2016 model and admitted it’s nothing short of "fantastic."
In addition to referencing the 2016 Prius, Lentz also touched on the subject of gas prices and the demand for hybrid vehicles. He said that although low gas prices have led to a decrease in demand for hybrids, the ongoing fluctuation in prices means hybrids are still excellent options for modern drivers. View our selection of hybrid models at Joe Myers Toyota and be sure to check back again later this year for the arrival of the 2016 Toyota Prius.
