Toyota Mulling a Larger Hybrid Minivan than the Prius V with Seven Seats

The all-new Prius V five-seater minivan isn’t due to arrive in U.S. showrooms until this fall, yet Toyota is already looking into the development of a larger model capable of seating seven passengers as well as carrying their luggage, according to Bob Carter, Toyota Division general manager. The larger Prius won’t be based on the Japanese market Prius Alpha nor the European specification Prius+, both of which pack a retractable third row of seats into the Prius V’s cargo area.

Carter told Autoweek that while the company has not made a final decision yet, the concept of a true 7-seater Prius minivan for the North American market is “being seriously studied”. He added that the three-row Prius would have to be based on a dedicated platform and meet certain criteria such as feature an aerodynamic shape, be able to return at least 40mpg and have a strong value-price equation.
Another Toyota executive, corporate manager of product planning Ben Mitchell, confirmed that his team has put several proposals for new hybrid vehicles in different segments on the table, including that of a larger 7-seater Prius as well as hybrid versions of the Sienna minivan and Venza crossover.

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Toyota and Shell Build New Station in California

Toyota and Honda celebrated today the opening of the first hydrogen station in the U.S. fueled directly from an industrial hydrogen pipeline. Located near the headquarters of Toyota USA, in Torrance, California, the station is built on the company's land and is the result of a collaboration between Shell, Toyota, Air Products, South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) and the Department of Energy.
The station will provide hydrogen for the Toyota fuel cell hybrid demonstration program vehicles, as well as other manufacturers' fuel cell cars in the Los Angeles area.
“Building an extensive hydrogen re-fueling infrastructure is a critical step in the successful market launch of fuel cell vehicles,” said Chris Hostetter, vice president for product and strategic planning at Toyota USA. “We plan to bring a fuel cell vehicle to market in 2015, or sooner and the infrastructure must be in place to support our customers’ needs,”
Until then, other manufacturers that have fuel cell vehicles are free to use the station. Honda, for instance, celebrated the opening of the station by inviting users of its FCX Clarity model to fill up their tanks, with client Jon Spallino becoming the first retail fuel-cell vehicle customer to fill at the station. The FCX Clarity is available on a limited retail basis in Southern California with more than two dozen cars currently on the road.
"This is a positive step for our FCX Clarity customers and the industry as we continue to put vehicles on the road and demonstrate the real-world capabilities of Honda fuel-cell electric vehicle technology," said Elmer Hardy, senior manager at Honda USA.

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Toyota Yaris 2011

The 2011 Toyota Yaris subcompact leverages light weight and modest power to achieve hybrid-like fuel economy. How does 29 mpg in the city and 35 on the highway sound? And that’s with automatic transmission and room for four adults. The 2011 Yaris is treated to some new colors and like all Toyotas – recalled or not – receives an electronic brake-override system. Prices for the 2011 Yaris start at a friendly $13,615. As the most desirable models tickle $16,000, however, you’ll need confidence in your priorities to resist the call of a larger car.

Should you buy a 2011 Toyota Yaris or wait for the 2012 Toyota Yaris?  If you’re on a strict budget and need a new small car today, the 2011 Yaris won’t disappoint. The 2012 Yaris isn’t apt to get any compelling new features, but if you can wait for it you’ll be better positioned to compare Toyota’s smallest car against some compelling new rivals. One is the Ford Fiesta, which actually debuted as a 2011 model. Fiesta is impressive but can get a little pricey, easily costing $2,000-$3,000 more than a roughly comparable Yaris. The real rival for your attention is certain to be the all-new 2012 Hyundai Accent. Accent is already the best-seller in the subcompact class and Hyundai hopes to pad to its lead with the redesigned 2012 version.

PRICES

Base prices for the 2011 Toyota Yaris increase an average of $250, reflecting a boost of about 2 percent over 2010 Yaris starting prices. Base price range for the 2011 Toyota Yaris is $13,615-$15,175 (Base prices in this review include the manufacturer’s mandated destination fee. Toyota’s fee for the 2011 Yaris is $760 for 2009, but Toyotas sold in some Southeastern and Gulf states are delivered by independent distributors and may carry different destination fees.)

Base price for the 2011 Toyota Yaris two-door hatchback is $13,615 with the five-speed manual transmission and $14,425 with the four-speed automatic. The 2011 Toyota Yaris four-door hatchback starts at $13,915 with manual transmission and at $14,715 with automatic.

Base price for the 2011 Toyota Yaris sedan is $14,375 with manual transmission and $15,175 with automatic.

Among key 2011 Toyota Yaris options, the Convenience Package adds $840-$960 depending on model and transmission and includes the audio system with satellite radio capability and the split/folding rear seatback; on the hatchback, the rear seatback reclines and the rear seat itself slides fore and aft several inches to prioritize e cargo or passenger space.   

The Power Package adds $1,525-$1,780 to a 2011 Yaris, depending on body style. It includes all the Convenience Package items, plus remote keyless entry, power mirrors and power door locks and windows with power driver’s-window auto down. Combined with alloy wheels the Power Package adds $1,915-$2,095, depending on body style.

The Sport Package option is priced at $2,665-$2,845, depending on body style, and includes the aforementioned special exterior and interior trim. Combined with alloy wheels the Sport Package costs $3,055-$3,235, depending on body style, and includes the USB iPod cable interface.

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2011 Toyota Prius

I actually own a Prius and got to drive the new one for 2011, its a better drive, and some of the features like the interior are 10x better than previous models. Its not going to win races but driving from Pennsylvania to New Jersey was a breeze.  Filled up my gas tank once!!!

In addition, the 2011 Prius will be a virtual rerun of the 2010 Toyota Prius. It’ll retain its 50-plus-mpg rating and innovative options such as a solar-powered ventilation system. The 2011 Prius represents the third-generation version of the world’s most recognizable hybrid. Following a best-selling hybrid by far. Its ahead of its time in my book.

Note: The batteries last about 10 years (or I think about 80,000 to 100,000 miles not really sure on miles) and it costs around $8,000 to $10,000 to replace one. This is the most expensive thing to replace in these cars. However, if you think about it you will most likely not be keeping the car for that long with all the advances they are making. Therefore, you will most likely not ever replace the batteries.

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