Toyota unveiled the latest version of the Prius on Tuesday night with a glitzy display in Las Vegas.
Here's Toyota itself confirming the news:
The wait is over. The all-new 2016 #Prius has arrived to shake up the hybrid landscape. #LetsGoPlacespic.twitter.com/6qrM6tV4zE
— Toyota USA (@Toyota) September 9, 2015The Associated Press covered the international debut, reporting Toyota chose Vegas for a reason. Kimberly Pierceall and Tom Krisher write for AP:
Where does a practical car like the Toyota Prius go to reinvent itself? The same place many people go to let loose and have fun: Las Vegas.Brightly-lit displays on a Las Vegas Strip rooftop-turned-nightclub reminded the gathered crowd of executives, car dealers and automotive journalists on Tuesday night that the Prius could be modern, sleek and edgy.
They quote Bill Fay, general manager of the Toyota Division in the United States, saying: "People will want to buy this car for more than just the fuel efficiency."
Krisher and Pierceall note the rollout of Toyota's new gas-electric hybrid Prius comes as prices nationwide were at $2.38 per gallon Wednesday, the lowest level at this time of year in since 2004, and analysts expect more declines now that summer driving season has ended.
With buyers shying away from fuel-efficiency, the Japanese automaker tried to give its new hybrid an edge. The 2016 Prius is more sculpted and sportier looking than the current version as Toyota tries to move the car from appealing mainly to environmentalists to more of a mainstream vehicle, according to the AP report.
But Fast Company wondered if Toyota was really competing with the up-and-coming Tesla:
Can the next generation Prius compete in a Tesla world? http://t.co/UP7GidApbtpic.twitter.com/goGvnTz9pN
— Fast Company (@FastCompany) September 9, 2015CNN suggested the "radical" redesign as an attempt to save the Prius:
Will this radical redesign be enough to save the Toyota #Prius? http://t.co/pPvxtj4LJC By @PeterDrivespic.twitter.com/BqHP1PUk7D
— CNNMoney (@CNNMoney) September 9, 2015At least one initial reaction described the design as "weird":
Toyota just launched an all-new Prius, and it looks weirder than ever http://t.co/St92OHAkUlpic.twitter.com/kNS4Y96wkI
— Verge Transportation (@vergecars) September 9, 2015Others liked the new look:
This is the new Prius. Rear design looks futuristic - I like it. @CarsSouthAfricapic.twitter.com/dphW3pCYVm
— David Taylor (@DaveTheCarGuy) September 9, 2015One thing that didn't change? The new Prius is still one of the most fuel-efficient cars available. It's expected to get about 55 mpg in combined city and highway driving, about 10 percent better than the 2015 version.