5th generation Prius.

[adidev]

I wonder, as I never had or drive PHEV, how fast you can drive in EV mode before it turns itself off. In my hybrid, it's only up to 37mph.

[TonyHSD]

16 hours ago, adidev said:

I wonder, as I never had or drive PHEV, how fast you can drive in EV mode before it turns itself off. In my hybrid, it's only up to 37mph.

You can find on the car brochure more information about ev mode speeds, I think they are up to 80mph so no worries about that, you can use the car in ev mode mostly if you do short daily drives? 👍

[Cyker]

The previous gen hybrids were limited to around 30-40mph roughly, for EV-only, as that was the limit where MG1 couldn't spin any faster to hold the engine still.

In the new ones, some genius thought to put in a reduction gear, so MG1 doesn't have to counter spin as quickly to keep the ICE stationary, and that's allowed them to run up to about 80mph in 'EV mode' on MG2**. Now, MG2 can't actually *keep* the car at 80mph under normal circumstances, but with a sufficiently steep hill and a strong tail wind you might be able to keep it in EV-mode at 80 mph for more than half a second!  

The PHEVs are set up differently tho' and I think they've always been able to go a lot faster in 'EV mode' alone.

 

*MG1 is the motor/generator connected to the engine and controls how much engine power goes to the wheels vs the Battery

**MG2 is the motor that drives the wheels directly and also provides most of the regenerative braking

 

[Cs233]

I currently use a Lexus ES as a daily driver, on the motorway at 70mph is switches to EV operation sometimes for only 20 seconds or maybe more then the petrol unit comes back. You really would not know unless you looked at the dash. When it switches to EV though at motorway speeds any additional movement of the accelerator it enables to the petrol unit immediately. It literally must be making thousands of calculations per second to make such decisions. 

[AJones]

22 hours ago, adidev said:

I wonder, as I never had or drive PHEV, how fast you can drive in EV mode before it turns itself off. In my hybrid, it's only up to 37mph.

The Prius Prime / 2nd generation Plug-in can operate in pure EV mode over 70mph. But the power output from the motors is limited so when accelerating at high speeds or at hills it tends to bring in the engine for assistance, but at lower speeds and when cruising along it happily runs in EV mode, either entirely off the Battery or in hybrid mode with the engine cutting in from time to time.

The 5th generation has an uprated motor so presumably has no or less need to call on the engine.

[YarisHybrid2016]

So we're not getting the new Prius at all?????? 🙄

Toyota UK - get your damn act together! I was half-interested in the Corolla Cross, but we're not getting that either, so you have really screwed us over on the 5th gen hybrids!! I want to change my car, too! It has (and continues to be) awesome, but I have out-grown it and need something larger.

[Cs233]

Everyone that may be interested do let Toyota know at cr@toyota.co.uk likely will not have an impact but worth trying. The new Prius ticks so many boxes for me would have even ordered one without a test drive! 

[Cyker]

Yup, not point in whinging here, need to tell Toyota (Politely!) so they know there is interest.

You have to remember practically nobody bought the previous one, so it's absolutely understandable they'd pull it from the market due to lack of interest. If enough people show interest, there's better chance they'll reconsider.

[YarisHybrid2016]

12 hours ago, Cyker said:

Yup, not point in whinging here, need to tell Toyota (Politely!) so they know there is interest.

You have to remember practically nobody bought the previous one, so it's absolutely understandable they'd pull it from the market due to lack of interest. If enough people show interest, there's better chance they'll reconsider.

Excuse my ignorance of such matters, but the UK can't surely be the only RHD market for the Prius? Is it that difficult for Toyota UK to obtain even small numbers for the few that do want one, even if we need to wait 6 months for it?

I have sent a polite e-mail to them. Who knows what happens...

[FROSTYBALLS]

In Europe right hand drive markets include UK, Ireland, Cyprus, Malta, Guernsey and Jersey.

 

[forkingabout]

Hate to think what Toyota UK would need to charge the customer £ for a new Prius to make it even worthwhile to offer a limited UK release.

[AJones]

3 hours ago, forkingabout said:

Hate to think what Toyota UK would need to charge the customer £ for a new Prius to make it even worthwhile to offer a limited UK release.

Well it looks like Toyota Ireland may be selling it and that's a significantly smaller market than the UK.

I'm surprised Toyota UK aren't offering it because their line up of models is starting to look quite limited and doesn't have much to offer to buyers wanting a PHEV or EV, with just the RAV4 and the bZ4x. VW, Hyundai, Kia, BMW all now have lots more PHEV and EV models across different car types, Toyota's fallen behind.

It must be hitting Toyota UK's sales to businesses and fleets, because the tax levels give a huge incentive to get a plug-in so PHEV or EV, and avoid a regular car or hybrid.

[forkingabout]

1 minute ago, AJones said:

It must be hitting Toyota UK's sales to businesses and fleets, because the tax levels give a huge incentive to get a plug-in so PHEV or EV, and avoid a regular car or hybrid.

I doubt it, I know of a major UK company that has a massive fleet order of Corolla touring sports currently in progress for there company vehicles.

Also the company I work for can only order Toyota or Lexus products for company vehicles.

Again we have Corolla touring sports as entry point & bZ4X are starting to appear plus upper management level can pick from the Lexus line up.

[AJones]

3 minutes ago, forkingabout said:

I doubt it, I know of a major UK company that has a massive fleet order of Corolla touring sports currently in progress for there company vehicles.

Conversely, quite a lot of major companies have adopted policies that all new fleet vehicles must be plug-in, so EVs or PHEVs, so wouldn't be allowed a regular Toyota hybrid!

[Yugguy1970]

It's not like they even need to make different physical mph clocks or other such parts anymore, just give us the JDM spec Prius and treat us for once. 🤣

[Cs233]

4 hours ago, forkingabout said:

Hate to think what Toyota UK would need to charge the customer £ for a new Prius to make it even worthwhile to offer a limited UK release.

Considering that the Corolla Hybrid list price in Ireland is around £4k cheaper when taking in consideration of the current exchange rate the Prius would be on the high side. Toyota UK seem to demand a much higher margin than Toyota in other countries. Perhaps a new Prius would be around £50k ?!

[Cyker]

7 hours ago, YarisHybrid2016 said:

Excuse my ignorance of such matters, but the UK can't surely be the only RHD market for the Prius? Is it that difficult for Toyota UK to obtain even small numbers for the few that do want one, even if we need to wait 6 months for it?

I have sent a polite e-mail to them. Who knows what happens...

You do know that they can't just start selling the car here at will, right?

There is a lengthy and expensive homologation and certification process they have to go through to be allowed to bring a new car in to the country to sell it, and unless they will sell a load of them they probably don't think it's worth going through all of that.

I'm not sure of all the details but I think it's even worse for them now since we're not in the EU any more, so they have to do us separately whereas before they could do it for the EU and it would be recognized here.

 

[FROSTYBALLS]

Low sales volumes have previously been the cause of models being dropped in the UK. In the past year, that has been the case with the 4th generation Prius, the Prius +, the Camry and the Corolla saloon. Previously it also happened with the Verso S, Urban Cruiser and IQ.

Presumably as the 4th generation Prius and Prius+ weren't selling in their later lives, Toyota GB have partly based their decision not to sell the 5th generation on past sales histories.

[Yugguy1970]

Aye, I get that, but apart from the name it's essentially a brand new car, they could have marketed it as such?

Also it's massively annoying that why aren't they putting its drivetrain technology into the 2023 Corolla?  

[forkingabout]

17 minutes ago, Yugguy1970 said:

Also it's massively annoying that why aren't they putting its drivetrain technology into the 2023 Corolla?  

23 MY Corolla is getting the new 5th gen 1.8 & 2 litre hybrid power trains.

[Yugguy1970]

 

1 hour ago, forkingabout said:

23 MY Corolla is getting the new 5th gen 1.8 & 2 litre hybrid power trains.

Aye but not the plugin or the AWD.  Other markets do get a Corolla with AWD.  I wouldn't say no to a 220bhp Corolla

[YarisHybrid2016]

Toyota UK replied and said:

Quote

The new model Prius we feel represents something fundamentally different to its predecessor, which doesn't align with current UK consumer needs.

...whatever that means. 🙄

Going back to the dealership end of January as they think they should have the new 2023 Corolla by then.

[Cs233]

Translates to Toyota UK not understanding UK customers to me. If the UK loves SUV and crossover type vehicles why on earth would they not release the Corolla Cross?! The best thing that could happen to Toyota UK is significant staffing changes...

[TonyHSD]

Indeed, staff changes are needed. Here the issue looks to me more on company political level of interest more than what uk market needs. However the Prius was the car of choice for many taxi and private hire drivers. Even if Toyota never wanted that it’s not what manufacturer wants but what their product it’s most suitable for and where gets it’s most appraisals. Unfortunately with the later emission regulations only full electric cars are viable solutions for using as taxi and phv in big cities and Prius can not repeat its fame anymore, no matter how good the car looks and how efficient or how nice is to drive. Also Corolla offers pretty much everything that Prius does, except the phev version but who knows they might offer Corolla phev in near future or perhaps discontinued the model too and replace with cross version. We may have only Toyota cross models including the new ch-r from 2025 : Aygo x, Yaris x, chr, Corolla x, rav4 no hatchback or estate cars at all. 
I am big Prius fan but I am not sending Toyota any email and won’t miss the new Prius at all. I am more upset for not having Corolla saloon available than the new Prius. 

[Paul john]

Excuse my ignorance as a new member. But…

Why would Toyota bother with the uk market when less than 500 new registrations across the range (mostly bus ed) for the Gen4 prius hybrid were registered in 2022 (source howmanyleft.co.uk). Obviously outside of the enthusiast here it seems to have lost its appeal.