What's New for 2015

Introduction

Toyota faces something of a crossroads with the upcoming fourth-generation Prius. The game-changing hybrid's iconic shape represents more than just smart fuel-saving motoring to its loyal owners. For better or worse, the Prius carries social and cultural currency beyond its practical nature, and to reinvent the model is to invite peril. The 2015 Toyota Prius will need to walk a line between loyalists and skeptics.

Early talk suggested that Toyota would give the next-gen Prius a thorough exterior overhaul, even evolving into a swept-back sedan shape (a notion reinforced by Toyota's NS4 hybrid concept car). One report citing a Toyota engineer indicated that the Prius would feature a lower hood and a more upright windshield moved farther back. Toyota officials say an all-new exterior design will improve aerodynamic efficiency, while a new platform beneath the sheet metal offers a lower center of gravity and promises better handling. This same platform will underpin future Camry, Corolla and RAV4 models.

Spy photos of the interior show a new direction for the dash and instrument panel. The prototype dash looks more conventional, with analog gauges behind a new three-spoke steering wheel, marking a departure from the current information display perched far away in the center of the dash. Photos show a center stack engulfed in a mess of tape and slapped-together elements, making it hard to visualize where a navigation display might go. A top Toyota executive promises a roomier interior, notable design and layout refinements, and greater ease of use.

We won't know for awhile whether this is the real dash or a decoy, but we know we'd like anything behind the steering wheel besides the flat expanse of plastic and small storage trays. Regardless, the Prius will need to offer better materials and an improved cabin environment if it's to keep an edge on newer hybrids like the 2013 Ford C-Max.

Expect to see the same 1.8-liter four-cylinder gas engine carry over, paired with smaller but more powerful electric motors. Although Toyota plans to ramp up production of lithium-ion batteries, the new Prius will probably carry over its nickel-hydride battery pack, although with a higher energy density. Lithium-ion batteries are unlikely to arrive in time or, more importantly, at an affordable enough price for the Prius to avoid a significant price hike.

Rumors persist of an electronically controlled motor that also powers the rear wheels, giving buyers in snow- and rainbelt areas the confidence of an all-wheel-drive Prius.

The current Prius offers an EPA-estimated 50 mpg combined. Toyota says the Prius has averaged 10 percent better fuel efficiency per generation, which would put the new model up to 55 mpg. The plug-in hybrid model will also carry over.

The Toyota Prius should debut in late 2014, with sales to start in early 2015. Check back for a full review of the 2015 Toyota Prius, including specs, driving impressions and buying advice as it becomes available.