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2017 Toyota Prius Leaked by Taiwanese Auto Publication, Is It Real?

This just in from autonet.com.tw - the 2017 Toyota Prius is the vehicle you can admire in the first four pics of the photo gallery, in normal and plug-in hybrid iteration. Compared to what we’ve seen until today via spy photos and videos, the shape of the prototypes seems to mirror what we can admire in the Taiwanese motoring publication’s images.
2017 Toyota Prius and 2017 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid 21 photos
Photo: automate.com.tw
2017 Toyota Prius and 2017 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid2017 Toyota Prius2017 Toyota Prius2017 Toyota Prius2017 Toyota Prius prototype2017 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid2017 Toyota Prius2017 Toyota Prius2017 Toyota Prius prototype2017 Toyota Prius prototype2017 Toyota Prius prototype2017 Toyota Prius prototype2017 Toyota Prius2017 Toyota Prius2017 Toyota Prius2017 Toyota Prius prototype2017 Toyota Prius prototype2017 Toyota Prius prototype2017 Toyota Prius prototype2017 Toyota Prius prototype
Whoa, is that a mustache on the fourth-generation Prius’ face? And what’s with those sculpted lines all over the front bumper, hood and front fenders? Or the headlamps’ shape that appears to be a reverse reinterpretation of the Nissan 370Z's headlights?

All of these questions are the recipe for a headache, so we’ll stop at this and highlight this: the green car at the top is a normal 2017 Toyota Prius, while the stylistically different blue-painted car at the bottom is the 2017 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid. As you can see, only the front fascia design and PHEV badges on the sides are the main differences between the models.

Everything else, including the curvature of the roofline, character line, side mirrors, fender flares, and the side skirts, is carried over. Mind you, the 2017 Toyota Prius PHV appears more car-like thanks to a proper front grille, horizontal bars of LED DRLs, and a pair of headlamps inspired by Acura’s Jewel Eye units.

At the rear, the wacky styling continues but it all seems to fit like a jigsaw falling into place. It’s a weird car, but we have to admit that it’s also an interesting car at the same time. According to the Taiwanese publication, the new Prius is expected to debut in October at the 2015 edition of the Tokyo Motor Show. To measure 4550 x 1770 × 1490 mm, that translates to a fourth-gen Prius that’s longer and wider than its predecessor, all while retaining the height of the outgoing eco-friendly model.

Wheelbase-wise, we’re dealing with 2,700 mm, which is acres of room for this type of machine. As for curb weight, expect 1,280 kg (2,822 lbs) for the normal model and 1,350 kg (2,976 lbs) for the PHEV. There is no word on all-wheel drive, but we can expect up to 94 US mpg (2.5 l/100 km) from a 1.8-liter DOHC VVT-i four-banger mated to an electric motor. The engine is expected to produce 105 horsepower while the electric motor should be good for 90 all-electric horsepower.

Total system output is rated between 145 and 150 horsepower. In the PHV’s case, look forward to a maximum (and rather hard to believe) fuel rating of 164.6 US mpg (1.4 l/100 km) and an all-electric range of 50 km (31 miles). Apart from the styling and charging capabilities that separate the two 2017 Toyota Prius models, it’s rumored that the PHV will get a higher capacity lithium-ion battery pack.

On an ending note, first cars will be delivered by mid-2016.

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About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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