Toyota Prius SUV Reportedly Under Development

by Cameron Aubernon

June 22nd, 2015 11:12 AM

toyota prius suv reportedly under development

The Toyota Prius can be had in compact, wagon and original recipe, but there may soon be another addition to the family: an SUV.

The Prius SUV would be developed via its partnership with Mazda, and would likely be a production-ready version of the C-HR Concept from last year’s Paris Auto Show, AutoGuide writes.

The partnership between the two automakers allows for powertrain technologies to be exchanged regarding new models. Thus, one idea for the SUV would be Mazda’s 1.5-liter SkyActiv diesel for a hybrid-diesel variant, as well as one without electric motors for European markets. Mazda, meanwhile, would use Toyota’s technology to bring its first EV to market, set to meet the ZEV standards set for 2018 by California’s government.

(Photo credit: Mike Schlee/ AutoGuide)

#DieselHybrids #EVs #HybridSUVs #Mazda #Prius #SKYACTIV #Toyota

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11 of 31 comments

SCE to AUX on Jun 22, 2015

"Mazda, meanwhile, would use Toyota’s technology to bring its first EV to market" Sure, but maybe Toyota will repent of its FCV folly soon, and bring an EV to market themselves instead of giving it to Mazda.

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- Mcs on Jun 23, 2015
  
  With battery costs "possibly" headed to sub-$100 per kWh they'd better take a closer look at EVs. That would put the cost of the current Leaf battery at $2400 or the Tesla P85Ds battery at less than $8500. http://newsoffice.mit.edu/2015/manufacturing-lithium-ion-battery-half-cost-0623 BTW, these batteries are actually in pilot production - it's not the typical bi-weekly battery/super capacitor technology lab break-though report.
  
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- Redav on Jun 23, 2015
  
  “Mazda, meanwhile, would use Toyota’s technology to bring its first EV to market” That part doesn't sound right. Technically, they had an electric 2 (Demio)in Japan, so it wouldn't be their first EV, but it would be the first in the US. (Also, the e2 was more of a research project than a production car.) I don't know how Mazda will be affected by CA's ZEV law, but Mazda's strategy has been to first optimize engines, then add electrification (e.g., i-ELOOP, electric power steering), then add electric propulsion in the form of hybridization, then go full electric. They are still in the electrification stage, but they do offer a hybrid in Japan that is just the Prius drivetrain dropped in a 3. If their immediate plan is to produce an EV, they would jump over the hybrid stage, which presumably was a step to understand electric propulsion & work out its kinks. I don't doubt they will simply drop in the Toyota system for their hybrid(s), but they still need to learn from it. But maybe the EV announcement is just very premature, and any planned launch of an EV is still many years away. For battery costs, I do think their cost will get to $100/kWh, but not until the late 2020s. When they hit that point, EVs will be cheap enough that it will seem foolish not to have one.
  
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TW5 on Jun 22, 2015

No reason to call it Prius. Just give it a cool name, and a hybrid powertain as standard equipment.

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- Redliner on Jun 22, 2015
  
  No can do. If they call it a Prius crossover, they can sell 100,000 per year from day one. Picture a Honda HR-v but with prius credentials. They won't be able to make them fast enough.
  
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Luke42 on Jun 22, 2015

If this thing is a Prius with a trailer hitch, AWD, and an electric power takeoff, sign me up! I reserve the right to cross shop it against whatever Tesla is making at the time, though... :-p

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Ctkizer on Jun 22, 2015

I think toyota should make it a Mini-Van cause mini-vans mpgs are terrible.

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- JohnTaurus on Jun 23, 2015
  
  Minivans are very heavy for their size. Putting a Prius-grade Hybrid system in USDM jumbo minivans wouldnt work out very well, and as Mazda proved with the Mazda5, Americans just are not interested in smaller, more fuel efficient minivans. Toyota sells a Hybrid minivan in the JDM, but I believe its quite a bit smaller (so, lighter, and probably too small and underpowered for the USDM) than the Sienna they sell here. If you want to trade room, weight, power and such for MPGs, Ford will happily sell you a 4 cyl Transit Connect passenger model or a C-Max Hybrid/Plug-In Hybrid (Energi). Nissan and I believe Ram also offer small 4 cyl passenger minivans. All will get better mileage than Sienna, Oddyssy, FCA minivan and Quest.
  
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- Luke42 on Jun 23, 2015
  
  @JohnTaurus The Mazda 5 was a smaller size, but it wasn't a fuel efficient minivan. My wife and I really wanted one, and the size was *perfect* for our needs. But, when we looked at the numbers, it didn't have any of the benefits we expected to get from a smaller vehicle: higher MPGs and/or lower price. So, we bought a used Sienna instead, which got us higher MPGs and a lower price than the Mazda 5. I like the Mazda 5, but the numbers just didn't favor it.
  
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- Luke42 on Jun 23, 2015
  
  @JohnTaurus One thing that people who don't have both a hybrid and a minivan in their driveway fail to realize is that a minivan would be way better with a hybrid drivetrain, even if the MPGs were exactly the same. The reason is that providing air conditioned comfort at rest is part of the mission profile for a minivan. Being able to run the A/C and DVD player with minimal fuel consumption and engine wear is a big win when you're taking care of children. Alas, the only people who've had the experiences necessary to actually believe that this is worthwhile are the fraction of people who've owned both a Prius and a minivan. That's a small fraction of a small fraction of the car buying public. Bummer.
  
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- 71Cutlass on Jun 26, 2015
  
  @Luke42 We went the other way. We bought a Mazda5 and really enjoyed owning it but the gas mileage was disappointing. We now own a Sienna and have no regrets. The Mazda5 had lots of potential but Mazda missed the mark with it, unfortunately.
  
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