The people mover is said to be much bigger than the existing Prius. But industry watchers say that it is likely to be similar to the Prius hatch. Earlier information had revealed that the prototype was to be similar to the size of the Mazda 5.

The company had also stated that there would be three rows of seating inside, which would accommodate seven adults.

It’s possible that the extra room will help engineers to use the underneath of the vehicle to stow away the 4-cylinder engine and the batteries.

The compact addition to the Prius family is expected to be a more appealing version of the original Prius – which may rule the roost as the leader in the MPG segment after it is released.

(Via Autoblog)

The woman was driving her 2005 Prius model and she sustained injuries as she was pulling out of the driveway when the Prius shot across the street and crashed into a stone wall. It wasn’t a case where the floor mat got stuck and the reason of the crash is a faulty accelerator pad which has the tendency to get stuck on occasions. The Prius in question had already been taken to a dealership after a company recall before this crash. For now Toyota is answering questions to convince the bothered US authorities who are pushing Toyota for another recall.

Not nice Toyota, not nice!

James Sikes, a 61 year-old US man also reported the same problem and in his case it was dialing 911 which saved his life on a California Freeway. Sikes did receive a recall notice but the Toyota dealership he approached mentioned that his car was not on the list. The technical flaw is now being investigated by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Toyota Motor Corporation engineers.

Toyota’s Prius is now a popular name across the globe as it was one of the first green cars that went mainstream and even registered record breaking sales. Embarking on that success, Toyota now plans to extend the lineage and the latest addition is the Prius G Sports Concept that was unveiled at the Auto Salon in Tokyo. The concept is blessed with design traits that make the car aerodynamically sound and fuel efficient at the same time. The G concept houses the same 1.8L 4 cylinder engine which is found in standard Prius. Features like a revised bumper and side skirting, LED Daytime running lights and a dual exhaust system is what separates the concept from the basic model. The interior is also a tad different with RECARO sports seats, a revised steering wheel, info display, aluminum pedals and a black piano trim.

Toyota reportedly has a Prius sports wagon or SUV in works, according to Japanese newspaper Yomiuri . The SUV has been rumored to be on paper ever since the Toyota Hybrid X Concept was unveiled at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show. There’s not much going on for now in terms of official details, but we’ll have to speculate that the new models will incorporate a regenerative braking system or a solar roof option. More to it, a plug-in version is also rumored to be in the works, but given the fact that Toyota has failed to comment on any of these, we can only assume that next years motor shows in Europe and in Detroit, in the US, will shred some light. [via Edmunds]

note: image of a Toyota Hybrid X Concept

SEMA is that place where all crazy tuner gather up and show off. The nice thing about SEMA is that you get to see daring models that otherwise would be locked on paper without ever seeing daylight. A very good example is the new Toyota Prius Aerius (Latin for “belonging to the air”) and Toyota Prius Aemulus (meaning “envious imitation”). Featuring a Five Axis Design four-piece aero kit with a front lip spoiler, new side skirts, and a rear lower valance, the new vehicles charm with the 3D Carbon body kit, crystalline tinted windows and the sky-inspired paint scheme by Nippon Color Design Studio America. Just by looking at those stylish 19-inch FIVE:AD wheels on the Prius Aerius, and we can already understand how Toyota manages to save the environment and make money at the same time.

Tuners don’t spare anything, not even the hybrid cars, which means that the Toyota Prius couldn’t be missed. No one would appreciate toying with the engines for these green babies, therefore Tommy Kaira just took care of the exterior and nothing more. As far as Tommy Kaira is concerned — which by the way thinks there’s life for “eco car tuning”, they integrated the Prius with lower front lips, larger front air dams, and thicker rims. He made the side skirts wider and gave the car a new rear bumper. They also got rid of the Prius logo (not advisable after shelling all that money on a green baby) and attached four tailpipes which makes it guised green beast. Not bad, at all!

This will debut with the Toyota Auris HSD Full Hybrid Concept so you surely need to be at the ‘Green’ Toyota Camp in Frankfurt. The difference between a regular Prius and the Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid is the ‘plug-in’ capability. Toyota now wants people to focus on the electric side of the Hybrid Drive Synergy by launching a commuter which is purely electric and can solely manage with electric power for daily, shot-distance, commuting. Following the Frankfurt debut, 150 fleet vehicles will be shipped to a select number of people whilst an extensive field trail will begin in Europe next year.

Is Toyota keen to delve furthermore on the success of the Prius with a Coupe variant? If the gossip hounds are to be believed, Toyota Prius Coupe is already in the scheme and is slated as a Honda CR-Z killer. For its design it is believed that Toyota will take assistance from Pininfarina or Italdesign. Specs wise, it will include a Prius’ 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine with Synergy Drive which will render a modest 98 hp and 105Nm of Toque. Although the engine numbers are not so impressive, the Toyota Prius Coupe would compensate with a 48mpg mileage and an extremely eye-catching exterior. [via carscoop.blogspot.com]

The car will be based on a shorter variant of the Prius Platform and will offer a 2+2 seating arraignment. A massive influence of the Prius will also be seen in the cabin. Talk about the engine and powering the grind could be a revamped version of the Prius’ hybrid powertrain with a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine with 136PS, up from the 99PS otherwise rendered. The fuel economy of 48 mpg will be a quality you seldom attribute to a regular coupe. It should be available sometime in 2012 with a base price slightly above $22,000. [via 7tune]