2012 Prius V Wagon Hopes To Upend CUV Ranks

2012 Prius V Wagon Hopes To Upend CUV Ranks

By Scott Doggett May 23, 2011

With a 53 percent share of the U.S. hybrid market, the Toyota Prius outsells all other U.S. hybrid offerings combined. Hoping to capitalize on that market share, this fall Toyota is literally expanding the Prius lineup with the new 2012 Prius V, a taller and longer Prius with expanded cargo capacity. In the Prius V, Toyota has created a roomy multipurpose wagon with the cargo and payload capacity of a crossover sport utility vehicle and an enviable EPA-estimated rating of 42 mpg combined. The most disturbing news to competitors is that it's expected to have a starting MSRP around $25,000.

Before Toyota began work on the Prius V, the model's chief engineer spent hours outside Home Depot and Costco stores, watching Americans load purchases into their vehicles. What struck Hiroshi Kayukawa most of all was the size of the packaged items. "They were so big," Kayukawa said in an interview with AutoObserver during last week’s two-day Prius V technical preview in Northern California. Kayukama and the 1,500 engineer team behind the new Prius V tackled the occupants' space needs with a 190-centimeter (6-foot-2-inch) tall dummy that simulated an American man. By doing this, Kayukama said, the driver and front passenger seats of the Prius V meet the spatial desires of 95 percent of American men, while the back seats will comfortably accommodate 80 percent of American men.

How Much Bigger
In the Prius V, concave door panels and a body that's 1.1 inches wider than the current-generation Prius liftback provide more shoulder and elbow room, as well as more space between the driver and front passenger. The new V is taller (62 inches versus 58.9), and at 181.7 inches, six inches lengthier than the 2011 Prius liftback. With the rear seats up and pushed back, the cargo area is 34.3 cubic feet. Toyota claims that's more cargo space with rear seats in upright position than 80 percent of small SUVs on the road today. With the rear seats folded down, the cargo area is 67.3 cubic feet in size. By comparison, the 2011 Prius has 21.6 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and back, and 39.6 cubic feet with the seats down.

The Prius V's cargo space and 1,056 pounds of maximum payload stack up nicely against many smaller SUVs, including the 2011 Honda CR-V (72.9 cubic feet, 850 pounds); 2011 Ford Escape Hybrid (66.1 cubic feet, 980 pounds) and 2011 Chevrolet Equinox (63.7 cubic feet, 907 pounds). As for the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen, which offers the closest competition to the Prius V of the models named here, it's cargo area is 66.9 cubic feet and maximum payload is 975 pounds. The Toyota is EPA rated at 44 mpg city, 40 mpg highway and 42 mpg in combined driving This compares well to the Escape Hybrid (34/31/32), CR-V (21/28/24), Equinox (22/32/26) and diesel-powered Jetta TDI Sportwagen (30/42/34) -- the 2011 Prius nets 51/48/50. Note the Prius V does not offers the ground clearance or all-wheel-drive of many SUVs, so it will not likely be a player in snowy parts of the country.

Hybrid Drive Modes
In track testing, Edmunds clocked the current, third-generation Prius from zero to 60 mph in 10.1 seconds, which is about average for a hybrid vehicle. Toyota spokesman Mike Michels told AutoObserver that the Prius can hit that speed in 10.4 seconds, which would put the Prius V slightly behind most four-cylinder compact crossovers as far as acceleration goes. Like the 2011 Prius, the Prius V’s Hybrid Synergy Drive features four modes – EV (helps keep the vehicle in electric-only mode), Eco (maximizes fuel savings across all driving conditions), Power (increases throttle response) and Normal – and a 1.8-liter engine mated to an electric motor that together generate 134 horsepower. Toyota also chose to fit the Prius V with a nickel-metal hydride battery, instead of a superior-but-pricier lithium-ion, to keep the cost of the model down.

New in the Prius V is Toyota's Pitch and Bounce Control, which is designed to ensure ride comfort via a controller that adjusts the torque of the hybrid motor in accordance with the harshness of the road surface. Together with improved body rigidity, a longer chassis and increased roll-torsional rigidity over the current Prius platform, what the Prius V lacks in passing oomph at freeway speeds it should counter with improved ride quality.

Interior Equipment
Missing from the Prius V wagon is the center-console bridge to the dashboard found in the Prius that does little but bruise the right knee. It's been replaced with welcome open space and below that a tray that's large enough for a midsize purse and an available power outlet and USB and iPod ports. The front seats feature a next-generation seat frame for improved comfort and power lumber support comes standard in the driver's seat. Above each passenger compartment is an available moon roof made of polycarbonate instead of glass to reduce weight. The Prius V comes with a standard cloth fabric or an optional leather-like SofTex seat trim that weighs 28 percent less than leather and claims to be more durable than the standard fabric.

Seven airbags and a tire-pressure monitoring system are standard, as well as anti-lock brakes, traction control, vehicle stability control, brake assist, and electronic brake force distribution. Optional are Dynamic Radar Cruise Control and auto parallel park that Toyota calls Intelligent Parking Assist (a new simplified system that utilizes sonar sensors). The Prius V is offered with three equipment levels (Prius Two, Three and Five). The standard Prius Two package, includes a 6.1-inch touch screen audio system with integrated backup camera, AM/FM/CD with MP3/WMA playback capability, auxiliary audio jack, USB port with iPod connectivity and control, hands-free phone capability and music streaming via Bluetooth wireless technology, and a six-way adjustable driver's seat with power lumbar support.

Notable upgrades for the Prius V Three include XM Radio (includes 90-day trial subscription), HD Radio with iTunes Tagging, and a first-three-years-free subscription to Entune. Prius V Five adds the SofTex-trimmed seats and heated 6-way adjustable driver's seat, 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlamps with auto level control and an auto-dimming rearview mirror with HomeLink. Available packages, which are offered with Prius V Five only, include the Advanced Technology Package (panorama moon roof, premium navigation with JBL and Entune), Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Pre-Collision System, and Intelligent Parking Assist, and Safety Connect.

Will U.S. Launch Be Delayed?
Following disruptions caused by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, Toyota claimed at the Prius V event that it will be back to full production in Japan by July or August. Line-off -- or start of production -- for the Japanese-built Prius V, is August, company spokesman Michels said in an interview with AutoObserver, adding that Toyota does not foresee any problem staying on schedule. The European and Asian versions of the Prius V have been delayed, which provides extra capacity for U.S.-bound vehicles.

There will be a dip in the supply of the 2011 Prius during June, July and August due to delays in the production and shipment pipelines, but by September, when the Prius V goes on sale nationwide in America, "we should have a very good supply" of the Prius liftback, Michels said. As for the Prius V, there are two factors that might make the new model not very plentiful: High gas prices and heavy demand. But Michels and Bob Carter, Toyota Division Group vice president and general manager, said issues stemming from the earthquake and tsunami should have no affect on the U.S. availability of the Prius V.

Scott Doggett:  is an AutoObserver.com Associate Editor.