If you’ve always wanted one of the popular Toyota hybrids but you’re family just won’t fit into one, this one’s for you. The anticipated Prius minivan has been spotted. Though these concept models are still lightly disguised, they should be hitting trade shows, and show rooms, soon enough.
The covert snaps published by “Road&Track” show the larger Prius to be about the same size as the Mazda5 or a Mitsubishi Outlander. It is still unclear whether or not the new Prius will have seating for five or seven. If there are two extra seats in the larger model they will likely be comfortable only for children. There is also a possibility that the new Prius will have sliding rear doors, but the prototype has conventional rear doors.
A new 2.5-liter 4-cylinder ZR-series engine will be pair to the next generation of Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive system, but with a more advanced lithium-ion battery pack. EPA fuel economy hasn’t been announced yet. This new branch on the Prius family tree comes with speculation that Prius may eventually become its own brand within the Toyota family.
