Folks, if an everyday, get from point A to point B midsize car is what you're looking for, chances are you won't be disappointed. On top of what is expected to be a better than average driving experience you'll get superior fuel efficiency and play a positive role in contributing significantly lower pollutants to our atmosphere. A price has not been announced as of yet, but should be about the same as the 2002 Prius, somewhere around $30,000.
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| "This is not just a great environmental car. It's a great car period," says Toyota Motor President Fujio Cho. (Photo: Toyota) |
Hybrid-electric vehicles are here to stay and will only get better with time as evidenced with this next generation offering. "This is a serious option for the future," says Toyota Motor President Fujio Cho. "This is not just a great environmental car. It's a great car period."
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| Hybrid-electric vehicles are on their way, and the 2004 Prius makes Toyota a current leader in the field. (Photo: Toyota) |
The Hybrid Synergy Drive technology is also making its way into the Lexus RX line of SUVs. The popular sport utility will have the hybrid drive system available in North America in the next couple of years. The RX hybrid promises V8 performance with CO2 emissions equivalent to a medium sized diesel car - greatly lower than the vehicles most of us drive.
It is anticipated that it will be the world's first high-performance hybrid production car, quicker than a gasoline powered BMW X5 V8 with a 0 to 100 km/h time of seven seconds, but will emit just 150g/km of CO2.'
Until then the 2004 Prius will march forward as the eco-friendly banner carrier for the Toyota brand.