Clearer 2016 Prius Images Leak, and it is Still Quite “Blah”

2016 Toyota Prius (Credit: © Prius Club Malaysia)

Toyota is having a really tough time keeping its new Prius out of the public eye ahead of its reveal. Today, thanks to the quick action of the folks over at Prius Club Malaysia, we have even clearer images of the redesigned hybrid, and things still don’t look too hot.

It appears as if Toyota took all of its latest hot-button models and crammed them in the design of the new eco-rig. From the looks of it, the headlights are ripped straight from the design pages of the LFA, while the nose is eerily similar to the Mirai. These are two designs that are likely best left to their own devices.

Around back, the Prius retains its liftback look, but its taillights are much more stylized than they’ve ever been. In fact, I think Toyota went a tad overboard with the entire rear end, as its “floating roof” line just looks odd and the wraparound section of the taillights make the backside look almost as if it was ripped straight from the Ford Probe.

2016 Toyota Prius (Credit: © Prius Club Malaysia)

While the drivetrain details remain under wraps, rumblings indicate that the 2016 Prius will arrive with a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine and an electric motor. These powerplants will combine to produce about 150 horsepower, which would be a 16-horsepower gain over the 2015 model.

In full-EV mode, the 2016 Prius will see a nice boost from 11 miles in 2015 to about 35 miles. This would put it on par with the last-generation Chevy Volt, but it’ll still be about 15 miles short of the 2016 model.

The new Prius will make its official debut on September 8th at a special even held by Toyota. The automaker shouldn’t waste any time getting all of the details out, so stay tuned for more information.