REPORT: 2010 Prius' design will influence future Toyotas [w/ POLL]
2010 Toyota Prius - Click above for a high-res image gallery
The Toyota Prius has long been a love-it-or-hate-it design. The sweeping roofline of the hybrid hatch may have been penned to maximize the car's ability to cut through the wind, but its shape is now instantly recognizable to the masses – so much so that Honda has been accused of ripping off the Prius' basic design for its latest Insight (gasp!).
Whether you're enamored or disgusted by the Prius' aesthetic, you'd better get used to the new styling cues.
The 2010 model is the shape of things to come for Toyota, debuting a few new forms that will infiltrate the rest of the automaker's line-up in the near future. Toyota's global design chief, Wahei Hirai, calls the styling of the new Prius "free-form geometrics," and a few of the more prominent elements -- including the hybrid's sharply-creased corners, slit-like front grille and bolder, more pronounced hood badge -- are all bound for future models. Good thing or bad thing? Tell us in the poll after the jump.
Gallery: 2010 Toyota Prius
[Source: AutoWeek]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
mikemaj82 7:35PM (5/19/2009)
nice Maxima headlight styling.
Reply
aaron 7:40PM (5/19/2009)
That "bubble" look reminds me of the headlights I first saw on later, last gen Celicas. Wait a sec, was the Celica the last good looking car Toyota made?
mikemaj82 7:54PM (5/19/2009)
yea, the '94-'99 Celica.
dwightB 8:11PM (5/19/2009)
@mikemaj82
What are you talking about? The 1994 - 1999 Celica had round headlights. The "bubble" on the triangle shape didn't come out til 2000.
StickShift 8:19PM (5/19/2009)
@aaron
The MR-2 was the last one. The last good looking Celica was the RWD '85 model.
mikemaj82 8:26PM (5/19/2009)
@ dwightB
I was just saying that's the last best looking car Toyota came out with, replying to the other guy about the Celica.
Venom 8:50PM (5/19/2009)
Last good looking Toyota was the Supra, MR2 runner up.
MGBYG 9:50PM (5/19/2009)
There's been a good-looking Toyota? That's funny.
From AMC-weird to Buick-boring, but never a good looking one.
Supra? With or without the rear side-marker light extension wings?
Hire ItalDesign, Pinninfarina, Bertone, etc.
jgp 12:12AM (5/20/2009)
Eh, I always liked the 90-93 Celica with the hidden headlights.
And it's a damn shame the Carina ED never got brought to the US; hardtops are awesome.
Toyota's design, however, has sucked hard since the '90s ended.
Kiiks 4:13AM (5/20/2009)
Altezza/IS300. The ONLY good looking Toyota to date.
compy386 7:35PM (5/19/2009)
I know the body shape is for aerodynamics by why the schnoz? I think Toyota was doing fine with the new Corolla design.
Reply
dwightB 8:15PM (5/19/2009)
Really? I think the Corolla had the worst / most bland looking face of the entire Toyota line-up. It looks a Camry that was taken out of the oven about a half hour too soon... Oh well.
chconline 1:31AM (5/20/2009)
Well this one is quite a Honda Civic inspired design. :P
gearhead18 10:56AM (5/23/2009)
The Corrolla is much better IMO. I think by this they are saying new Toyotas will looks like Nissans, maybe hinting at a merger.
I kid, I kid
Carlos 7:36PM (5/19/2009)
I guess that means future Toyotas will be even more boring!
Reply
Javanese 9:00PM (5/19/2009)
Hear hear... I thought the prius is one of the worst looking toyota on sale today. Their design dept must be lazier than porsche.
zamafir 9:19PM (5/19/2009)
zing. or acura :D
Farmboy 11:21PM (5/19/2009)
Just when I thought the Tundra couldn't look any worse...
Jake B 2:03AM (5/20/2009)
I am waiting for a redesigned tundra with pelvic bulge on the hood and enlarged Toyo logo.
tuxchown 10:03AM (5/20/2009)
Yay! Even MORE hideously ugly cars from Toyota!
Toyota: The new GM.