No need to wait for the Las Vegas debut of the Toyota Prius 2016 next week. The newest spy shots have already leaked the upcoming plug-in hybrid's "radical, more aggressive" design.
Check out the said spy shots courtesy of Green Car Reports below:
This is it! This is the new 2016 #Toyota Prius. https://t.co/Rd7K8MIlBB pic.twitter.com/i4LonZWQJf
— Green Car Reports (@GreenCarReports) August 31, 2015
According to the website, the latest leaks come from a Facebook post on the Prius Club Malaysia page.
Already in its fourth generation, Toyota looks to have chosen to breathe new life to the 2016 Prius by borrowing styling cues from the Mirai FCV, especially in the rear which can be seen below as posted by Twitter user PriusChat:
The clearest view of the 2016 Toyota Prius that we've had so far. Both front and back. https://t.co/wFVXVoYWIz pic.twitter.com/Ao2XV8E2hO — PriusChat (@PriusChat) August 29, 2015
"The 'floating' roof with a blacked-out pillar echoes the Mirai, as do the high taillights with angled lighting elements in them," GCR said.
But the new Prius "remains a very high-tailed hatchback" as its predecessors. It keeps the second glass panel on the tailgate for improved rear visibility.
These Toyota Prius 2016 spy shots follow earlier leaks snapped in California last month, as Franchise Herald reported. However, those were taken from afar and showed only the plug-in hybrid's front end.
"The next-generation Prius was actually delayed because Toyota's CEO wasn't pleased with its first design, demanding something more aggressive for the model," AutoGuide pointed out.
Improvements to the Prius' hybrid powertrain and electrical components are expected to benefit its fuel efficiency.
"Toyota executives have said that the 2016 Prius will have fuel efficiency that's at least 10 percent better than the prior model, which came in at 50 miles per gallon combined - so we can expect 55 mpg or better for the new model," according to GCR.
Despite the Toyota Prius 2016 spy shots presenting its design in full view, the Japanese automaker still put out official teasers ahead of its Las Vegas debut in Sept. 8. The plug-in hybrid is also expected to stop by at the Frankfurt Motor Show on Sept. 17, according to CarAdvice.
