TOYOTA
MPV Hybrid
A second member in the Prius family will come in the form of a mini-MPV.
- Hey, it should sell in Thailand...
Yeah, this MPV version of the Prius should do well in Thai showrooms for it complements the just-launched five-door hatchback. Now that Toyota Motor Thailand is pushing the Prius to become a new sub-brand in the country, expanding the family sounds perfect.
As seen in these teaser pictures issued by Toyota North America, the Prius MPV - likely to carry the additional Alpha moniker - will be an extension of the current hatch, although it will have several bespoke exterior panels and interior bits like the fascia.
Toyota would have to localise additional parts for the Alpha's assembly in Thailand, although the tax-exemption given on hybrid components should help compensate any increase in production costs.
- You mean it has the same petrol/electric hybrid?
That's what the Japanese grapevine has been suggesting, although the 1.8-litre petrol/electric combination could be tweaked to more than 136hp to accommodate the Alpha's bigger seven-seat body.
It has also been suggested that lithium-ion battery will be used for the Alpha. However, a cheaper, five-seat version of it could be running the more conventional nickel metal-hydride type of the Prius hatch.
There’s new entertainment system.
- Just what a Wish customer could be lusting after...
Exactly, especially now that Toyota has not decided to make the second-gen Wish in Thailand anymore.
In other words, the Prius Alpha could serve as an effective replacement for the Wish, plus having the ability to lure buyers to its economical powertrain since Toyota doesn't offer diesel tech in passenger cars in Thailand.
And talking about mini-MPVs between the B1-1.5m price bracket, all of the Wish's rivals have retired including the Chevrolet Zafira, Honda Stream and Kia's slow-selling Carenes.
Toyota's own Innova? Nah, it's quite a frumpy-looking MPV based on the Hilux-Vigo mechanicals, although you could argue that being below B1m it's decent value.
- Forget it. Will the Alpha come?
When we forwarded this question to the people at Toyota, the answer was: "No plan yet'."
But as you said in the beginning, the Alpha should sell in Thailand because it is only logical to do so for so many good reasons.
Credit: Bangkok Post (www.bangkokpost.com)
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