First look at 2012 Toyota Prius C

In 2012, there will be four distinct Toyota Prius models. Two of them are now available: the "regular" Toyota Prius hybrid, and the larger new Toyota Prius V. The standard Prius has a stranglehold on our Best Reviewed category for overall hybrid-car efficiency, and our initial drive of the 2012 Toyota Prius V demonstrated that it is an outstanding vehicle in its own right. Those two will be joined by the 2012 Prius Plug-In Hybrid, which we've also driven in prototype form, and a new subcompact Prius that's slated to be cheaper and more efficient than the regular Prius. It'll be called the Prius C when it makes its way Stateside in 2012, and Toyota has released the first official details on it ahead of its premiere next month at the Tokyo Motor Show.

The Prius C, in addition to being smaller than the standard Prius (it's 19 inches shorter in overall length, two inches narrower, and 1.8 inches shorter in height while riding on  a wheelbase that's just under 6 inches shorter), is pegged to have a sportier demeanor than the regular Prius, which is about as vanilla a driving experience as you'll ever come across. Underhood, the Prius C gets a 1.5-liter gasoline engine as part of its Hybrid Synergy Drive setup. Toyota hasn't released the full powertrain specs yet; we'll hear that info when the Tokyo show press days take place at the end of this month.

Inside, as you can see from the photos and video attached to this post, the Prius C has a straightforward  five-passenger setup. The primary instrumentation is similar to that found in the regular Prius, and the Prius C will be available with the Entune infotainment system now offered in the Prius V and 2012 Toyota Camry.

Of course, being a Prius, the C's "killer app" will be the fuel economy numbers it puts up. For now, Toyota's being coy, saying only that it will deliver "expected class-leading fuel economy better than 50 mpg in the city, which is the highest city mpg of any non-plug-in vehicle." Since the 2012 Toyota Prius is already rated at 51 mpg in the city, that statement tells us exactly nothing of value.

If we had to take a guess, we'd wager that the actual fuel economy number will be closer to (or better than) 60 mpg. Why? When we attended the 2012 Toyota Camry launch in August, we chatted with one of the Toyota reps on hand and brought up the Prius C. What this person said was (and we're paraphrasing), "Next year we'll all be together again like this, only with the Prius C. And what people are going to see is that it will redefine the expectations everyone has for hybrid fuel economy." 

That's a bold statement, but Toyota's track record with the Prius is rock-solid so far. Seeing how the numbers eventually pan out should be very interesting.