Toyota NS4 revealed

Toyota NS4 Concept previews the fourth-generation Prius, which is expected to return 150mpg and emissions of 40g/km

Auto Express Car Reviews

By Sam Hardy

January 2012

Here is our best look yet at the car some are describing as the next-generation Toyota Prius.

Toyota has officially denied that this car previews a successor to the popular hybrid, but the similarities between the two cars are clear.

This striking concept car is called the NS4 – and it has made its debut at the Detroit Motor Show.

Following the hydrogen fuel cell FCV-R concept, which we saw at the Tokyo Motor Show late last year, it previews both the styling direction and the petrol-electric technology of the company’s fourth-generation hybrid, which is due to go on sale in 2015.

The sleek design has been shaped to be as aerodynamic as possible. There are no wing mirrors, for example, just slender posts that contain rear view mounted cameras. The high definition picture they produce is displayed on an extra-wide panoramic screen that sits across the top of the NS4’s sleek dashboard.

The doors lift up and out as they open, just like they do with Aston Martin's Rapide, while there are new glass technologies that offer better heat insulation, and a clearer view of the road ahead. What's more the front and rear windscreens are covered in a hydrophobic coating that makes them resistant to rain and misting, and also improves the signal quality for electronic devices in the cabin.

Behind that distinctive new grille lies an advanced plug-in hybrid powertrain. There are no official figures or details for the petrol-electric system yet, but Toyota wants to exceed the efficiency of the current plug-in Prius, so expect 150mpg fuel economy (up from 135mpg) and 40g/km CO2 emissions (down from 49g/km).

The system will be lighter than that in the current Prius plug-in, but the batteries will have greater energy density. That means it will have a better electric-only range – this is likely to increase from 15 to 25 miles – but will still take 90 minutes to charge.

There’s no confirmation yet on what type of batteries the NS4 uses, but they’re most likely to be lithium-ion or zinc-air.

The cabin has an Internet-enabled iPad-style touchscreen in the centre console. This is used to control navigation, music and vehicle information systems.

Safety features include a next-generation crash-avoidance system, adaptive headlight beams so you don’t dazzle oncoming traffic and a blind spot warning system.

Joining the NS4 on stage at the Detroit Motor Show was the new supermini sized Prius C, which was revealed earlier this year at the Tokyo Motor Show.

Toyota also announced ambitious plans to boost production numbers of the electric cars it offers, with a limited run of electrically powered RAV4s.

Available only in America, the SUV will get the latest lithium-ion battery technology and a range of over 100 miles.

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6 Comments

whatever

mpgs in a plug in hybrid are pretty meaningless, all you have to do to make the number bigger is stick in a bigger battery (as demonstrated). Presumably the figure would be infinite mpgs on a short run (ignoring the carbon costs of your local power station). What's needed is a figure for consumption after the plug in component has been used up and the weight of the battery starts to count against it.

By fleabane on 11 January, 2012, 10:19am

Knock, knock

And the Toyota knockers sing:
"Just another bland styling exercise from Toyota and it looks just like a Corolla".

By prosperity on 12 January, 2012, 7:49am

Hybrids Not Necessary, Too Complex!

The most important think motorists need to realise is the fact that electric vehicles are far more efficient than ice cars, so the energy is far more efficiently used in ev's than through ice cars emitting 0 emissions in towns and cities, it's these emissions (not co2) that causes cancer, and other serious respiratory illness, yet Europe encourages the use of the most carcinogenic emitting vehicles of all, DIESEL!

We don't need complex hybrids, ev's already have ranges of up to 300 miles, look at the Tesla's. Instead they should concentrate on Hybrid heavy goods vehicles rather than cars!

The Leaf has a range more than good enough for me, and most people!

There would be no emissions if the world changed to L.F.T.R power using Thorium, it's needs more funding, it worked before and the benefits over current Nuclear are tremendous, but as usual we are forced to depend on greedy energy companies!

Also people should seriously understand that to run a car on electricity will seriously reduce their transportation costs. We also have the option to install solar panels or wind turbines, imagine driving and not paying for the electricity ?

By Mad_Lad on 12 January, 2012, 11:02am

Not knocking but frustrated

I wouldn't generally knock Toyota. I drive them and I rate them highly. But when is someone going to create an electric (or otherwise green) vehicle which is practical and useful? This thing might look pretty and be very green but where do you put your stuff when you go on holiday or take a load to the refuse tip or take the dogs out? It won't contribute to overcoming environmental problems if it doesn't meet a wide range of owners' needs. And it doesn't do that. None of them does.

By Leahoe on 12 January, 2012, 12:58pm

Fantastic

... and as usual Toyota do a good job of doing realistic concept designs unlike most other concept cars which never see light of day.
And great to see hybrids stirring deep emotions these days, obviously J Clarkson is getting old & he pays chicks to be in his show, hasn't worked though :)

By theado on 12 January, 2012, 2:55pm

Don't believe the figures.

As no-one seems able to get near the claimed economy in the current Prius, I will regard these economy claims with great cynicism! An efficient diesel will probably wipe the floor with it in real world driving.

By pajbse on 15 January, 2012, 11:22am

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