BIMS 2023: Next-gen Toyota Prius makes ASEAN debut

All-new Toyota Prius makes its way to Thailand but will PH get it?

If there was one vehicle that we did not expect to get such a significant glow-up, it’s the 2023 Toyota Prius. When it was first unveiled late last year, we were surprised by just how sleek it looked from top to bottom.

And now, the fifth-generation Toyota Prius has officially made its way to Southeast Asia via this year’s Bangkok International Motor Show. Not only is the all-new Prius underpinned by the company’s second-generation TNGA platform, but it also received one heck of an aesthetic upgrade, inside and out.

Featuring a more coupe-like appearance thanks to its roof apex pushed further back, the 2023 Prius has a sportier and more dynamic-looking design. The front end, meanwhile, features a distinct look that appears to be reminiscent of the Crown Sport SUV and all-electric bZ4X. As for the rear, the Prius gets full-width LED taillights that are complemented by a liftback-style hatch. Last but not least, it gets huge alloy wheels that are up to 19 inches in diameter.

Open the doors and the 2023 Prius greets you with what Toyota calls “Island Architecture”. It’s actually similar to what the bZ4X has and features an instrument panel that’s placed high on the dashboard - achieving a floating effect. The center stack, on the other hand, features a huge touchscreen infotainment system while the controls for the aircon are placed below the center vents.

The 2023 Prius is available with a 1.8- or 2.0-liter engine that’s accompanied by an electric motor and a lithium-ion battery pack. Toyota says it can produce up to 193 PS which is 1.6 times more powerful than the outgoing model.

Like most of its Toyota brethren, the all-new Prius now comes with Toyota Safety Sense. This serves as the vehicle’s extra pair of eyes and features intelligent driver aids like an automatic high beam, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, lane departure warning, forward collision mitigation with emergency braking, as well as rear-cross traffic alert.

With the all-new Toyota Prius now in Southeast Asia, do you think Toyota Motor Philippines will bring it here? Or are the Corolla Cross HEV, Corolla Altis HEV, RAV4 HEV, and Camry HEV more than enough to satisfy the hybrid needs of Filipino customers? Let us know in the comments.