We've said it once, and we're going to say it again. Toyota is mister nice guy in America, but over in Japan, all its commercials are risqué and funky. This next ad for the Prius isn't going to be as famous as the one featuring an Israeli transgender person, but we still find it very odd.
The 2016 Prius went on sale in Japan only two days ago, which is when these commercials were released (the ones below are just copies because the originals are non-viewable outside Japan).
The guy with the discreet mustache is Masaharu Fukuyama, a singer and actor who's like the Japanese equivalent of Brad Pitt. His trusty co-star is TV personality Yo Oizumi. Don't ask us why he turns into a dog.
"Man, this Prius really is quite eroi," says Fukuyama at one point, interrupting Oizumi while he was going on and on about the technology features.
"Eroi" is slang for erotic, but it also means perverted, horny or dirty minded. Considering the new Prius was inspired by Lady Gaga, we're not surprised such words are being used.
While other manufacturers are trying to make their hybrids as subtle as possible, Toyota's designers were allowed to run rampant with the 2016 model. We don't know what substances they took, but this hybrid looks psychedelic, especially in neon green, which is one of ten available colors.
We've even seen an official press video where Toyota explained the front badge is at exactly the same level as that of the GT 86, after being lowered 7 centimeters. While it does look different to almost any other car in the world, we'd stop way short of calling the Prius sexy. If it's a grownup's car you want, the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid and its Honda Accord are the equivalent of the business suit to Toyota's Adidas jumper.
But what do you guys think, is this new Prius the sort of car that gets college girls in the mood or is it still something you'd expect retirees to drive?
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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