New Toyota Prius to Debut at the 2011 NAIAS

Toyota has just confirmed that the new Prius model will be displayed at the upcoming North American International Auto Show in Detroit but refused to provide more information on the model. The information was provided via the company's Twitter account, so the only thing we know is that the car will be "the next member of the Prius family".

“Toyota exec Don Esmond just announced the next member of the Prius family will be revealed at 2011 Detroit Auto Show in Jan.,” Toyota’s Twitter status read. “Next member of the Prius family (to be revealed at Detroit Auto Show) will be all-new model w/ more comfort, style and versatility.”

Judging by the recent reports, Toyota will not show a facelifted Prius but rather a different iteration of the model, as the company hinted a few days ago when it rolled out the MPV teaser. The 2011 NAIAS might be considered the perfect occasion to introduce the Prius MPV, a larger model that would provide more interior space and more seats.

If we are to trust voices talking about this model, the MPV will feature three rows of seats and will be able to transport up to seven adults.

Obviously, larger dimensions translate into more room for luggage and extra space for battery pack, so expect slightly different performance figures when comparing the MPV and the base Prius. More details are likely to surface as we're getting closer to the 2011 NAIAS, so we'll keep you posted.