Toyota Says Prius v Still On Track for Launch in the US

A couple of months ago, rumors were circulating the internet that the launch of the Prius v and Prius + in Europe and North America could be delayed due to the massive earthquake that hit Japan. It seems that this was actually a false alarm, as Toyota says the hybrid is on track for a US market debut this fall.

More recent rumors were that a shortage of battery shortage was causing the clog-up in production, though the manufacturer has now stated that the hybrid will indeed debut in the US as scheduled. Unfortunately, the arrival of the Japanese-market Prius Alpha is still slated to experience a delay of indeterminate length.

“Following Toyota Motor Corporation's (TMC) announcement in Japan today that delivery of the Prius alpha will be delayed, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. (TMS) announced that the Prius v is still on track for delivery to U.S. customers this fall. Delay of the Japan-market Prius alpha is due to the ongoing effects of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami,” the company statement reads.

Thus the Prius v is set to go on sale in the third quarter of this year, but the model being sold in the US won't be the same as the European and Japanese versions. Some reports indicated that the hybrid wagon will come with only two rows of seating in the US, while three rows will be offered elsewhere.

Like the current-gen Prius, the Toyota Prius v is a showcase of technology that will include many of the same standard features. Four driving modes (Normal, Power, Eco and EV) satisfy a variety of road conditions and driver preferences.