Toyota Motor Korea releases 5th-generation Prius with sportier design

Toyota Motor Korea has launched its fifth-generation Prius here equipped with two types of powertrains — 2.0-liter hybrid and 2.0-liter plug-in hybrid — targeting the growing demand for compact hybrid vehicles with sharper and sportier designs, the carmaker said Wednesday.

The company called the model’s upgraded design bold yet beautiful, appearing sleeker than its predecessor. The vehicle is available in seven different exterior colors. Its price starts from 39.9 million won ($30,350).

According to the Korean subsidiary of the Japanese carmaker, the new Prius also comes with enhanced interior technology features, such as a 12.3-inch touchscreen display and a blind spot monitor.

The head of Toyota Motor Korea spoke highly of the new version of the vehicle, saying it will be the optimal solution in an era of carbon neutrality.

“The role of powertrains is important for hybrid vehicles, so they can support carbon neutrality,” Toyota Motor Korea CEO Konyama Manabu told reporters during a press conference in Seoul. “Given the current infrastructure circumstances (for electric vehicles), our hybrid powertrains are still very good enough, as they can make an immediate contribution to carbon neutrality.”

Other executives who joined the event said the company will also take steps to introduce more vehicles meeting diverse customer demands.

“Our target customers in Korea include those in their 30s and 40s,” Toyota Motor Korea Vice President Kang Dae-hwan said. “We will also continue making more efforts to raise awareness of our electrified lineup here. Toyota Motor is confident that the fifth-generation Prius will be able to meet customers' needs.”

Prius is one of Toyota’s major strategic vehicles, and its sales have topped 5.9 million here and abroad ever since its first version made its debut in 1997. The symbolic hybrid vehicle can drive 20.9 kilometers per liter.