Toyota targets 12,000 monthly sales of new Prius in Japan

Toyota, which launched its fourth-generation Prius in Japan yesterday, is targeting monthly sales of 12,000 units of the green car in the Japanese market. The new Prius packs improved driving dynamics, evocative styling, and fuel economy of 40.8 km/L (under the JC08 test cycle).

Building firmly on the environmentally friendly credentials of its predecessors, the new Prius' E grade model's fuel economy reaches 40.8 km/L under the JC08 test cycle ― better than any hybrid vehicle in its class. Among other grades, two-wheel drive models achieve 37.2 km/L, while models equipped with the newly developed E-Four electronic four-wheel drive system achieve 34.2 km/L (all measurements under the Japanese JC08 cycle). All grades exceed the 2020 fuel economy standards defined under Japan's Act on the Rational Use of Energy by at least 20 percent, and are eligible for the Japanese government's subsidies and tax incentives for eco-cars.

The new Prius is the first model to incorporate the wide-reaching structural innovations of the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA); an innovative, integrated development program for powertrain components and vehicle platforms. TNGA enables substantial enhancements in basic performance through an eye-catching, low-slung stance and an enjoyable, comfortable, and quiet driving experience.