Toyota announces pricing for 2010 Prius

By Karl W. Ritzler
Toyota has fired its salvo in the 2010 war of the hybrids.
The price of the redesigned 2010 Prius, Toyota’s hybrid flagship and the most numerous hybrid on the road, will remain essentially unchanged from 2009, according to the company’s pricing announcement this week.
Toyota is growing price sensitive about the Prius as new hybrid competition, especially from the all-new Honda Insight, comes on line. The Insight is a smaller car, even smaller than Honda’s Civic Hybrid, but is priced under the Prius. Toyota already has made one countermove, announcing that a hybrid system will be available in its subcompact Yaris.
Bob Carter, group vice president and general manager of the Toyota Division, said, “This model provides more than $2,000 added value, including the features most buyers want, at the same price as the current base model.”
The third-generation Prius has five levels, each with higher levels of features.
The lowest, base level is priced at $21,000 and will be available later this year. It’s aimed at businesses and fleet operators who want a no-frills vehicle.
Toyota says Level 2 is the base model, priced at $22,000, the same as this year’s base, and is aimed at most consumers.
All Priuses come with “a larger and more powerful yet more efficient 1.8-liter Atkinson-cycle, four-cylinder engine.” The company says. The gasoline portion produces 98 horsepower, and with the electric motor, it will generate a combined net horsepower of 134, an increase of 24 horsepower over the previous generation.
The car is also more efficient, with EPA fuel economy estimates of 51 mpg city, 48 mpg highway and 50 mpg combined.
Included in the Level 2 Prius are smart key with push button start; AM/FM/MP3 CD player with six speakers, satellite radio capacity and audio jack; cruise control; seven air bags; and four-wheel disc brakes.
Priced at $1,000 more, the Level 3 Prius upgrades the sound system and adds hands-free Bluetooth phone capability.
Level 4, priced at $25,800, adds a leather interior, heated seats and other upgrades. Level 5, priced at a line-topping $27,270, adds 17-inch alloy wheels, fog lamps and LED headlights.