No Plug-in option is apparent, unless it is part of the standard package, which is highly unlikely due to the price.

The Advanced Technology Package adopts some of the newest safety features such as Pre-Collision System (pre-tensions the seat belts and activates brake assist) Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Lane Keep Assist (recognizes lane markings and provides steering assist), and Intelligent Park Assist (semi-automates parking maneuvers).

The Prius II looks like the sweet spot.
I'd like to test drive one to compare it to my 2006 Prius.
I expect the next round of improvements will be to add a plug-in option. The electric motor and the battery pack will have to be "beefed" up a bit to make all electric driving acceptable.
I believe this is due in the 2010 model year, but am not sure

I'm sorry, but the 2010 Prius is a complete disappointment. What ever happened to 99mpg by 2010? Remember the plug-in version was originally due out in 08my, then got pushed to 10my, now what? Why would I buy a Prius when I can get a four door Insight for 3K less?

I really love my 2008 Prius but if I had a choice between the new Prius and a $2,500 Nano that got the same mileage I would pick the Tata.

In my opinion the Honda hybrid system is better than the Toyota but they are both like 286 micro-processors. Electrification is where it is at.

Sweet spot my foot. Who in his right mind would buy one of these vehicles when the battery only lasts 5 years and costs over 7 large to replace?

A disappointment? Maybe to some.

You want plug-in? All electric range?

That would be nice to see. But to buy?

Keeping us “fans” and geeks happy is not the name of the game.

Maybe they have enough bragging rights and want to start making money selling these things.

50 mpg with a car that costs $21K ! That’s incredible.

You want Better MPG ? Why ? At 50 mpg your fuel bill probably ceases to be much pain.

I would love it if someone came out with a family car that got 70 – 100 mpg.

I would cheer – but not pay $70k for it.

First GM smashes the leased EV1s, then Toyota destroys the leased RAV4 EVs, then Toyota makes the gas hogs Tundra and Sequoia, then Honda discontinues the Insight, and now Toyota makes the “only moderately better” Prius. Good for them. It is a great car.

Where is all the praise for the long awaited ($3,600) solar roof?

Yes, these are disappointments to the "fans" (and that's what GCC is for) but don't pretend these are dumb business decisions.

Is the Plasmacluster ionizer sort of like a flux capacitor? That would be pretty awesome.

I'm not sure i'd be into buying a hybrid as a status symbol so i can act smug about saving the environment. If I've learned anything about supply and demand it is that reducing consumption typically lowers price reducing the overall demand for alternative goods... only cars with electric drivetrains (Volt, Tesla Roadster, Tesla S, et al.) will be truly gamechanging. The Prius makes people feel better about themselves, but doesn't really do much in terms of reducing overall energy consumption... especially when you consider how energy intensive their construction is and how the NiMH battery technology is sh*t.

I may yet buy a used Prius.

Generations from now people will know what a Prius or Model T was.

"Plasmacluster ionizer technology to help reduce airborne mold spores, microbes, fungi, odors, germs and bacteria inside the passenger cabin."

I hope I don't have to buy a new car for 3 more years. I would like to get just a little more battery. It is fun to tool around in all electric mode. would be nice to do some serious driving in this mode rather than the last half mile before driving home.

My oldsmobile van is approaching a light-second (186,282.394 miles). I haven't heard of any hybrid mini-van coming on the market anytime soon. It gets a suprising ~25pmg. I'd like to replace it with a hybrid if at all possible.

This is ridiculous. How hard can it be to put in an electric motor to drive the wheels and a generator to charge the batteries? For C sake, I could make one myself if I had the resources (many people have). It's orders of magnitude simpler than a parallel hybrid system, and therefore cheaper. What's holding me back? Why can't I bring one to market? How hard could it be? Well, when Texaco / Chevron control the patent for the NiMH battery you're using, quite hard.

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&
Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&
r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=6969567.PN.&OS=PN/6969567&RS=PN/6969567

It is just as easy to do this with un-patented lithium ion batteries, but those batteries are way more expensive than NiMH's. That's why it's taking so long.

Come on Toyota, tell us the real reason why the plugin hybrid has been stalled for so long.

“Who in his right mind would buy one of these vehicles when the battery only lasts 5 years and costs over 7 large to replace?”

That is why it is called the Pious, Mannstein.

To take a page out of the anti-nuke page book, if you just conserve; you will not have to build any new Pious. This is why my PU has 250k miles and uses less gasoline than a Pious. I could spend $21,000 to save $10/month.

The non-pious diver in need of a new POV would bu something like a Corilla for $5000 less. Of course that would require manually adjusting seat position.

Is the Plasmacluster ionizer technology an option the base a Corilla? I think I have one of those in my steam shower.

As someone who has had an insight since '01 and a '08 Prius I have to say the Toyota Hybrid system is an infinitely better technological design. The one gear torque-split transmission is untouched and extremely efficient and is an engineering marvel.(and I'm an engineer)

Honda's pros are better light-weight materials engineering and a better "fun driving experience" as well as a much better hybrid display for usability.

The 2-door (and looks like the 4-door also) Honda insight electric system is underpowered so has limited regen on steeper hills, doesn't regen at low speeds and of course doesn't do electric-only mode.

Bottom line the refined Prius is a bargain for what it is and is worth any 5-10k premium over the Honda - as an example I got 50mpg with 4 adults and stuff on a 1 week road trip in quiet luxury!

I know Honda has invested a ton in their hybrid system and would have to eat crow if they licensed Toyota's - but if they did I'm sure they could get 55mpg out of a Prius copy - they are the better mechanical engineers.

A final point for all those who rant on the Prius, All that regen energy saves tons of Gas ($20k not going to the middle east!), and Brake Pads! If you ever live at the bottom of a busy street you can appreciate the environmental and breathing benefits first-hand of regen braking and if everyone drove hybrids that really adds up.

Now where is my $25k Tesla??

Overall, I'd really like to see hybrid vehicles that weigh 500-800 pounds less. Maybe some aluminum, some carbon-fiber reinforced thermoplastic, lighter seats, slightly lower profiles, the works. That would allow lighter drive trains, smaller and cheaper batteries, and such.

I'm sure there's some financial optimum point where the savings from smaller batteries start receding, as they are offset by more expensive light-weight structural components. Still, intuitively I suspect that aggressive use of the most cost-effective lighter structures could deliver a cheaper, and more efficient vehicle.