Toyota has come forward at the LA Auto Show with another hybrid model, the new Corolla Hybrid, and an all-new all-wheel drive Prius. The Prius AWD-e features a drivetrain taken from the well-received RAV4 Hybrid AWD. Also being shown are the company's new TRD sedans.
The Toyota Prius with AWD has been a long time coming, with the compact hybrid being front-wheel drive since its inception and debut in the 1990s. The all-wheel drive system in the new Prius AWD-e has the front wheels powered by the hybrid drivetrain and the rear wheels powered by an electric motor.
The Prius AWD-e will have an estimated 52 mpg in the city, Toyota says, and will become one of the most fuel efficient AWD options on the market. As with the RAV4 Hybrid, the AWD-e system will engage the rear wheels when traction requires, such as during inclement weather or unstable terrain. The Prius will otherwise remain front-wheel drive in most driving situations.
Also being shown at the LA Auto Show is the new Toyota Corolla Hybrid, which becomes the first Corolla model to be offered in a hybrid gasoline-electric drivetrain. The Corolla, the best-selling nameplate for Toyota globally, is also being debuted in a new hatchback format as Toyota drops the iA name inherited from now-defunct Scion.
Los Angeles is also the springboard for the all-new 2019 RAV4, which utilizes the company's New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform. The Toyota Camry TRD and Avalon TRD are on the LA show floor, too.
Toyota has promised more details for the Prius AWD-e and Corolla Hybrid closer to their market launch in 2019.
Source: Toyota