What is it?
Toyota Hybrid X
What's special about it?
Toyota's Geneva press conference was packed. It might have had something to do with the fact that the company's stand is in an awkward corner of Geneva's Palexpo with little room for seating. But there's no getting around the fact that juggernaut Toyota is a big deal right now. And the Toyota Hybrid X isn't just another funky hybrid concept car. We think it's a pretty good look at what the third-generation Toyota Prius could be, courtesy of Toyota's European design studio.
"Designed as a four-door, four-seat open-space vehicle, the Hybrid X provides sustainable mobility for modern families," says Thierry Dombreval, executive vice president of Toyota Motor Europe. Sound like a Prius to you?
And with a 110-inch wheelbase and 177-inch overall length, the Hybrid X is about the same size. The X wears the obligatory 20-inch wheels expected of a concept car, but they're wrapped in meek 225/R4020 tires, and even with their odd tread pattern, we'd bet money they have a low rolling resistance.
This concept car is 5 inches wider than the current Prius, however. The extra width is likely due in part to the ability of the twin bucket rear seats to swivel to 12 degrees left or right.
Another obvious difference is the mostly glass roof structure of the Concept X. Toyota says the "X" designation comes from the narrow, U-shaped bands of sheet metal framing its windshield and rear hatch, which converge to form an "X."
More interesting are the anthropomorphic elements the Hybrid X picks up from previous Toyota concepts. A control interface in the car allows the driver to tailor various sensory elements (sight, sound, touch and smell) to his or her preference. An onboard perfume diffuser supplies the fragrance. In addition, the LED headlamps use driver-selectable animation to warn other motorists and pedestrians about impending braking or acceleration inputs.
What's Edmunds' take?
Toyota didn't give any specifics about mechanicals, other than to say that the Hybrid X would use its Hybrid Synergy Drive system. This concept car is a styling exercise above all, but given its aesthetic similarity to the Prius we now know, it's not as far-fetched as some. Even the warm and fuzzy features seem plausible for production, as they would provide an immediate way for new owners to connect and bond with their purchase — and that brings repeat business. — Erin Riches, Senior Content Editor
Toyota Hybrid X
What's special about it?
Toyota's Geneva press conference was packed. It might have had something to do with the fact that the company's stand is in an awkward corner of Geneva's Palexpo with little room for seating. But there's no getting around the fact that juggernaut Toyota is a big deal right now. And the Toyota Hybrid X isn't just another funky hybrid concept car. We think it's a pretty good look at what the third-generation Toyota Prius could be, courtesy of Toyota's European design studio.
"Designed as a four-door, four-seat open-space vehicle, the Hybrid X provides sustainable mobility for modern families," says Thierry Dombreval, executive vice president of Toyota Motor Europe. Sound like a Prius to you?
And with a 110-inch wheelbase and 177-inch overall length, the Hybrid X is about the same size. The X wears the obligatory 20-inch wheels expected of a concept car, but they're wrapped in meek 225/R4020 tires, and even with their odd tread pattern, we'd bet money they have a low rolling resistance.
This concept car is 5 inches wider than the current Prius, however. The extra width is likely due in part to the ability of the twin bucket rear seats to swivel to 12 degrees left or right.
Another obvious difference is the mostly glass roof structure of the Concept X. Toyota says the "X" designation comes from the narrow, U-shaped bands of sheet metal framing its windshield and rear hatch, which converge to form an "X."
More interesting are the anthropomorphic elements the Hybrid X picks up from previous Toyota concepts. A control interface in the car allows the driver to tailor various sensory elements (sight, sound, touch and smell) to his or her preference. An onboard perfume diffuser supplies the fragrance. In addition, the LED headlamps use driver-selectable animation to warn other motorists and pedestrians about impending braking or acceleration inputs.
What's Edmunds' take?
Toyota didn't give any specifics about mechanicals, other than to say that the Hybrid X would use its Hybrid Synergy Drive system. This concept car is a styling exercise above all, but given its aesthetic similarity to the Prius we now know, it's not as far-fetched as some. Even the warm and fuzzy features seem plausible for production, as they would provide an immediate way for new owners to connect and bond with their purchase — and that brings repeat business. — Erin Riches, Senior Content Editor
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