The Prius Toyota Won't Build, But Zephyr Imagined Perfectly
The Prius wasn't exactly the most-loved car when it launched in 2001. Its plain, bland looks and 13-second 0-60 mph record made many people dislike Toyota's first hybrid. It also didn't win over any more fans when some cars from the 2007-2008, 2010-2012, and 2016 Toyota Prius model years ran into some annoying and potentially dangerous issues.
Nevertheless, its owners loved the car. When asked about the Prius in the article linked above, even automotive historian and documentary filmmaker Joe Ligo said, "That Prius has probably saved us thousands. I'd like to get something newer and cooler, but it's so good we can't afford to get rid of it!"
However, when Toyota launched the fifth-generation Prius, its sleek looks, reasonable performance, and excellent gas mileage made it the hybrid darling of the automotive press. However, someone had a better idea for the Prius. Here's what they imagined, and why Toyota will (probably) never build it.
Zephyr Designz's Prius shooting brake concept
Vishnu Suresh — who goes by Zephyr Designz on Instagram, Threads, and YouTube — is a self-taught concept artist who creates 3D renders of custom body kits on existing cars. He makes bespoke body kit designs on a wide range of vehicles; from sport coupes and EVs like the 2022 Toyota GR86 and the Kia EV6, to SUVs and pickups like the 2022 Hyundai Tucson and 2021 Toyota Hilux.
However, what caught our eye was Zephyr's take on the Toyota Prius. Suresh did not just slap on a CGI body kit to the 2023 model, but turned it into a widebody two-door hot hatch, larger than the GR Corolla.
Aside from the wider body and fewer doors, he gave his concept four large exhaust tips, thick, meaty tires, and an aggressive front fascia. He also slammed the Prius right to the floor, giving its already bold look an even meaner stance. That, plus its bright yellow paint job, makes the Toyota Prius Shooting Brake 2023 Concept stand out.
Why Toyota likely won't build this Prius
While Zephyr's hot CGI Prius concept seems worthy to be seen in the metal, Toyota itself will likely never build it. That's because the Prius is designed as a compact family car for people looking for a more efficient powertrain. It never had a low 0-60 time because it never needed it. It didn't look flashy in the past because that's secondary to fuel efficiency. Instead, the Prius had to be comfortable and have a low drag coefficient.
If you want a sporty hatchback, the nearest you can get from Toyota is the 2023 Toyota GR Corolla. Toyota's only two-door hot hatch, the 2020 Toyota GR Yaris, didn't reach American shores. This is probably because of the Yaris' low sales figures — which, according to Good Car Bad Car, was only 21,916 units sold in 2019, its last full model year in the U.S.
When you compare this with the Corolla's 232,369 units sold, you'll see that the market for a hot hatch isn't just there for the already-existing GR Yaris, making the imagined Prius Shooting Brake Concept an even more unlikely affair.
Zephyr Designz did an excellent job creating a Prius Shooting Brake Concept render, but we'll likely never see it in Toyota showrooms. Our only hope is to find someone with deep enough pockets willing to shell out the money to buy a new Toyota Prius and customize it from scratch.