The fourth-generation Toyota Prius was first shown during September 2015 in Las Vegas, and was released for retail customers in Japan on December 9, 2015. The launch in North American market occurred in January 2016, and February in Europe. Toyota expected to sell 12,000 fourth generation Prius cars a month in Japan, and to reach annual sales between 300,000 and 350,000 units. In August 2013, Toyota Managing Officer Satoshi Ogiso, who was chief engineer for the Prius line, announced some of the improvements and key features of the next generation Prius. The next Prius is the first vehicle to use the Toyota New Global Architecture modular platform, which provides a lower center of gravity and increased structural rigidity. These features, along with other improvements allow for gains in ride-and-handling, agility and aerodynamics. The improved aerodynamics contribute to an all-new exterior design, which includes a roomier interior. Ogiso also explained that the next-generation Prius plug-in hybrid, the Prius Prime, was developed in parallel with the standard Prius model. The fourth generation Prius is longer, wider and lower; at the rear a double wishboneindependent suspension replaces its predecessors' torsion beam. The front uses standard LED headlamps. Toyota has claimed that it has a, better than the 0.25 claimed for the third-generation model, and the same as the AmericanTesla Model S. A tow hitch option is available in the UK for up to. In 2020, for the 2021 model year, Toyota USA released the 2020 Edition Prius. Based on the XLE model, differences where mostly black wheels, badges and trim and carpets with a "Prius 2020 Edition" insert.
Powertrain
The fourth-generation Prius was designed to deliver significantly improved fuel economy in a more compact package that is lighter in weight and lower in cost. These objectives were achieved through the development of a new generation of powertrains with significant advances in battery, electric motor and gasoline engine technologies. It features improved batteries with higher energy density; smaller electric motors, with higher power density than the previous Prius motors; and the gasoline engine features a maximum thermal efficiencygreater than 40%. The Prius fuel economy has improved on average by about 10% each generation, and Toyota has set the challenge to continue to improve at this rate. Under the Japanese JC08 cycle test, Toyota expects the fourth generation Prius to achieve a fuel economy rating of. The 2016 model year Prius has an official EPA fuel economy rating of for city, for highway, and for combined driving. The new Eco version available in mid-grade level two trim, which features lithium-ion batteries, has an official EPA rating of city, highway, and combined. This improved efficiency is largely due to the reduced weight of the Eco, which has a lighter battery, does not carry a spare tire, and lacks some features such as rear-window wiper and trunk-lid lining. The 2016 Prius Eco with a combined city/highway fuel economy of, passed the 2000 first generation Honda Insight as the most fuel efficient car available in the US without plug-in capability. However the Honda Insight still achieves a highway rating of, which is higher than the Prius highway rating of., only three plug-in hybrid models available in the market have a higher combined fuel economy than the Prius Eco in terms of their combined EV mode/hybrid fuel economy, the BMW i3 REx, the Chevrolet Volt, and first generation Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid. In late November 2018, for the 2019 model year, the U.S. market Prius lineup introduced an all-wheel drive model featuring Toyota's E-Four system. This has been available for the Japanese market Prius since 2015 and the hybrid versions of the RAV4 and Lexus NX. Also, the Prius received a facelift with redesigned headlights and taillights, which was released in Japan on December 17, 2018.
