The Toyota Prius is set to receive a facelift, if
these images by Japan’s Best Car magazine are to be believed. The
fourth-generation (XW50) hybrid model has been around since 2015, so a mid-life
refresh is certainly likely.
The Prius’ front-end will
feature new headlamps that are a lot sleeker and no longer extend downwards.
However, there are now vertical LED strips in the corners of the bumper that
rise upwards, requiring the bumper’s concave section to be reshaped. The lower
intake also gets restyled to accommodate the circular fog lamps that were
previously located in the edges.
Moving to the rear, the taillights are brand-new,
adopting an L-shaped design rather than the upright units found on the current
model – these extend inwards, just above the tailgate badges. Also new is the
bumper, which appears to be less pronounced this time around.
It’s uncertain if the Prius’ hybrid powertrain will
be also be updated, so we’ll have to wait for an official reveal to find out
more. The Prius currently employs a 97 hp/142 Nm 1.8 litre Atkinson-cycle VVT-i
petrol four-pot and a pair of 71 hp/163 Nm electric motors.
