How Did Toyota Go From The NS4 Concept To The Fourth-Gen Prius? Did The Company Make A MISTAKE Or GENIUS Design Call?

In recent years, Toyota has been more than happy to roll out all-new concept vehicles. But these concepts have not been just regular autos. They've been concepts.

Some were good looking examples, others not so much.

What they all had in common was that they're all hybrids. While we know the company has made a pretty strong point that its product portfolio will be largely hybrid in short order, we were expecting the fourth-gen Prius to carry on the third-gen car's rather handsome looks. We were wrong.

As the two pictures that came out over the weekend show, the all-new upcoming Prius is a very...erm...forward-thinking design. One thing it most certainly isn't: handsome.

Having recalled the NS4 Concept that was, frankly, very tidy from a design perspective, I just have to ask: Did Toyota make a MISTAKE with the fourth-gen Prius' design? Or, is it a GENIUS move? The vehicle will be instantly recognizable, which most people agree is the point of having a Prius in the first place.







2012 Detroit Auto Show Photo Gallery