It's Official: The Plural of "Prius" is "Prii"

Toyota Puts The Debate To Rest With Help From The Public

Consumers have spoken: multiple Toyota Prius vehicles will now be referred to as "Prii."  The term won out in a vote by the public against other suggestions including Priuses, Prius, Prium and Prien.

To mark the occasion, Dictionary.com has updated its Prius listing with the appropriate word for more than one Prius hybrid. 

"Community has always been a big part of the Prius brand, so it was only fitting that we invite the online communities to participate in the plural discussion," said Colin Morisako, advertising manager for Toyota. "The people have spoken-Prii will be the accepted term used to describe multiple Prius vehicles going forward."

Toyota received over 1.5 million votes during the 6 week campaign.  

Toyota has made it clear that the company intends to grow the Prius family in the near future with the addition of production versions of the seven-passenger Prius V and the more compact Prius C Concept. 

Each new family member will maintain Prius' core values of high fuel economy, low emissions, proven gas-electric hybrid technology and environmental stewardship. For more information on the Toyota Prius family of vehicles, visit www.toyota.com/priusfamily.

Visit a West Herr Toyota location today and give the Prius a test drive! 

Syracuse Testing Out Prius Plug Ins

Toyota Chooses Central New York For Year Long Test On New Hybrids

If you're in Syracuse, keep an eye out for Toyota Prius plug in hybrids on the street.  The automaker recently delivered 6 Prius hybrids for a year long test in the Central New York city. 

The project is part of a partnership of Toyota Motor Sales USA Inc., Clean Communities of Central New York, Syracuse University, the Syracuse Center of Excellence and CuseCar, a Syracuse not-for-profit car-sharing service.

On electric power, the Prius plug-in hybrid has a range of 13 miles at speeds up to 62 mph . When the power runs out, it runs as a conventional Prius hybrid.

The cars can be charged in a just over three hours using wit a 110-volt outlet, said Barry Carr, coordinator of Clean Communities of Central New York, the local chapter of the U.S. Department of Energy's Clean Cities Program. A 220-volt outlet will shorten the charging time to 1.5 hours.

Jaycie Chitwood, future fuels and environmental strategy manager for Toyota, said Syracuse was chosen for its partnerships and the reach and scope they bring. The project partners can expedite the public acceptance of alternative fuel vehicles through community outreach and education.

"We need partners on the ground who can help spread the message,'' Chitwood told Syracuse.com.

So who gets to drive the cars? SU, the Center of Excellence and CuseCar will have two plug-in hybrid Priuses each. The drivers will rotate every two months to give Toyota sufficient data about how each person uses the car differently. Toyota plans to post the data on the Internet.

Anyone who becomes a member of CuseCar can drive the cars, said Vita DeMarchi, co-founder and director. Membership plans start at $18 a month, plus an hourly usage rate.

The move is in preparation for a full 2012 launch.  600 vehicles total are being tested around the world with 153 of them in the U.S.

Prius Not So Sneaky Now

Toyota To Offer Noisemaking Add On For Quiet Hybrid Car

The Prius is known for it's gas mileage and it's quiet driving.  Toyota is looking to change the latter in the name of pedestrian safety.

Toyota has developed an “Approaching Vehicle Audible System” for the Prius that makes a synthesized warning tone to make up for its electric-only quietness.

The speaker system works at speeds under 16 mph when the Prius is rolling without the gasoline engine running.

It emits tones that sound like a whirring electric motor, which vary in pitch with vehicle speed. Future Toyota hybrid, electric, and fuel-cell vehicles will likely include such sound systems.  The device can be retrofitted to any current-generation Toyota Prius. 

Currently the device is only available in Japan but Toyota is developing a similar add-on for the U.S. and other countries.  At the moment there is no firm roll-out date set.

West Herr sells the most #1 cars on J.D. Powers Study

West Herr Has most #1 cars acording to J.D. Powers Study. Most are in stock and available for express delivery.

"Vehicles we carry are highlighted in yellowThe initial quality of vehicles has continued to improve, according to the 2009 Initial Quality Study by J. D. Power & Associates that was released last week. In fact, it improved 8 percent when compared with 2008, with Toyota models topping this year’s study.

The study, which grades automakers on the number of problems per 100 vehicles, found that the industry average for all vehicles was 108 problems per 100 vehicles, down from 118 in 2008."

Source NY Times

2010 3rd generation Prius is here!

Have you seen the new 2010 Prius? It is amazing. (read a review)

What's New for 2010

2010 Toyota Prius Hybrid 3rd GenThe 2010 Toyota Prius has been fully redesigned. In this third-generation model the new features include more power, better fuel economy and sleeker styling. The new enhanced steering feel makes it feel larger and more conventional interior controls makes for a normilized driving experience in this ultimate high tech car.

What we like:

2010 Prius available at West Herr Toyota Williamsville and Toyota Orchard ParkThe Gas mileage is the main reason to look at the Prius with up to 50 mpg (reported by Toyota) this car is a real fuel saver. We also like the Parking Assist feature, which uses a type of sonar to line up and park the Prius between other cars... Amazing.

But most of all we like the redesigned look and feel of the 2010 Prius.

Links:

Toyota's Prius Site

Toyota Prius Hybrid in Stock

West Herr Toyota Home Page