Tailfins, edge and dictionaries: What people are saying about Toyota's redesigned Prius

Toyota’s Prius, a household name that has come to define hybrid cars for nearly two decades, was reborn in Las Vegas on Tuesday with the introduction of a redesigned and re-engineered model for 2016. To mark the occasion, Toyota hoisted a new fourth-generation Prius into the night sky on cables from the top of the Linq hotel, while the band Atlas Genius played for the crowd of journalists, dealers, and company brass. A roundup of what analysts, journalists and others are saying about the car:

"Now we have a car that's not just for mom and dad, tree-huggers and people on a budget.  This is what America's been waiting for: a hybrid car with edge. Something the kids will want to drive."

-- David Rodgers, general manager of the Sullivan Automotive Group's Toyota-Scion stores in Livermore and Roseville, Calif., via The Associated Press

"The fourth-generation Prius is debuting at the right time for Toyota. With the aged outgoing model and low gas prices dragging down sales, the 2016 Prius will be a much-needed shot in the arm for not only Toyota, but the entire green car segment. Along with improved MPG estimates, the 2016 Prius boasts a distinctive new design that has broader appeal and presents the opportunity to capture new customers. But more importantly, it has the potential to reinvigorate the loyalty of Prius owners who now find many more affordable hybrid and EV options on the market than they had five years ago."

-- Edmunds.com analyst Jeremy Acevedo

"One of the main complaints about the Toyota Prius from owners, car writers and the artist formerly known as Jeremy Clarkson is that the Prius was no fun behind the wheel.  Well that’ll be fixed when the new car rolls into showrooms early next year on an all-new platform with a double-wishbone rear suspension and a sportier front strut setup (at least it looked like a front strut when we tried to crawl underneath the car). That and a handful of other as-yet-unnamed improvements will lift it from its mundane, efficiency-focused past and put it before the eyeballs of a wider audience of buyers."

-- Mark Vaughn, Autoweek

"The egg-shaped profile has been flattened and sharpened, and the handling stiffened, reflecting the need to compete on performance and style as well as efficiency. The current Prius, launched as a 2010 model, has faced increasing competition from both conventional cars and an array of plug-in hybrid and all-electric models. The car’s pricing, not yet released, will be another important factor. The outgoing model’s base price of about $25,000 represented a significant premium over comparable conventional vehicles, which have narrowed the fuel efficiency gap. One version of the Honda Civic -- which last year displaced the Prius as California’s top-selling car -- now achieves up to 41 mpg on the highway and starts at about $20,000."

-- Jerry Hirsch, Los Angeles Times

"After briefly sitting in the 2016 Toyota Prius we can confirm an improvement in seat comfort, particularly lateral support, along with upgraded control placement and visibility. The gauge cluster remains in the center of the dash and now has a brighter, full-color display. We’re not fans of the bright white interior panels around the shifter and center console, thinking these won’t work any better in the new Prius than they did in the old Chevrolet Volt (probably why they were removed during the Volt’s 2016 redesign). Panel color aside, the new Prius is clearly a step up in every way. These enhancements may not reverse the car’s waning demand, but if the new Prius simply stabilizes around 150,000 sales a year it will be among the best selling cars in a country where hybrid cars are increasingly difficult to sell."

-- Karl Brauer, automotive analyst and editor at Kelley Blue Book, via Forbes

"To say that there’s a lot going on with the new Prius’s design is like saying that Donald Trump has a wee penchant for attention. We won’t try to convince you that it is attractive ... but like the Trumpster himself, it will certainly attract a lot of eyeballs. Say what you will about the overall design, but those taillights are pretty amazing. Welcome back, tailfins!"

-- Steve Siler, Car and Driver

"Our biggest complaint about the previous Toyota Prius has been the driving experience, which is only slightly less exciting than reading a dictionary. The upcoming Prius sits on a new platform and has an independent double-wishbone rear suspension, a step-up from the compact and inexpensive torsion beam used in the current car, though Toyota has said nothing about improving the Prius' feedback-free steering. That new platform is expected to underpin the next Toyota Camry and other models, suggesting generous development investment ... We're pleased to see the styling of the 2016 Toyota Prius has taken on more personality, and we like the idea of better fuel economy. The promise of more driver involvement is intriguing, but then again, Toyota's definition of fun-to-drive doesn't necessarily match ours. We're optimistic."

-- Aaron Gold, Consumer Reports

"A huge change in style -- and a conservative approach to bolstering fuel economy ... The Prius has its fair share of haters, but after 18 years and 3.5 million sold, it still lacks a true competitor. No other hybrid comes close to the Prius’ popularity, and Toyota’s focus on making the Prius an affordable statement of environmental concern stands as a lesson that other automakers have yet to fully grasp. Low gas prices have stunted sales of all hybrids, including the Prius, but Toyota will still likely sell more than 150,000 copies in the United States alone this year. All those angles have a point."

-- Justin Hyde, Yahoo Autos