2016 Toyota Prius spotted testing in Thailand

The next-generation Toyota Prius has been spotted undergoing trials in Thailand. Internally called 690A, the fourth-generation model of the hybrid car is expected to go on sale later this year, as a 2016 model.

Though the test mule was heavily camouflaged, it is pretty evident that the new Prius will be styled along the lines of Kamm-back body style, seen in the current model. Under the skin though, the 2016 Prius will be the first production model to be built around Toyota’s new modular Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) and will be available both as a standard hybrid and as a plug-in hybrid.

The new Prius will be powered by a more efficient petrol engine and a smaller, yet more powerful ‘energy-dense’ motor. While the base variants will be offered with nickel-metal hydride batteries, the high-end versions will come with lithium-ion batteries.

This new powertrain, along with the lighter chassis, is expected to make the new Prius 10 per cent more fuel efficient than its predecessor. While the standard hybrid variant of the new Prius will be globally launched this year, the plug-in hybrid might take one more year to reach its production phase.