The Strangely Desirable New Toyota Prius Will Come To The UK After All

With the arrival of the fifth-generation Toyota Prius, something truly odd happened. It was actually desirable. Even though it still remained an economical hybrid, for the first time it genuinely looked good - and partly served as a refreshing alternative to a swathe of new wannabee SUVs. Of course, then, it’d be the first Prius not to come to the UK. That's about to change.

In a statement to Car Throttle when asked about the Prius’ UK return, a Toyota spokesperson said: “I can, indeed, confirm that it’s happening”. At this time though, specs, pricing and an exact return date can’t be confirmed.

It’s easy to speculate the specs, at least. In the rest of the world, you can have the Prius as a regular hybrid or as a plug-in. Both use a 2.0-litre four-cylinder paired up with an electric motor, though with different outputs - 193bhp for the former, 220bhp for the latter. Don’t be shocked to see both offered here.

Plug-in versions can manage 65 miles on a single charge in Japanese spec, so expect something in that ballpark if that engine arrives here. You can have it with a solar roof for a little extra juice too, though it’ll probably be pointless anywhere north of Torquay.

Pricing is a little trickier to predict accurately. You can have the Prius in Ireland, starting at €46,530 (approx. £40,000) though you’ll need to consider changes in spec, taxes etc. Granted, it shouldn’t end up too far from that mark.

As for when exactly you’ll be able to buy one? We’re told to “expect a formal announcement in the not-too-distant future”. Watch this space.