2010 Toyota Prius Pricing Clarified

Are you as confused as I am concerning the pricing of the model year 2010 Toyota Prius? Good. This will clear everything up and show us in black and white exactly what we will get for which price.

The pricing change is a direct result of the Honda Insight competition and could be called the first ever hybrid price war! Ah, competition is always a good thing and now we have a choice of dependable hybrid vehicles for a reasonable price. There is only one thing missing in the equation. A plug with which we can recharge the hybrid battery.

From Green Car Congress:

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), USA, Inc., announced manufacturer’s suggested retail prices (MSRP) today for the all-new 2010 Prius midsize hybrid (earlier post), scheduled to go on sale beginning in late May at Toyota dealers nationwide. The third-generation Prius will be available in one grade with a starting MSRP of $21,000. The Prius will be offered with five levels of standard equipment combinations, ranging up to a top-end MSRP of $27,270.

The MSRPs for the Honda Insight, which Toyota considers a prime competitor for the new Prius, range from $19,800-$23,100.

Bob Carter, group vice president and general manager of the Toyota Division, sees the most popular model starting at an MSRP of $22,000 (the Prius II)—the same price as the current base model. A new base model (Prius I) with a lower level of standard equipment is scheduled to be available later this year. It is designed to appeal to the most cost-conscious businesses and consumers.

2010 Prius Levels
Level	Standard equipment	MSRP
Prius I	To be released at a later date.	$21,000
Prius II	1.8L Atkinson cycle engine P195/65 R15 all-season tires with alloy wheels & covers Smart Key (driver’s door) and Push Button start EV, Eco, and Power modes Multi-Informational Display AM/FM/MP3 CD player with six speakers and satellite radio capability and auxiliary audio jack Cruise control STAR Safety System and active front headrest Seven airbags including driver knee airbag Four-wheel disc brakes Tilt/telescopic steering wheel with audio and HVAC Controls with Touch Tracer Display Six-way adjustable driver seat Auto up/down on all windows Color-keyed foldable power heated side mirrors	$22,000
Prius III	In addition to Prius II: JBL AM/FM/MP3 six-disc CD changer with eight speakers Integrated satellite radio capability Hands-free phone capability via Bluetooth wireless technology	$23,000
Prius IV	In addition to Prius III: Three-door Smart Key system Leather-trimmed interior Heated front seats with driver lumbar support Driver and front passenger water repellant windows Plasmacluster ionizer	$25,800
Prius V	In addition to Prius IV: 17-inch alloy wheels and P215/45 R17 tires LED headlamps with auto leveling and washers Integrated foglamps	$27,270

Optional equipment includes:

• Navigation Package ($1,800, Prius III, IV, V)
• Solar Roof Package ($3,600, Prius III, IV)
• Advanced Technology Package ($4,500, Prius V)