2019 Toyota Prius May Wear Prius Prime-Inspired Looks

The Toyota Prius, once a staple of green cars, has tumbled on the sales chart in recent years.

To help remedy the situation, the Japanese automaker may introduce a refreshed 2019 Prius with Prius Prime-esque looks.

A report from Japanese publication CarSensor.net published on Sunday alleged the new looks will come for the 2019 model year. From a rendering, the fascia receives considerable, and believable, updates.

Currently, the regular Prius and Prius Prime, a plug-in hybrid version of the Prius Hybrid, wear distinctly separate looks. The Prius Prime is, arguably, the better looking of the two with a cohesive and horizontal front fascia and double-bubble rear hatchback. The regular Prius, introduced for the 2016 model year, wears a more polarizing design. The headlights and taillights sit in a vertical fashion with more cuts and creases.

SEE ALSO: 2017 Toyota Prius Prime Plug-In Review

The new look could bring the Prius more in line with the well-received Prius Prime. Specifically, the site’s rendering sports horizontal headlights akin to the Prius Prime, shaving down the hard creases for a smoother front fascia style. At the rear, the teardrop lighting makes way for less exaggerated units with an LED strip running horizontally across the rear.

According to the report, designers faced a challenge during Prius and Prius Prime development. With too similar of a design, the Prius Prime loses its differentiation, which led to the Prius Hybrid’s separate look.

In addition to the new design, the 2019 Prius may also receive an updated 1.8-liter inline-4 engine and two-motor hybrid system for a fuel economy boost.

Should the Japanese publication’s intel prove true, the 2019 Prius will arrive in December 2018.

A version of this story originally appeared on HybridCars

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