Live from Detroit!: 2010 Prius bigger, faster, lighter and roomier

As one of the most talked about and leaked intros at this year’s Detroit shindig, on cue, Toyota rolled out its third-gen 2010 Prius this morning.

Bigger and roomier than the last Prius, the 2010 decidedly larger than Honda’s new Prius rival hybrid, the Insight.

More pics here

Hypermiling is what the Prius is all about, right?

So, though not official yet, Toyota’s suits expect official combined fuel consumption rating for the new Prius will be 3.8 L/100 compared to 4.6 L/100 km for the first-generation Prius and 4.1 L/100 km for the second-generation model.

While the just-introduced Lexus HS 250h hybrid offers a 187 hp 2.4 powertrain, the Prius uses a 1.8 version gutting out 134 hp—up 22 per cent from the last model.

The Lexus exists to appeal to customers looking for some luxe with their economy. But the new Prius is also adding on the new features like a moon roof with solar panels that power a smart ventilation system and Toyota’s first application of Intelligent Parking Assist (IPA);

Now if only Toyota could get the price of gas up to last summer’s record highs…