zzdcar
Home
/
Reviews
/
Culture
/
The Toyota X Prologue Teases A New Era Long Overdue
The Toyota X Prologue Teases A New Era Long Overdue-July 2024
2024-02-19 EST 22:12:25

Image for article titled The Toyota X Prologue Teases A New Era Long Overdue

We’ll get our first look at Toyota’s future a week from now. That’s when the automaker plans to pull the covers off what is probably a preview of its first fully electric vehicle — a concept dubbed the X Prologue. A teaser image of the vehicle was shared today, and you can gaze upon it above. (I’ve brightened it for visibility.)

Normally, I don’t really bat an eye at teasers like this, especially when we’ll get to see the full thing in short order. And that full thing might not even be a working prototype, but rather a design study. This feels different, though, precisely because it’s Toyota. The company that has . The very company that gave us the first popular hybrid, and then let everyone else (but mostly Tesla) slice up and take the Prius’s goodwill for themselves.

So this is an important moment. Not only because it’ll be a peek at Toyota’s first volume EV, but also because it could herald a design shift for the brand — one I personally think is long overdue.

Toyota’s current range isn’t all that dated, to be fair. The Sienna is brand new, the Highlander and Venza were recently rejuvenated and the is sort of pretty. But much of its range still looks old, like the Camry with its weird winged grille design that no other Toyota really has. Or how about the Tacoma and Tundra, which have now inherited the mantle of “most ancient pickups” after the glow-up.

A sketch of Toyota’s battery-electric SUV, teased in December.

The X Prologue could be the first sign of things changing. And in this front quarter view, we can already see that none of the hallmarks of current Toyota design — like the oversize grilles and frivolous creases — appear to be present. I see some of the new (no, not that’s been discontinued) in the way the headlights meet the nose. And the new Fit sure is one cute little hatchback. I’m making myself sad right now just thinking about it.

I suppose Toyota had no choice but to drop some of those tired motifs, especially given that conventional grilles serve no purpose on EVs. Whatever the cause, I’m hopeful that the X Prologue will signal a positive new direction when we get to see all of it. Supposedly, it will be a compact model — Toyota calls it “a ‘small’ preview of what’s next” in its . But at least one of the we’ll likely get in the U.S. beginning next year . Look for that to be built on the e-TNGA platform we’ve heard so much about but have yet to see in the flesh.

Comments
Welcome to zzdcar comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Culture
Audi Is the Latest Carmaker Scrambling to Recover Lost Ground in China
Audi Is the Latest Carmaker Scrambling to Recover Lost Ground in China
Audi has a mess on its hands in China, Volkswagen has a mess on its hands in Russia, and the mess on everybody’s hands — the chip shortage — is actually getting cleaned up these days. All that and more in this edition of for Monday, March 20, 2023....
Jul 22, 2026
Hyundai Is Sticking with Physical Buttons as the Industry Goes Digital
Hyundai Is Sticking with Physical Buttons as the Industry Goes Digital
The last few years have seen explode in size. It seems like there is a screen-size arms race. Data from the shows the average size of a vehicle screen was 7.7 inches in 2018, and it’s now expected to average 8.4 inches by next year. With those bigger screens...
Jul 22, 2026
VW Wants to Become a Mining Company for EV Battery Materials
VW Wants to Become a Mining Company for EV Battery Materials
’s latest project isn’t a car – it’s a mine for materials. reports that is planning to invest in mines to bring down the cost of battery production. This would obviously benefit VW in making its own EVs, but the company would also like to to third-party customers, such...
Jul 22, 2026
Gordon Murray’s GMA T.50 Has Started Production After 2.5 Years
Gordon Murray’s GMA T.50 Has Started Production After 2.5 Years
It hasn’t even been three years since the with its howling were introduced to the world, but the has officially entered production. The announcement came via a tweet on the saying “A milestone moment for the programme: less than two-and-a-half years since the supercar was revealed, Professor Gordon Murray...
Jul 22, 2026
Paul Newman’s Wild Volvo 740 Has a V6 From a Buick GNX
Paul Newman’s Wild Volvo 740 Has a V6 From a Buick GNX
If you’re thinking of the best Volvos money can buy, what’s your mind jumping to first? Maybe from the 1950s, or what about from 1980? Well now, another contender has entered the ring, and it’s an old 740 wagon that . The racing driver and actor is no stranger...
Jul 22, 2026
Rivian's Chief Engineer Is Going Back to His Old Employer, McLaren
Rivian's Chief Engineer Is Going Back to His Old Employer, McLaren
Rivian’s chief engineer has gone back to building British supercars, GM’s CEO is making a case for robotaxis in Washington, and things are getting desperate for Volkswagen in China. All that and more in this edition of for Friday, March 17, 2023. The chief engineer Rivian poached from McLaren...
Jul 22, 2026
Copyright 2023-2026 - www.zzdcar.com All Rights Reserved