Toyota Prius SUV and station wagon rumoured

A Japanese newspaper is reporting that Toyota may be deep in development of a Prius SUV. The SUV could be in addition to the long rumoured Prius wagon since the Toyota Hybrid X Concept was put on display at the 2007 Geneva motorshow.

During that show, the manufacture suggested the possibility of a Prius wagon hitting the market in 2011/2012. Although Toyota does not market a wagon in North America in any shape or form, they do in other parts of the world like Europe. These models could serve as the base for a new hybrid, however, they also suggest the possibility of rebranding the Lexus RX 400h as the Prius SUV.

If released, we would expect that Toyota would include regenerative braking and a solar roof. Plug-in versions could be in the works as well. No word yet if Toyota would use the nickel-hydrogen battery pack seen on the Prius sedan or the Lithium-ion battery used on the plug-in model.

Toyota officials remained tight-lipped on the topic, but the upcoming shows in Los Angeles, Detroit, and Geneva could all be perfect settings for a debut.

2005 Lexus RX400h: