With the Prius a world-wide success, it’s only logical for its manufacturer to look for ways to capitalize on this success, and there’s no better way than with related products: other models. So here comes a second Prius, I am happy to publish its first official picture.

You may object that there’s not much to see of the new model, because of the regular Prius parked just in front of it. At least that gives us an exact idea of the size of this new bigger Prius, higher and longer than the standard one. It makes me think that in Europe, there’s the Volkswagen Golf, the standard one which is sold everywhere, and the Golf Plus, which is only available in Europe, and is a bit taller, without being a real minivan.

From what I see, Toyota has adopted the same strategy. The bigger Prius will have a larger back seat, and more space for luggage. That’s it. We should not expect a third row of seats, but family vacations will be much more comfortable. I do not expect any change in the power train, meaning that with a bit more weight, and added aerodynamic resistance, this bigger Prius will have a bit less performance to offer.

But a big question remains, what name will Toyota give to this bigger Prius? Prius XL? Prius MPV? Prius Verso? What do you think?