Toyota Prius C concept

Compact hybrid concept takes Prius family tally to four, and previews production model for 2012.

The Prius is growing down as well as up! Toyota has sprung a surprise in Detroit, unveiling an all-new smaller member of the Prius family called the Prius C concept.

Joining the standard car, the plug-in Prius and the new Prius V on the show stand, the C is aimed at a much younger customer base, and while Toyota say this is strictly a concept, it conceded that a production version inspired by this show car would go on sale in 2012.

Designed at Toyota's European design studios, ED2 located in Sophia Antipolis, South-East of France, the C will be the most affordable and also the most efficient member of the Prius family when it reaches production - thanks largely to its low weight.

With four doors and four useable seats, the most obvious rival is the Honda Insight which has always been cheaper and smaller than its arch rival, the Prius. However, with its edgy styling and youthful appeal it could double up as an alternative to the Honda CRZ coupe, too.

Toyota Baby Prius

The Prius is getting a baby brother. Toyota revealed the FT-CH, a smaller and cheaper alternative to the pioneering hybrid at the Detroit Motor Show.

Although officially a concept, the striking petrol-electric model will inspire a Prius-badged hatch, on sale in 2011. It’s been styled at Toyota’s French development facility in Nice, and is tailored to appeal to younger drivers. Most importantly, it will cost around £5,000 less than the current £19,504 Prius – and is set tobe more fuel efficient, too.

Eco tweaks include an advanced stop-start system and brake energy recuperation, all of which should enable the FT-CH to return around 120mpg and emit only 80g/km of CO2.

Toyota has replaced some of the Prius’s hydraulic and mechanical parts with a drive-by-wire set-up, which reduces weight and boosts economy further. Plus, as the car is lighter, it promises to be more nimble and responsive.

As with the Prius, the FT-CH will have the potential to run on battery power alone – albeit for only a couple of miles and at a limited top speed of around 40mph. Even though the car is 22 inches shorter than the Prius, it loses only an inch in width, so the interior will be spacious and comfortable. Toyota has also ensured it’s crammed with technology, including a head-up display.

Bosses have yet to release official details of the FT-CH’s drivetrain, but it’s expected to mate a 1.6-litre petrol engine to a 60kW electric motor. Both will run through an ultra-efficient CVT transmission.

Toyota’s plans for the Prius family don’t stop there, though. The firm has announced that eight new hybrids – not including updates of current models – will join the range in the next few years. The line-up is likely to include executive saloons and large family models as top brass aim to sell more than a million hybrid cars a year. On top of that, Toyota has confirmed a fully electric car will launch in 2012, with a fuel cell model following in 2015.