Toyota is not under pressure and it does not see Honda’s new 2010 Insight compact hybrid as its competitor. The bigger and costlier mid-size Prius no doubt has long been the world’s best-selling gas-electric car.
Japan’s Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper states that there is serious talk inside Toyota Motor Corp. for releasing a base model of the forthcoming 2010 Prius that is 250,000 yen cheaper around $2,575 at today’s exchange rate than the least expensive 2009 model Prius which is now sold in Japan.

U.S. Plans
The restyled 2010 Prius is intended to go on sale in the U.S. in late May or early June and its price is yet to be announced.
Toyota has planned to hold up make public of the base, or “standard” trim level of the new Prius for 3 to 6 months. The new model is likely to have less standard equipment than the other models and a price that is closer to the Insight’s. The ’09 Prius in the U.S. starts at $22,720 including the destination charge.