Toyota’s minivan Noah is attracting attention following reports that the current model, introduced in the 1st month of 2022, has entered its mid-cycle update period.
The possibility of electrification and an engine change for the next-generation model has been discussed, but its launch timing and specifications have not been confirmed.
The changes that can currently be verified concern adjustments to the current Noah’s lineup, while forecasts for the next-generation model must be distinguished as estimates made in individual reports.
3-Line Summary
1. The next-generation Noah has not yet been confirmed.
2. The current Noah was introduced in the 1st month of 2022.
3. Purchase decisions should be separated from estimated specifications.
The Confirmed Changes Concern Adjustments to the Current Model’s Lineup
The Noah and Voxy were launched in the 1st month of 2022. Motor Fan introduced them as the 4th-generation current models and described them as models that advanced their spacious interiors, the practicality of sliding doors, and their safety and driving-support functions.
Magazine X News reported that the Noah and Voxy’s product lineup was adjusted in April of this year, and that pure-engine vehicles were restricted to welfare vehicles only. According to this report, the current vehicles have effectively shifted to a hybrid (HEV)-centered lineup.
This is why discussion of the next-generation model should not be mixed up with changes to vehicles that are already on sale. The reported adjustment to the current model’s engine lineup does not, by itself, determine all of the next generation’s specifications or its launch timing.
The 1.5L Hybrid Is a Forecast Reported in the Media
Motor Fan wrote that the Noah and Voxy could undergo a generational change as early as 2027. However, this is a forecast compiled from the information it obtained and was not presented as a schedule officially confirmed by Toyota.
The same outlet reported that Toyota is developing new-generation 1.5L and 2.0L inline 4-cylinder engines on the premise of electrification, and predicted that a next-generation HEV combining a 1.5L engine with a motor would become the main powertrain for the new Noah and Voxy. The figures of 150–160 ps for maximum output and 24–26 km/L for 2WD WLTC fuel economy are also estimates made by the outlet.
The current hybrid combines a 1.8L inline 4-cylinder engine with a motor, and the 2WD WLTC fuel-economy figure presented by Motor Fan is 23.4–23.6 km/L. Accordingly, the key point in the 1.5L transition theory is not the displacement figure itself, but whether the lineup will be narrowed further around electrification. However, that transition is not yet publicly released product specification.
Design Images Also Differ from an Actual Vehicle Announcement
The next-generation Voxy image presented alongside the report by Motor Fan is a projected CG image created by its reporting team. The description of a front end combining slim LEDs with a large black mesh grille, so-called hammerhead elements, and large wheels refers to a projected image, not a confirmed design.
Magazine X News likewise reported only that additional electrification for the next generation is under consideration, while stating that it plans to cover specific powertrain information in its magazine. What the two reports have in common is that discussions of a generational change for the Noah and Voxy have begun. Conversely, it is still too early to treat the launch year, engine type, fuel economy, or interior equipment as confirmed specifications.
The clearest fact in this news is the change toward a hybrid-centered lineup for the current Noah. When deciding whether to wait for the next-generation model, it is better to separately verify the model name, powertrain, and sales lineup that are actually disclosed, rather than relying on projected CG images and estimated performance.
References
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