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The Toyota Prius is the poster child for hybrid vehicles. The latest generationcar grabs – and holds onto – the attention of people with its unique spaceship styling that's both futuristic and aerodynamic, and that's just when it comes to looks. The Prius is one of the most efficient vehicles currently on the road, its 1.5-liter gasoline engine and Hybrid Synergy Drive powertrain deliver mind-boggling fuel economy and extremely low tailpipe emissions. The adoration it receives from Hollywood's finest out-classes supercars and sport utility vehicles. But it's not just actors and rock stars that love the Prius. Politicians, notoriously strict on fossil-fuel burning vehicles, also seem to be taken towards it. Besides offering tax breaks at purchase, many governments have begun to cycle Priuses as fleet vehicles. That's a big step forward for a relatively recent technology. Did we
mention that it won European and North American Car of the Year in 2004 and 2005?

But all stars eventually fade. No, the Prius isn't losing momentum just yet. It hadits best sales month this past February, after all, and the car as a whole is fresh, having only come out in its current second-generation form just three years ago, but there's no time like the present to start thinking about the future. Where do you move from a design like the Prius?

The first-generation car looked like a slightly larger version of the Echo Sedan, and the current Prius is an entirely different cup of tea. The model's progression shows that when
you're as deeply committed to hybrids as Toyota is, there's only one thing to do – continue moving forward. That was the game plan of Toyota's ED2 European Design Center when they set out to make the Hybrid X Concept that debuted at Geneva this year.

Recently, Toyota has started an initiative to helpthe brand's image by creating a single look for which its products can follow. This sort of family branding can be seen in the designs of many car manufacturers; Audis have their trapezoidal grille and coupe-like roof line, Volvos have the “Coke bottle” profile and the forward-mounted grille. Toyota's styling theme is called J-Factor and Vibrant Clarity, both of which are expressed on the Hybrid X.

If not for its Toyota badge, the Hybrid X could be picked out for a look and shape that's similar to the Prius. In almost all dimensions, the X is larger than the Prius (following a theme started with the second-gen car); the wheelbase for instance is 3.9 inches longer, which gives occupants in back greater legroom. The increase in length is matched by a wider body, but, the body height has been reduced, and features a flatter roof, as opposed to one that's a gentle upwards curve on the current car. As such, the Hybrid looks squat and planted on the road, a look only furthered by the 20-inch alloy wheels that it rides on.

From higher angles, the structure looks to be made from two, bright bluecolored ‘U' shaped loops that form a ‘X' shape, which is what the car draws its name from. They also support the massive panes that form the panoramic roof, which gives the four-seat interior a light and airy feel. The Hybrid X has an extremely cab-forward design, to the point where the front pillars begin over top the front wheels, much like the Prius. The same goes for the shape of the downward curving belt line and the cutouts for the windows. Because of the short, steeply angled hood and the U-shaped front windshield, Toyota incorporated the headlamps under the glass. Rear-hinged back doors are standard concept car fare; they allow easier and more comfortable access into the car's rear quarters, especially since they're electrically operated at the touch of a button. The Hybrid X is finished off with a stub tail, which has a flat rear panel that features L-shaped taillights that glow blue in unison with the Toyota logo on the liftgate.

With a name like Hybrid X you know exactlywhat's under the hood, Toyota's award-winning Hybrid Synergy Drive. As with numerous Toyota hybrid concept vehicles from years past, no information has been given about exactly what the drivetrain actually consists of. Toyota's quest to continually find more economical and efficient solutions is a logical step forward, but with the dawn of the high-performance hybrid, something Toyota developed with the V6 and V8 hybrids of the Highlander, and Lexus RX, GS, and LS, consumers now know that they can have both breathtaking acceleration and excellent fuel economy. But is this the path of the Hybrid X or the next Prius?

It's highly unlikely that anything larger than a 2.0-liter engine will be mated to HSD, simply because the Prius is purpose-built to be the brand's halo hybrid, the one that drinks the fewest liters of gasoline and travels the furthest per tank.

For the observant, on the circular center stack, there's a little icon of what looks to be an electrical prong and socket, which could indicate that the Hybrid X is a plug-in hybrid. And speaking of the console, in the Hybrid X, it's one of the highlightsof the interior. This touch-sensitive orb-like module is one of three main control stations; this one in particular controls features such as the entertainment system, ambient lighting, climate control and more. A secondary screen is located in the hub of the steering wheel, which displays information about the HSD's power flow, the trip computer and the Bluetooth cellphone connectivity. A third screen is a narrow display that's in front of the driver in their peripheral vision. This digital replacement to the instrument cluster provides navigation info as well as the car's main vital info.

If the styling of the exterior raised an eyebrow or two, the interior of the Concept X is going to trigger a much stronger reaction. Funky woodgrain-like inserts adorn the side door panels and the inserts of the seats, their rich brown finish contrasting directly with the white interior theme.

Funky themes continued, Toyota wanted the Hybrid X to appeal to four senses– sight, sound, touch and smell – the first three are rather logical, the fourth is achieved by the automatic misting of in-car scents; Toyota didn't mention if petuli will come standard. No doubt, the opportunities for cross marketing with The Body Shop are endless.

Bodies in mind, the Hybrid X is a four-seat vehicle; the rear two-buckets swivel independently of each other by 12-degrees, allowing for a better view of the world around, or face-to-face conversations.

While the next-generation Prius isn't expected to be on the road for another couple of years, the Hybrid X provides a pretty good image of what we can expect. Though consumers' tastes may shift towards fuel and environmentally conscious vehicles, luxuries, features, amenities and spaciousness are things buyers won't want to give up. By making a larger, more space efficient vehicle that embodies everything the Prius stands for, it looks like Toyota has found suitable path to take.