My other car (wife's) is a 97 Outback with 190k miles. I agree they are great cars. I did some searching recently for their hybrid plans. There were two indicators.

1 - They were showing an interesting hybrid at the Tokyo Auto Show this month (a "sport wagon")

2 - Discussion of a hybrid test marketing plan for 07 in Japan.

I'm not certain that my Outback will last long enough for Subaru to get around to selling an AWD Hybrid here.

Ok.. but those are not cars. They have the room for it. I just think that a AWD system can be made with a single more powerful electric engine. Either that or go to the extreme and make an electric motor per wheeel.

That's Mitsubishi's Plans for their hybrid.

As for the prius, to each their own. Just personal opinion. For snow, snow tires work on steep driveways, been there done that. Driving through the yard occasionally? The Prius is probably not what you need for that to begin with. It's a great car for it's intended purpose in my opinion. My suggestion, buy a beater....or atv.

I like the idea. It always seemed to me that a minimal, part time electic drive on the rear wheels would be cheap to do and not decrease the fuel economy much. An occasional burst of 4WD would be useful around here (lots of snow, wind drift, and ice). The amount I might save on snow plowing my driveway could pay for the extra cost. It would take less shoveling to get out of a parking space or my driveway.
I do know about and use FWD with good snow tires on my [non-hybrid] Civic HX. Except for forward traction, the best car for snow I've driven was that Platonic ideal of a winter car, a 1965 Alfa Romeo Giula Sprint, with my '63 Alfa Giulia a close second -- rear wheel drive with studded snow tires in upstate NY. Very well balanced, handled great, even on snow and ice, and stopped well on ice. The three things they weren't good at: starting at -30F (but started reliably at -20F); Italian heater and defroster meant I had to drive with the window open below zero to keep the windshield unfrosted; and it wasn't as good as 4WD at getting forward traction.

--Walter

i would buy an AWD prius in a heart beat. i have an 06 highlander hybrid and the lease ends next summer. the only reason i plan on buying another highlander is the 4wd (i live in the north country and theres lots of snow in the winter). i would certainly go for an awd prius, or maybe even camry just for the safety of awd. i think it would go over huge.

RWD, FIRST and FOREMOST...!!!

And even BETTER, what about a Porsche Caymen hybrid...???

Rear engine, RWD and optional R/AWD

With the ICE and primary drive in the rear where it BELONGS, and the hybrid battery in the front to more adequately neutralize the weight bias and provide good traction there for LATERAL, directional, control and stability.

RWD with REAR weight bias would suffice for the majority of us but if there were enough market an electric clutch and driveline to the front wouldn't add that much cost/weight. The electric clutch could be INSTANTLY disengaged when you lift the throttle, even for a slight "coastdown".

Then the engineers wouldn't have to concern themselves overly much about the potential safety hazards of regenerative braking on the FRONT wheels resulting in loss of directional control.

As a driver WHAT would you MOST like to have happen when you hit a patch of black ICE as you enter a curve and the Prius starts "PLOWING", understearing, and you instinctively lift the gas pedal...??

You quite CLEARLY do NOT wish regenerative braking to instantly come on line (IT WILL...!!) in order to QUICKLY recharge an almost "dead" hybrid battery.

But yes, if Toyota has licensed, or cross-licensed, Ford's US patent in this regard, AND the OAT is near the freezing level, the lower level of regenerative braking cognizant with OAT may not be an issue.

But what if the sun is shining brightly and that patch of black ice is simply the residue, shaded by roadside trees, after a sub-freezing night..??

Oh, yes, some of you will quickly move to braking to try to slow the car and thereby help to alleviate the plowing/understearing circumstance and in "this" instance that would most certainly result in QUICK ABS activation. So suddenly, you are now relying PRIMARILY on rear braking to get you out of this mess that FWD got you into to begin with.

But, here again, if Toyota has licensed the Ford patent the instant ABS activates regenerative braking will be disabled, CANCELLED, in order to facilitate ABS being fully functional.

So, how many milliseconds, HEART-STOPPING, HEART IN YOUR THROAT milliseconds, have now elapsed between the time you initially lifted the throttle due to your realization, "seat of the pants"[/b] sensing, of an understearing condition, and your foot (finally) reaches the brake pedal.

Gee, aren't you glad your Prius has ABS and VSC....??

How quickly do you suppose VSC reacts to this plowing incident..??

Does it INSTANTLY disable engine braking AND regenerative braking, ANY level of regenerative braking...?? Does it just as quickly start applying BOTH rear brakes..??

VSC should do all of this even before your "seat of the pants" sensor indicates that "something" is amiss.

But I'd still be much more comfortable with a RWD hybrid equipped with VSC (PSM??).

wwest, your prayers/lectures have been answered in the form of Lexus GS and LS hybrids. Maybe you can get one (or better yet, both!) and then post everywhere on the internet about the superiority of RWD on slippery surfaces from your own experience.

Me, in a NY minute provided that was a way to disable the front drive and have a nice solid, stable and SAFE RWD hybrid.

I believe most of the responses are not directed to the question of "why". The question is not whether AWD is better or worse for mileage. Typically it is, however, that is not the point.

AWD is advantageous in snow/ice. It does not absolve stupidity or recklessness. Regardless, AWD provides more traction than two wheel drive in these conditions. There are those who would NOT buy a Prius unless it had AWD. Obviously this necessity is region/locale centric.

If you think AWD might cost you a mile per gallon... balance that against having to have chains, ending up in a ditch or in a head-on because some one ice plowed your car into oncoming traffic.

JMHO.

Regards