10 Japanese comeback cars for 2012

The Prius line of hybrid-powered cars grows from one model to five in 2012, but most of the attention will be focused on the plug-in Prius PHV. It goes on sale in the spring for $32,000. The PHV can travel 16 miles on its batteries alone, emits half the carbon dioxide of a standard Prius, and can be recharged on household current in 90 minutes. Toyota already sells about 140,000 Priuses a year and believes that the entire line will surpass the Camry in volume by the second half of the decade.

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