2010 Toyota Prius: On the Road, And In Social Media Too

By John Voelcker

John Voelcker

Senior Editor BIO

John is Senior Editor for High Gear Media. In addition to news coverage and new car reviews, John creates and oversees all editorial for High Gear's... More

LATEST ARTICLE
Yes, It's Ethical To Drive A Stick Even If It Gets Lower MPG
Oh, for heaven's sakes. We're all for saving fuel by buying fuel-efficient cars, driving... Read More

• #4LEADERBOARD RANK
• 2304ARTICLES CONTRIBUTED
• 1001COMMENTS POSTED

1,722 views Nov 25, 2009

Follow John

Add to circle

2010 Toyota Prius - Facebook page

Enlarge Photo

Carmakers have dived into the deep end of social media, with iPhone apps, Facebook pages, Twitter streams, and a whole host of other online ways to reach potential buyers and promote their brands.

Not surprisingly, given the affluent, environmentally aware nature of its audience, the 2010 Toyota Prius hybrid is making forays into social media as well.

Most notably, you can visit the Toyota Prius Facebook page,  which lets you download a "Prius Experience" Apple iPhone app and four separate Prius-themed games.

2010 Toyota Prius

Enlarge Photo

Drives, puzzles, gifts, games

Those include a virtual drive of Toyota's best-known hybrid through Kyoto, a "Fantastic Contraption" puzzle game, one simulating the Touch Tracer steering wheel controls for the vehicle display, and a Harmony game themed to the innovative TV ad campaign that launched the 2010 Prius.

Facebook users can also send Prius gifts to their friends, including buttons for Love, Solar, MPG, Reuse, and Blue Sky. Our favorite gift is the "Prius Planet Freshener," which replaces those (virtual) pine-tree air fresheners you've been hanging from your (virtual) rear-view mirror.

Prius on Twitter? Not so much

Astoundingly, there don't appear to be Twitter users named @prius or @toyotaprius, though Toyota's U.S. headquarters tweets from @toyota.

Similarly, the U.S. operation maintains videos on the Toyota YouTube channel and a page of Toyota images on Flickr, although those images don't seem to be publicly available.

[Toyota]