PRIUS PART OF TOYOTA SA 'TECHNICAL STUDY'

+ Click to Enlarge 'BRING THEM IN' Toyota has recalled nearly half a million Prius hybrids to deal with potential braking problems.

February 9, 2010
By Nobuhiro Kubo

Toyota will recall about 437 000 hybrid cars worldwide, including the 2010 Prius model.

The company has formally issued a recall of 223 068 cars in Japan across four hybrid models - the newest Prius model, the Prius PHV plug-in hybrid, the Sai and the Lexus HS250h.

Of those, 199 666 are the Prius, Japan's topselling car in 2009 and the world's most popular hybrid model.

Outside Japan, Toyota will recall about 213 000 hybrid cars, including about 150 000 in North America.

Asked how this would affect current-generation Prius hybrids sold in South Africa, a Toyota SA spokesman said they formed part of a technical study being carried out on all Toyotas sold in South Africa.

A statement would be issued late on Tuesday or early on Wednesday, he added.

Meanwhile, Japan's transport ministry said Toyota President Akio Toyoda would meet with Minister Seiji Maehara on Tuesday, when he was expected to apologise for a series of recalls spanning the globe. - Reuters