The Toyota Dear (as in ‘dear uncle Bart’) concept cars debuted at the Beijing Auto Show. There were two: a sedan and a hatchback, both designed by Toyota’s Chinese design center near Shanghai. The Dears preview a new compact for young first-car buyers.

Toyota said the Dears were hybrids, which is auto show crap talk because there is nothing under the bonnet and because a hybrid would be far too expensive for the average Chinese first-car buyer. The Dears are expected, likely so with patrol engines, to hit the Chinese market in late 2013.

Recommended for you

WeRide unveiled its L4 Robobus at CES 2024, providing demo rides

Zhang Fan, GAC’s Head of Design: Discussing the Evolution of Chinese Car Design over 30 Years

Denza Inception Unveiled On The Chengdu Auto Show In China