• by Tanya Gazdik , April 12, 2016

Best Buy’s Geek Squad is switching gears. 

The retailer is ditching the Volkswagen Beetle in favor of the hybrid hatchback Toyota Prius c. More than 1,000 of the vehicles -- fully decked out as the new Geekmobile -- are rolling out nationwide. 

Bearing an updated Geek Squad logo, the switch is visible evidence of how the Geek Squad is expanding its in-home service capabilities and expertise to keep pace with ever-changing technology, said Geek Squad Chief Inspector Nate Bauer. Agents today make more than 5 million house calls a year, driving an estimated 12.6 million miles to assist Americans with the full range of technology needs, including home technology design and installation, as well as troubleshooting and repair.

“The new Geekmobile and refreshed logo reflect how we continue to evolve along with technology," Bauer says in a release.

Geek Squad rolled out in 2004 as the first national computer support task force. While the vehicle's 17-plus cubic feet of cargo space might not fit a mainframe, it’s spacious enough to shuttle just about anything an agent might need – whether optimizing a home theater system or improving Wi-Fi performance or installing a security solution, according to Toyota.

Best Buy officials said the switch to the Prius was not connected with Volkswagen's emissions scandal, although the Prius c’s SULEV (Super ultra-low emissions vehicle) rating is appealing given Best Buy’s commitment to reduce its own carbon emissions.