2016 Toyota Prius
It’s hard to believe that it’s been eighteen years since Toyota first marketed its petrol electric hybrid, the Prius. Since then more than 3.5 million have been sold so it’s worth taking the new 4th generation model seriously.
So, here it is with the new model looking longer and more Prius-ey than ever. Instantly we can see that this new model is longer and wider than before but with a lower roof line. It also has some really neat styling details, like the fins at the rear, which really make it stand out from its predecessor.
As with the previous Prius you get a large but shallow boot but it does at least mean you get a flat loading bay when you fold down the rear seats. Given how many taxi drivers have adopted the Prius over the years space in the back is particularly important so it’s a little bit annoying that the roofline is quite so low. We say this because now you have to tuck you head down when you try and get in the back. However, once you’re in the space is actually really good. You’ll find lots of leg and head room and you can get a third person on the middle seat. The only thing we would say is that that materials feel a little bit basic but on the upside it does mean that they should be hard-wearing.
Speaking of “cheap” Toyota’s satnav is pretty poor by modern standards but thankfully the rest of the dash is quite striking particularly in the two-tone finish. You get a smart two tier display with then speedo and other information at the top and the audio and sat nav stuff at the bottom. What this does is really help add to the light and airy feel that you get in a Prius. The driving position has lots of adjustments so it’s easy to get comfortable and the seats are more supportive than the old Prius.
Rather than try and reinvent its hybrid system Toyota has instead optimised what was already there. So, you get a revised version of the 1.8 litre petrol engine plus two electric motors that are smaller and lighter than before. In America and Japan the new Prius uses a Lithium iron battery but European cars continue with a Nickel metal unit mounted under the rear seats. Now Toyota argues that this is “proven” technology and you can’t really argue looking at the sheer number of mega high mileage Prius taxis you seed driving around. On the downside it means that you can’t drive very far or very fast until petrol-power eventually kicks in. So, if silent running is your priority then a plug-in hybrid such as the Audi A3 eTron is going to be a better bet.
In the old Prius it always felt like the accelerator and drive train were connected via a rubber band. However, this new model is much more direct. 0-60 takes 10.6 seconds which is still not fast but there’s enough initial shove from the electric motor to make it feel quite nippy around town at least. In fact Town is where the Prius is at its most efficient which is what marks it out from a diesel. In our test we got around 55mpg for city driving which falls to around 50mpg on the open road. The official fuel economy figure is 94mpg which is pretty astonishing and with Co2 emissions of 70 g/km it will certainly help keep your running costs in check.
The new Prius rides bumps in the road a lot better than the old car. The steering is also much more direct and while it’s still not a fun car to drive it’s certainly a big improvement. One thing to notice about this car though is that the brakes can be a bit grabby at low speeds as they harvest energy for the battery.
It was the original Prius that popularised the “hybrid” concept and this new model is easily the best yet but with prices starting at just over £23k it’s certainly not cheap. However, the Prius does give you a car that’s packed with safety equipment and should be unwaveringly reliable. So while cars of a similar size might be more enjoyable to drive or cheaper to buy the Toyota’s combination of low running costs and the fact that it’s very comfortable means that there is still much here to admire. If the Toyota Prius takes your fancy then why not take a look at some of the models we have available on DesperateSeller.co.uk.
