|
|
New Toyota Prius delivers on many fronts and in the back too
publication date: Aug 14, 2009
|
author/source: David Miles
 |
The all new and larger Prius, is a D-segment, Toyota
Avensis sized five door hatchback and although the media compare it
with the likes of the C-Segment BMW 116d, Ford Focus ECOnetic 1.6 TDCi
and Vauxhall Astra 1.7 CDTi Ecoflex, the Prius, like the new Honda
Insight Hybrid is a significantly larger car.
The new Prius might look similar to the outgoing version, still
distinctive with its five-door coupe side profile and steeply raked
front and rear sections, but with new chunky moulded bumpers front and
rear, a wind cheating front nose, blue tinted headlight surrounds and
Toyota badge, huge rear vertical clear tail lights and a new treatment
of the twin, upper and lower, rear window treatment for the tailgate it
looks more real-world and acceptable. At 4,460mm in length this is a
significantly sized car and a definite move up market into the family
and business user sectors.
Although the size, specification and performance have increased, prices
have changed very little and in two cases stay the same. Prices start
from £18,390 for the T3 version and rise to £20,010 for the T4 and to
£21,230 for the T Spirit. Expensive but the residual values are high so
these offset the more expensive initial purchase price. And of course
the high retail price is also offset by free road tax and more miles
per gallon for private buyers and the lowest rates of Benefit-in-Kind
tax for company car drivers and 100 per cent write down allowance for
company Corporation Tax. | | The new Prius uses the latest Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive system with 90
per cent of the hybrid drive components redesigned to create a lighter,
more compact system with a focus on delivering more power, better cold
weather operation, further improvements in real-life fuel efficiency
and unprecedented reductions in CO2 emissions. |  | Total system power output has been increased by 24 per cent, from 112 to 134bhp. Performance matches a conventional 2.0-litre family car, with seamless acceleration from zero to 62mph in 10.4 seconds, half a second quicker than previous generation Prius. Top speed is 112mph.
At the same time, overall fuel economy has been improved by 10 per cent. Adopting a larger, 1.8-litre engine in place of the 1.5-litre unit reduces rpm in high speed driving to improve long-haul cruising fuel efficiency by about 10 per cent. In standard driving mode the new Prius T3 returns 72.4mpg in the European homologation combined cycle.
The
full hybrid Prius is the only family car to combine the fuel
consumption levels of a small city car with a cruising range of almost 715 miles, which is 93 miles more than the previous model, in spite of having the same size fuel tank.
New Prius meets Euro 5 emissions standards and is expected to meet the Euro 6 requirements, too. Its CO2 emissions from 89g/km are the best-on-the-market, a figure unmatched by any other family car.
The
new full hybrid system used for Prius, similar to that used by Toyota’s
premium Lexus hybrid models, is capable of operating in petrol and
electric modes alone, as well as in a combination of both, and so gives
the energy-saving benefits of a series hybrid combined with the
performance benefits of a parallel hybrid. It gives the car strong,
seamless acceleration and remarkably quiet operation, while still
returning class-leading fuel efficiency and exceptionally low
emissions.
The system for Prius comprises of a 1.8-litre, 97bhp/105lb ft petrol engine and a powerful 80bhp/153lb ft electric motor with a real-life total combined power output of 134bhp, a generator, high performance 202-volt
battery pack, power control unit (PCU) and a power split device that
uses a planetary gear set to combine and reallocate power from the
engine, electric motor and generator according to operational
requirements. The electric motor, generator and power split device is
housed in a single, lightweight and compact transmission casing that is
roughly the same size as a conventional gearbox. The new driveshafts
are smaller and lighter than in the previous generation Prius, and
reduce energy losses by between 10 and 20
per cent. This clever packaging has been key to Hybrid Synergy Drive's
successful installation in the front-engine Prius platform.
During
deceleration and under braking, the electric motor acts as a
high-output generator to allow regenerative braking so optimising
energy management in the Hybrid Synergy Drive system by recovering
kinetic energy (normally wasted as heat) as electrical energy for
storage in the high-performance battery.
Drive to the front wheels
is via a CVT automatic transmission. The new Prius is built on Toyota's
new mid-sized platform, which features extensive revisions to the
MacPherson strut front and torsion beam rear suspension geometries to
gain greater agility and ride comfort. Certainly the ride is
comfortable and the driving control balanced but the suspension cannot
hide the potholes and results in thumps and bumps being felt and heard
in the vehicle. There seemed to be plenty of grip during cornering and
the Prius has electronic control stability as standard so you are in
safe hands. The steering is precise although it gives virtually no
feedback to the driver.
| The new speed-sensitive power steering uses
less energy and so aids fuel economy, and the EV, ECO and POWER
on-demand driving modes increase the full hybrid powertrain's
capabilities in different driving conditions.
An Eco Drive Monitor
helps drivers tailor their driving style to make the most of the fuel
efficiency available from the Hybrid Synergy Drive system. |  |
My test Prius model was the 1.8 T Spirit which has a published official fuel economy for the combined cycle of 70.6mpg, although the smaller wheeled and less well equipped T3 model ‘headlines’ with 72.4mpg. In real-life motoring conditions, motorways, A/B roads, in town driving, my car returned a very impressive 62.1mpg
so the official figure should more or less be achievable, something the
previous Prius never did and owners complained about. Top speed is 112mph and 0-62mph takes 10.4 seconds.
The
Prius is simple to drive. Just open the doors, press the power button,
the instruments come alive, select drive or reverse gear, gently press
the accelerator and the car moves off at a whisper as it generally uses
only electric power at start-off speed.
Press the throttle harder and
the petrol engine springs into life seamlessly providing more power.
Over the course of any journey, the Hybrid Synergy Drive system will
operate in different modes to maximise Prius's overall efficiency. At
rest, the engine stops automatically to conserve fuel.
Under
normal driving conditions, power allocation is constantly adjusted
between the engine and electric motor to gain optimum performance with
maximum fuel efficiency. The new Electronically Controlled Braking
(ECB) system helps optimise Prius's energy management through a
regenerative braking function.
As for specification, the T Spirit
version I tested was very comprehensive, everything from electrically
operated windows, door mirrors, air conditioning, cruise control, rear
view camera with Intelligent Park Assist, head-up instrument display,
satellite navigation, eight speaker audio package and seven airbags.
Even the base Prius T3 model looks pretty well equipped.
| | At last we have a mainstream hybrid model that delivers on all fronts.
It is fuel and tax efficient, it looks good and it drives very well
indeed. But for some people, me included, we should not ignore the fact
that hybrids have two or even three motors, loads of on-board
technologies have needed to be developed at huge cost plus there are
still nasty components in the battery. So they cannot be truly ‘green’
as far as their carbon footprint goes. But they pollute less during use
and we pay fewer taxes to the Government so that has to be good news. |  |
MILESTONES.
Toyota Prius 1.8 T Spirit 5-Door Hatchback £21,230 (Prius prices from £18,730).
Engine/transmission: 1.8-litre, four-cylinder petrol, 97bhp, 105lb ft of torque, electric motor 80bhp, 153lb ft, total combined power 134bhp, planetary gear set to distribute petrol/electric power via a CVT automotive transmission, front wheel drive.
Performance: 112mph, 0-62mph 10.4 seconds, 70.6mpg (62.1mpg actual), CO2 92g/km, VED £0, BIK tax 10%.
Insurance group: 7
Dimensions: L 4,460mm, W 1,745mm, H 1,490, boot space 445-litres.
For: Hybrid technology that really works for fuel, tax and CO2
savings, versatile and roomy upper medium sized family hatchback, well
equipped, first class build quality, nice to drive, comfortable.
Against:
Relatively expensive but good residual values and low running costs
offset that, drab interior plastic trim, steering lacks feedback,
suspension cannot absorb thumps and bumps, restricted rear view, really
annoying warning beeper when reversing.
© Miles Better News Agency |  |
Download the Wheels Within Wales toolbar for your quickest way to keep in touch with everything that's happening on Welsh roads and in showrooms or use our RSS feed for the headlines you will not want to miss
|
|
|
.gif){kind=small}