If you can get over its styling and relatively high price, the new Prius is well worth a look for those after a spacious family car with impressive economy and tax-busting emissions. A diesel car may work out more efficient on longer motorway journeys, but if you do lots of town driving, the comfy, nippy and quiet Prius is a good companion and no longer a compromise.
When the Toyota Prius first went on sale in Japan in 1997, it was a technological marvel – a car that caused jaws to drop and environmentalists to open their chequebooks.
Fast-forward 18 years, and Toyota is again creating a stir with the hydrogen fuel-cell-powered Mirai, but we shouldn’t forget the Prius. The brand has just launched an all-new fourth-generation model, and we were granted early access to it in Japan.
Those who think the current car is a little too edgy probably aren’t going to like the newcomer’s design. It follows on from the Mirai and is an origami mishmash of crazy lines and angles. Yet they’re not all for show.
Creases in the body combined with the long tail make the car more aerodynamic, quieter at speed and also help boost efficiency. A raft of new soundproofing over the previous Prius adds to its hushed persona – there’s virtually no tyre roar and only the faintest wind noise on the move.
The Mk4 model is built on Toyota’s new front-wheel-drive platform, which will go on to underpin many cars in its range. It’s 60 per cent stiffer than that of the old Prius, plus it’s longer, wider and lower. Heavy items such as the drivetrain, batteries and the passengers are positioned closer to the ground to improve the centre of gravity.
These improvements are designed to make the newcomer more fun to drive, and it’s definitely much better than before. This Prius steers sharper, corners flatter, responds quicker and rides better than its predecessor. The engine is new, as are the electric motor and the CVT auto box. Toyota says these combine to make the car 18 per cent more efficient, so economy can reach up to 94mpg and 70g/km CO2 emissions.
With a 97bhp 1.8-litre petrol engine and 71bhp electric motor, the Prius feels nippy off the mark and will get from 0-60mph in 10.6 seconds. But as is the way with hybrids, acceleration fades off after 50mph.
The new powertrain provides noticeably smoother progress and will drive on electric power alone for longer and at slightly higher speeds. When the petrol engine finally kicks in to drive the front wheels, the transition is smoother than in the Mk3. Also, under hard acceleration, the engine doesn’t rev quite so high – so there’s less drone as the CVT box holds the engine at the optimum rpm.
We drove both the new and old Prius over some makeshift bumps on the otherwise super-smooth Fuji Speedway, and the newcomer was far better at neutralising the obstacles. It’s clear that a traditional hatch like a Ford Focus is still more enjoyable to drive, yet this probably isn’t something that will trouble most Prius buyers.
In some markets, the Toyota will get lithium-ion technology; but in the UK, the car uses the cheaper nickel-metal hydride cells – just like in the original 1997 Prius. Now smaller and 10 per cent more efficient, they’re located under the rear passenger seat – freeing up an extra 56 litres of boot space. The trade off is that rear headroom is quite tight for taller adults, which is a shame considering the impressive legroom.
As well as lowering the centre of gravity, Toyota’s new platform has reduced the height of the bonnet, so you get a better view out of the front. Overall visibility is good; the only issue is that the split back screen continues to hamper rear vision.
Interior quality has improved, and on all but the entry-level model, there’s now soft-touch plastic on the dash and on top of the doors – like European cars have long had. However, the design is more adventurously futuristic than any hatch on sale, while the graphics of the centrally mounted driver’s display are bright, colourful and clear.
There are a few oddities, though. For instance, there’s a bizarre, shallow storage area between the front seats, which seems of little use, plus the controls for the heated seats are hidden away behind the centre console as if they’re some kind of secret.
Toyota claims all the changes make the new hybrid more fun, and although we wouldn’t go that far, they do ensure it’s a lot more pleasant to drive. So while it may not be the groundbreaking machine it once was, the perennial Prius is a much more compelling package than it’s ever been.
Key specs
- Price: £23,395
- Engine: 1.8-litre petrol engine, 97bhp, plus electric motor, 71bhp
- 0-62mph: 10.6 seconds
- Top speed: 112mph
- Economy/CO2: 94mpg/70g/km
- On sale: Now
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