First test Toyota Prius – economical, drives well and looks good too

Until now, Toyota was of the opinion that an environmentally friendly car should look ‘different’ to showcase its innovative technology, but fortunately that is a thing of the past. But although its appearance over the years has not been to everyone’s taste, it has of course been a true trailblazer. As early as 1997, the model had full hybrid technology, i.e. a combustion engine that was supplemented by an electric motor, which was still without a plug at the time. With this, the manufacturer showed that there was a lot to be gained in terms of emissions and consumption.

Latest Prius has a dynamic appearance

With the model change in 2002, the hybrid revolution really took off. Particularly in the US, he was embraced as a true environmental hero, even leading many celebrities in Hollywood to drive a Toyota. He also appeared regularly in the films that are made there. Over the years, however, the Prius got more difficult, despite its green coat of arms. Due to new developments, he lost his image as the ultimate climate defender, in particular due to the rise of electric cars. And as said, the model was not really pleasing to the eye, while you also had to be elsewhere for driving pleasure. At least, if dynamics are part of driving pleasure as far as you are concerned, although the last generation was a relief compared to its predecessors in that respect. With the arrival of the new Prius, everything will be different. It also looks much more dynamic now. And also in terms of power, the Prius enters a new world.

Always plug-in hybrid in Europe

But to realize a system power of 223 hp, Toyota has also said goodbye
of the full hybrid design. In Europe, the model is now available exclusively as a plug-in hybrid. This means that in addition to a 152 hp four-cylinder petrol engine, a 163 hp electric motor also provides the drive. Working together, both engines manage to accelerate the Prius to 100 km/h in 6.8 seconds. We already said it, a new world. This makes the Toyota feel spicy, although it is a pity that the petrol engine if you press the accelerator deeper
steps in which sounds raw.

New Prius drives more nimble

And the Japanese does not become a real sports car despite the practically doubled power. If you drive on an unlimited stretch of the autobahn, it stops at 177 km / h. Not that this is so important now, but still. However, the steering is much more direct compared to that of all its predecessors, the front-wheel drive Toyota is a lot more manageable and light-footed than before. This is partly due to the 13.6 kWh battery that has been given a place under the rear seat. According to the manufacturer’s specifications, its usable energy content of up to 75 percent is sufficient to allow the Prius to cover a distance of 69 kilometers fully electrically. Charging is done with a power of 3.5 kW, so you have to wait four hours until the battery is fully charged again.

Solar panels at extra cost

At an additional cost, Toyota supplies a roof with solar panels for the Prius. This, again according to the manufacturer, increases the electric range by another 8.7 kilometers. According to the Japanese, the Japanese in our region should be able to cover a total of 1,250 kilometers completely free of charge in an average year. and let the braking feed back to the battery. All in all, the average consumption of the Prius is only 2 liters per 100 km, according to Toyota. Those are always nice-sounding values, but the practice is more difficult with a plug-in hybrid. During our short test drive we came to an average consumption of 3.8 liters per 100 km. A piece
higher, but it can still go through with it. A later extensive test will have to show
what the Prius consumes exactly and as with every test with a PHEV, we will then split the consumption into an electric part and a petrol part.

Not handy that part of the display disappears behind the wheel

Everyone has to decide for themselves whether the interior is successful. However, it is a fact that the materials in the interior are a lot higher quality than in its predecessors. However, we do not find it very useful that you have to look over the steering wheel to the driver display and the central display, just like in the current Peugeot models, especially because the height adjustment of the steering wheel is actually not sufficient for this. Furthermore, the operation can be called intuitive. This is not only done via the touch display in the center console, but also via beautifully designed buttons and switches. What is disappointing is the amount of space. In that respect, you pay a price for the dynamic design, because there is not enough space for rear passengers who are longer than 1.80 meters.

That does not alter the fact that Toyota has succeeded in realizing a true turnaround with the fifth Prius generation. Both in terms of design and in terms of interior and control. Whether it will be successful as a plug-in hybrid remains to be seen.

Earlier we were extensively acquainted with the new Toyota Prius. During that static introduction, we already established that the space in the back is limited. You can see that in this video.