With extra power, fresh styling and more interior space, the question is: if you're in the market for a new passenger car why wouldn't you consider Toyota's Prius hybrid?
The all-new third generation Prius is Australia's greenest car, using less fuel around town and producing fewer emissions than any other vehicle on the market. Don't be reticent about hybrid technology - it works, it's convenient and you'll enjoy the driving dynamics.
What You Get
Entry to the Prius lineup is priced at $39,900. Toyota handed Car Showroom the keys to a range-topping third generation Prius i-Tech model which is stickered at $53,500.
Among the extras in the i-Tech specifications are satellite navigation, Pre-Crash Safety System, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, nice leather seats and interior trim plus the sunroof with solar cells which power a clever remote cabin ventilation and air-conditioning system.
The petrol engine is now a 1.8-litre four cylinder (replacing the previous 1.5-litre) with power up to 73kW and torque up to 142Nm. And the electric motor is 90 per cent new, it's smaller and lighter but spins to 13,500 rpm and output is now 60kW.
Combined power from the hybrid system is up by 21 per cent over the previous Prius to 100kW.
Fuel economy has improved by 11.3 per cent with the combined cycle now a miniscule 3.9l/100kms. Toyota says the new Prius is the only car sold in Australia with C02 emissions below 100 g/km at 89 g/km.
All Prius models have seven airbags, stability and traction control, active front head restraints and ABS anti-lock brakes.
And among a raft of new green technologies, the third generation Prius debuts the world's first automotive use of ecological plastic - injection molded material derived from plants - which is used in several locations including the driver's seat cushion.
The Interior
While the new Prius retains the same wheelbase (2700mm), the overall length has grown by 15mm to 4460mm and the width by 20mm to 1745mm. This combines with clever packaging engineering to provide more interior space.
The new front seats provide increased lumbar support and more adjustment for legroom and height, but are 30mm thinner to deliver greater rear passenger knee room. Rear legroom is up by 35mm and rear headroom has grown by 15mm.
In the luggage area, revisions to the rear suspension and more compact batteries have delivered 312 liters of extra capacity - up to 446 liters.
We liked the revised dashboard/center console layout with its handy extra storage thanks to the gear lever's shift-by-wire system.
We also liked the simple steering-wheel buttons for the Bluetooth telephone connectivity.
Prius is the first Toyota sold in Australia with a HUD (Head Up Display) and this has been supplemented with 'Touch Tracer'. With this clever system, when the driver touches the audio or information dials on the steering wheel, a duplicate image is automatically displayed on the instrument panel right in front of the driver with an orange light highlighting which control button is being touched. Touch Tracer can be used to adjust the audio, air-conditioning and to check energy consumption.
There are two systems, which cool the interior even before driver and passengers enter. Combined they can deliver a 40 per cent reduction in cabin temperature.
On the roof, 36 poly-silicon solar cells generate 59 Watts of electricity and this is used to power an electrically operated fan which discharges hot air from the cabin. In addition an A/C button on the remote key fob activates the hybrid battery, which can run the complete air-conditioning system for up to three minutes.
Exterior & Styling
Toyota has retained the unique exterior styling cues of the Prius but the third generation model is a fresh, new concept
A contemporary aerodynamic wedge shape, the highest point of the roof has been shifted rearwards for extra rear seat legroom. The shape is still very efficient - Toyota says the drag coefficient of 0.25 makes the Prius the world's most aerodynamically efficient vehicle.
The A-pillar is further forwards, which increased the rake of the windscreen and enlarged the front quarter windows.
At the front, the upper grille size is smaller and the headlights (LED on i-Tech models) are more aerodynamic.
And underneath, Toyota has installed engine and underbody panels to smooth airflow.
Our i-Tech model featured 15-inch alloy wheels and while the standard Prius gets a space-saver spare wheel, i-Tech models have a puncture repair kit.
On The Road
The new Prius has a much-improved driving position and the center console 'bridge' places the shift-by-wire transmission lever close to the driver's left hand. Combined with the new-design front seats, you quickly feel 'part' of the Prius.
Toyota's Hybrid System Indicator offers a variety of displays deigned to keep you informed of energy usage - it shows in red when you're heavy on the accelerator pedal and using the petrol engine hard and moves to an encouraging green when regenerative braking is creating charge for the electric motor.
Some 90 per cent of the driveline is new, including a transmission damper with coil springs which absorbs the torque fluctuations between the electric and petrol powerplants - so the shift from electric to petrol power is more refined.
From startup to 50 km/h the Prius operates as an electric vehicle - providing minimal noise and zero emissions in city/urban driving.
Out of town and onto higher-speed flowing, country roads is where the Prius continues to surprise. There is good response and performance from the 1.8-litre petrol engine and the driving dynamics are sharp.
Challenges
Around Melbourne's tram and train-track crossings, the Prius sounds a little noisy going over bumps - we suspect this is exaggerated because when using the electric motor, everything else is quiet.
Verdict
For many Australian families and even commercial operators like couriers and taxis, the Prius - with its minimal fuel consumption and emissions plus its abundant interior and load space - makes a lot of sense.
And Toyota has made the switch to hybrid motoring even more appealing by introducing fixed capped-price servicing for the first three years or 60,000kms.
The Competition
Honda Civic Hybrid delivers petrol-electric motoring in a conventional sedan body but the petrol engine is a 1.3-litre.
Thumbs-up:
Great engine; superb quality and refinement; value
Thumbs-down:
Suspension noise around town
