TOYOTA TAKES THE HO-HUM OUT OF NEW PRIUS HYBRID
Rejoice! For those who worship at the altar of the world’s topselling hybrid passenger vehicle, let it be known the reimagined 2017 Toyota Prius has improved to the point where it is actually quite pleasant to drive.
No longer does waving the Prius flag signal acceptance of an automotive experience where excellent fuel economy goes hand in hand with joyless progress. Not that the Prius faithful were overly concerned with their hybrids’ shortcomings, as it seems few were griping about the Prius’s hard plastic interior, brittle ride, wobbly handling, numb steering feel and moaning drivetrain. Well, we need gripe no more because this fourth-generation model kicks most of those foibles to the curb.
Key to the 2017 Prius’s newfound charisma is the all-new TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture), which imparts a sense of substance and solidity. The platform has a modern double-wishbone rear suspension replacing the old torsion-beam axle. Being lower, wider and with a lower centre of gravity, the new Prius cuts into corners with some conviction, and ride quality and refinement are considerably improved. The car’s signature teardrop profile is adorned with a riot of sharp creases, bulges and complex sculpting. The new LED headlights and tail lights are slimmer, and the C-pillar is blacked out to create the trendy “floating roof ” illusion. The 2017 Toyota Prius starts at $27,055, and for that we see 15-inch alloy wheels, heated cloth seats, a 6.1inch in-dash touchscreen display, a rearview camera, smart key access with push-button start, and LED headlights. In addition, the radar- and camera-based Toyota Safety Sense P suite of features includes lane-departure alert, adaptive cruise control and pre-collision system with vehicle and pedestrian detection. This tester is the one-up $29,690 Technology model that adds a seven-inch touch screen with navigation, a (faux) leatherwrapped wheel, sport seats, SiriusXM
and wireless smartphone charging. Stepping up to the Touring trim adds leather seats, 17-inch wheels, fog lamps and a few other doodads for $30,290.
On the mid-range Technology, the Advanced Package ($2,675) bestows a blind-spot monitor, Softex seats, head-up display, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, side laminated glass, garage-door opener, rain-sensing wipers and a park-assist system.
With all models, power still comes from the combined efforts of a 1.8-litre Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder gasoline engine and an electric motor, but there have been numerous tweaks to the system, all in the name of fuel efficiency. The electric motor has been downsized slightly and the gas engine gains efficiency at the expense of a little top-end power. Torque output remains the same but it arrives lower in the rev range. The continuously variable transmission is smaller and lighter, and frictional losses are down by 20 per cent. Improvements are also seen in the Prius’s regenerative braking, as the system is now smoother and more progressive.
The 2017 Toyota Prius has two available battery packs: a nickelmetal-hydride pack for the base model and a more powerful, energy-dense lithium-ion unit for the Technology and Touring.
Now, if your green disposition gets the occasional spraying of red mist, selecting Sport mode calls up a tad more urge from the hybrid drive system. No, you
won’t be dicing it up with any BMWs, but it does play into this fourth-gen Prius’s new-found sense of … well, we can’t honestly call it fun. Let’s just say getting the maximum number of tire revolutions per drop of gasoline is now an entirely more pleasant experience, thanks to Toyota’s reimagining of its hybrid poster child.