Toyota Prius

MODEL TESTED: Toyota Prius Business Edition PRICE: £24,500 ENGINE: 1.8-litre 4cyl hybrid, 121bhp

TOYOTA has found its form with the fourthgeneration Prius. The manufacturer has addressed many of the issues that afflicted the model’s predecessor, to the point where the Prius is now our favourite ‘green’ car. It’s seen off challenges from other eco models including the hybrid Kia Niro SUV and conventionally powered VW Passat Bluemotion. However, the Hyundai Ioniq is the Prius’s toughest competitor yet, so can the £24,500 Business Edition we test here (although our pictures show an Excel) retain its crown?

Styling 3.7/5

WHILE these cars are similar in shape, when you look a little closer, it’s easy to spot the design details that set them apart. The Prius’s sharper styling contrasts with the Ioniq’s curves, but as with the Hyundai, many of the flourishes also serve a purpose when it comes to aerodynamic efficiency.

At the front, the bonnet drops away, while the bumper features two defined creases at either side to give the Toyota a sharp leading edge. This helps the car cut through the air with the least resistance possible, and other details such as the squaredoff tail and relatively low roofline ensure it can match the Hyundai’s low drag rating.

This hasn’t come at the expense of visual interest, though. While the Toyota’s looks won’t be to everyone’s tastes, and are potentially more divisive than the less extrovert Hyundai’s styling, there’s no denying they make an impression. Neat features such as the S-shaped LED taillamps, bright running lights plus striking slashes and vents mean the Prius makes just as much of a statement as the Ioniq.

Both cars wear their eco-focused approach on their sleeves, but whereas the Hyundai feels more conventional inside, the Toyota’s interior replicates the exterior design’s futuristic feel.

Yet unlike the previous version, it doesn’t feel forced, and neither does it ask you to compromise when it comes to practicality or equipment. The central digital display presents plenty of information on energy flow and efficiency, while the tablet-style multimedia screen below this is simple to use even if it isn’t quite as sharp to look at as the Hyundai’s.

In Business Edition trim sat-nav costs £750, while parking sensors are £495. Apart from this, the spec matches the Ioniq’s, so advanced features such as wireless phone charging and keyless go are also present. Countering the lack of sat-nav, the Prius gets full LED headlights as standard.

The low dash makes it feel spacious inside, while material quality shades the Ioniq’s. More of the Toyota’s surfaces are covered in soft-touch plastic, whereas some of the materials inside the Hyundai feel a little low rent. The white inlays in our test Prius also brighten the interior and add a flash of colour.

Driving 3.9/5

PART of the problem with older versions of the Prius was that the CVT automatic sent the revs flaring when you tried to accelerate. With a bigger boost from the electric motor to help out in this current car, and a more advanced box, the unit doesn’t give that ‘rubber band’ elastic feel as you work the accelerator.

A more refined engine also means that the Prius’s power delivery is smoother than the Ioniq’s, because the lack of gears ensures there isn’t a noticeable step in the delivery, merely plenty of smooth torque. As a result, the powertrain always feels one step ahead of what you’re asking for; the Ioniq’s can sometimes feel a step behind.

The Prius may be down on power, but it still showed well in our sprint tests, accelerating from 0-60mph in a respectable 10.3 seconds and matching the Hyundai. It’s not possible to hold the Toyota’s CVT transmission in gear, but the car’s 5.9-second 50-70mph time relates to more usable performance for overtakes on the road than in the Ioniq. The big benefit is that it’s also more refined when you ask for maximum performance.

This superior refinement also extends to the chassis, as the Toyota steers more sweetly and rides with more composure. Part of this is due to the smaller 15-inch wheels, but the chassis set-up also feels softer without compromising grip or dynamic ability. There’s still a noticeable amount of road noise, but it’s on par with the Hyundai here.

Ownership 4.3/5

TOYOTA has always had a strong reputation for reliability, but the brand slipped from eighth to 16th overall in our Driver Power 2016 satisfaction survey. Despite this eight-place drop, it still easily finished higher than Hyundai. Its dealer network recorded a good result of fourth, too, with owners rating highly the level of service they received.

As with Hyundai, Toyota offers a five-year warranty – although the Prius’s package is set at 100,000 miles, whereas the Ioniq has no limit.

The Toyota’s list of safety kit is extensive. On top of those LED headlights, it has blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise, autonomous braking, lane-departure and rear cross-traffic alert. There’s also traffic-sign recognition, all of which helped the Prius achieve an impressive full five-star Euro NCAP safety rating.

Running costs 4.6/5

JUST as these hybrids are closely matched on company car costs, there’s little to split them on residuals. Our experts predict that the Ioniq will resist depreciation slightly better than the Prius, holding on to an anticipated 47.8 per cent of its showroom value after three years.

The Toyota is expected to retain 47.3 per cent, and as it costs more to buy in the first place it will lose £12,907, compared with depreciation of £12,312 for the Hyundai. However, this won’t be as big an issue if you’re looking to buy on finance (see Page 45).