TOYOTA PRIUS
Drives like tech leader should
THIS is the Prius Toyota wants you to love – and not just for its ability to halve fuel bills. It is so confident the fourth generation of its petrolelectric pioneer will tickle our driving toes that it guided us to a private test track to experience it under more extreme conditions – tyre squealing and all.
The verdict? It’s a huge step up for a Prius … but it’s no hot hatch.
There’s a newfound maturity to the way the Prius tackles bends. Steering is satisfyingly accurate and the flagship i-tech on 17-inch rubber hangs on well. The 15-inch eco tyres on the base Prius lower grip levels slightly but are not as underwhelming as they look.
Body control is far more convincing and the Prius now deals admirably with B-grade roads, improving comfort. The driver sits 55mm lower in the car, so there’s far less of the top-heavy lurching of previous Prii.
But there’s still some inconsistency to brake feel, especially when you’re pushing on. On moderate applications the pedal is squidgy yet responsive.
Performance is still far from startling. The tweaked 1.8-litre petrol engine and 53kw electric motor make just 90kw combined – 10 percent less than the model it replaces – but torque is up. Floor it from a standstill and there’s a brief grumble as the petrol engine fires to life. Acceleration is Corolla-like respectable.
Treat it more gently and the usable mid-range surge ensures reasonable progress. And at any speed the work that’s gone into refinement is appreciated.
Our test drive would suggest you’d have to be leisurely with the right foot to get anywhere near the claimed 3.4L/100km, but the 5.4 we logged with occasionally spirited driving is still excellent.
Inside, space is similar to the previous model, with good leg room and loads of space up front, although rear-seat head room is marginal for tall people.
Biggest change inside is to presentation. The dash and controls have lost the scratchy hard plastics of old and adopted a more welcoming feel that looks vaguely upmarket.
The base $ 34,990 Prius also gets BI-LED headlights with auto high beam, a reversing camera, 10-speaker JBL sound system, active cruise control, lane-departure warning and auto emergency braking.
The i-tech flagship ($ 42,990) has a mix of real and artificial al leather, sat-nav, digital radio,o, seat heaters, blind-spot alert and rear cross-traffic alert.
It adds up to a Prius that drives rives more like a tech leader should, ld, but with the price premium attached ched to having a unique body in what is pitched as an ambassador for Toyota’s hybrid family.