Toyota Prius
Toyota made a good thing better
Toyota knows a thing or two about building hybrids — the automaker has sold more than a million of its benchmark Prius sedans worldwide.
Things weren’t so easy for the 2010 model year in the hybrid marketplace, however, with others joining the green movement. So bosses at Toyota decided it would be prudent to make a good thing better: the third generation of the car that really got this whole green shift rolling.
Size doesn’t always matter, but in the case of the 2010 Prius, it was a big deal. Although it looked similar to the previous iteration, Toyota designers created a new exterior and interior. The resulting improved aerodynamics, helped reduce fuel consumption and added muchneeded cabin space.
The peak of the roofline was moved rearward, creating additional headroom to the rear-seat area. Sitting on the 60/40-split folding rear bench, there was adequate headroom and plenty of leg room.
The front bucket seats, which were heightadjustable on the driver’s side, offered an abundance of head space thanks to the higher roofline — and there was plenty of elbow room, too. In fact, although the Prius may have been perceived in the past as a compact, this 2010 iteration had the necessary roominess to satisfy mid-sized-car buyers. However, although it was rated as a five-passenger model, if you were planning to fit three adults into the back seat they had to have been well acquainted with each other.
Trunk space was equally roomy. There’s no problem fitting several travel bags into the fully carpeted cargo area, which was rated at 15.7 cubic feet. If more capacity was needed, the rear bench flipped forward, which created a flat cargo floor. The large rear lift-gate made access to the cargo area a breeze. A roller-type tonneau cover was standard, helping keep prying eyes at bay.
Standard interior features included automatic climate control with a cabin air filter and rear heater ducts. Power windows with an auto up/ down feature were also standard, along with power locks and a remote Smart Key system.
The AM/FM/CD audio system drove six speakers and included Mp3-and Wma-playing capabilities, plus an auxiliary input jack.
One of the most noticeable interior changes was the centre stack, a flying buttress-type structure that reminded one of Volvo’s design. The Toyota interpretation, however, swept between the seats to form the centre console, complete with a storage bin and sliding top. The gearshift lever and separate Park button sat atop the panel — a surprisingly comfortable location. Below the buttress was a handy, semiconcealed space for storing items such as a cellphone or sunglasses.
The instrument panel was also redesigned. I’ve never been a fan of centrally positioned gauge pods, preferring to have the speedometer and other gauges directly in front of me. However, the hooded digital readout panel in the centre of the 2010 Prius’s sweeping instrument panel had me rethinking that position. It was easy to adapting to its unconventional placement.
Especially handy was the pair of Touch Tracer controls on the steering wheel, which enabled the driver to adjust the audio and climate control systems, as well as scroll through several layers of digital information without having to shift eyes away from the road. It was quite intuitive, even for the technically challenged.
Standard safety features of note included seven air bags (including a driver’s knee unit), vehicle stability and traction control systems, four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, brake assist and brake-force distribution systems.
Of course, what mattered most to those considering a hybrid purchase was how well the gas/electric powertrain works. First, the Prius system was easy to use.
Second, it was efficient. The 2010 Prius had a Hybrid Synergy Drive system that was almost completely revised, including a new, larger, 16-valve, 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine that produced 134 net horsepower in combination with the electric motor. That was a 22 per cent increase over the previous generation’s 110-h.p. output, while the new system’s fuel efficiency had improved by seven per cent, with a combined consumption rating of 3.8 L/100 kilometres.
In an economy challenge during a media preview of the car, a couple of teams achieved a combined average of 3.4 L/100 km. Later, after clocking about 800 km engaging my “normal” (non-conservation) mode, I still recorded an average of 4.4 L/100 km. Toyota can rightly claim its Prius is the most fuel-efficient car on the road.
If there are nits to pick, they’re mainly the car’s dynamics. While the electric power steering enhanced fuel efficiency and reduced maintenance, it didn’t deliver much feedback to the driver.
The suspension, too, tended to be uninspiring — the Prius didn’t float along like an old Buick, but it didn’t have the crisp feel some buyers expect in today’s marketplace. Still, the ride was very quiet and comfortable. Just don’t plan to toss the Prius into highway on-ramps with much enthusiasm.