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For many, the all-new third-generation 2010 Toyota Prius (and this story), can be summed up in a few words: "Most fuel-efficient car drivers can buy." That’s exactly what the nation’s leading consumer magazine (the one that doesn’t like to be named, a la Harry Potter’s nemesis, Lord Voldemort) calls the new Prius, noting that it has long been "the...




For many, the all-new third-generation 2010 Toyota Prius (and this story), can be summed up in a few words: "Most fuel-efficient car drivers can buy."


That’s exactly what the nation’s leading consumer magazine (the one that doesn’t like to be named, a la Harry Potter’s nemesis, Lord Voldemort) calls the new Prius, noting that it has long been "the standard-bearer for hybrid cars."


And for a lot of people, that fuel mileage benchmark alone will be reason to buy it. But others will be glad to know that the 2010 Toyota Prius has some other appealing aspects, and improvements, that make it well worth considering.


50-MPG


Of course, its raison d’etre is its hybrid engine, which in this Prius utilizes a bigger, more powerful 98-horsepower 1.8-liter Atkinson-cycle, 4-cylinder engine and combines it with an electric motor and now-higher-output battery to generate a combined 134 net horsepower. That’s a horsepower jump of 24 over the previous generation and Toyota achieved that boost while pushing the vehicle’s fuel efficiency.


And that’s really why you’re reading this story, right? So just how fuel-efficient is it?


Drumroll, please. The EPA’s official fuel mileage ratings on the 2010 Toyota Prius are an


amazing 48 mpg on the highway and 51 mpg in the city. Yes, its combined rating is 50 mpg, meaning Toyota has reached that hallowed mark.


And how exactly did they do that? One reason is that the larger engine produces greater torque, which allows the car to run at lower rpms on the highway, thus using use less fuel and boosting the highway figure. The improvements in the engine are said to have increased mileage in cold weather conditions too, but obviously that’s not much of an issue here in south Louisiana.


Toyota has also reduced emissions – and not just while the car is being driven. The company notes that it is reducing those emissions in the production of the vehicle, as well as when it comes time to junk it, aka its "eventual disposal and dismantling." That said, it’s certified as a Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV), producing over 70 percent fewer emissions than the average vehicle.


A La Mode


The transition hasn’t made the Prius a speed demon. I clocked its 0 to 60 mph time at 10 seconds and Toyota says the official figure is 9.8 seconds. Put it in other modes besides Normal and you won’t change that figure too much, though in Power mode, the Prius does definitely feel and act faster at take-off. If your inclinations are like mine, you’ll spend a lot of time in this mode.


Eco, which does things like knock down the air conditioning and stiffen up the gas pedal, is the mode you want to be in to maximize fuel mileage ratings. An array of fuel monitors and displays help you do that too, though the Prius is a vehicle that, in general, downplays its hybridness by disdaining a lot of green badging and markers.


And since the Prius is a full hybrid, meaning it operate on battery alone, in addition to the gas and combination modes, there’s EV, which is for driving short distances (very short, as in your driveway) at low speeds.





What Else You Should Know


The Prius’ interior is bigger these days and the result is that even one of my taller cousins found the 60/40 split folding rear seat comfortable. I was surprised at how much room it offered. Not only that, but the carpeted cargo area is considerably larger too, with today’s Prius offering almost 22 cubic feet of cargo space.


The quality of the materials inside have been stepped up too, with the whole interior receiving a more contemporary and a

Tags: Toyota, is-featured

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50 MPG: New Toyota Prius doesn’t fuel around was originally published by New Orleans Auto Reviews: Toyota. Read the full story by clicking here.