Car reviews

Introduction

The new Prius is Toyota’s latest attempt at the Hybrid market and has proven to be extremely popular, winning The European Car of the Year in 2005. Its main selling point is the low emission level. The interior is stylish and modern and although the exterior looks very different. The Toyota Prius is a popular and spacious family car that comes with great official fuel efficiency, however, you’ll be lucky to get anywhere near the factory data. Still, when you compare the Prius to the conventional cars, its combination of electric and petrol power works very well.

Exterior & Interior

The 2nd generation Toyota Prius has diverted away from the original four door saloon style body to a new and more practical five door hatchback. The body looks slightly odd, but very stylish and futuristic, which is just as well as Hybrids look set to be the way forward in the future. The interior is just as stylish and modern as the exterior with its keyless start system and steering wheel-mounted controls that takes care about almost everything. There is plenty of space inside with four adults being able to sit comfortably or five at a push. The seats are also supportive and comfortable making even the longest drives comfortable. The boot may not be the biggest, but it is large enough to get a family’s luggage in for a weekend away and it can be increased by folding flat the rear seats.

There are other storage compartments scattered throughout the cabin. There are large door bins, cup holders and a large glove compartment. The steering wheel-mounted controls can be fairly confusing to begin with. There are no less than 16 controls for the air-con, stereo and heated rear windscreen, but it enables the driver to control almost everything without ever taking their hands off the steering wheel. There are three different trim levels in the Prius, starting with the entry level T3 which comes with eight airbags, electric windows, ABS, traction and stability control, CD player, climate control, immobilizer and alarm. The T4 adds cruise control, front fog lamps and CD auto-changer. The top of the range - T Spirit comes with sat-nav and Bluetooth telephone interface.

Drive

The drive is surprisingly good as you are able to tackle steep hills, knowing that this new generation will actually have enough power to get to the top, the steering is good if a little light at lower speeds and there is minimal body roll in the corners. The driving position is very good with perfect all-round views and the adjustable seat and steering wheel enable you to find the optimal driving position. It is also exceptionally quiet with wind and road noise kept to a minimum, although the engine noise can be loud and intrusive when really pushed.

Faults & Repairs

The Prius appears to be as reliable as any other Toyota. The majority of owners are happy with their cars. There have been some problems with the engine, but most of these problems have occurred in the USA. There have been a couple of recalls, the first being over a software fault where the engine stalled and then refused to start; and the second one being to fix a problem with the rear brake light. The Toyota Prius is cheaper to service and repair than the majority of its hybrid rivals even when using official Toyota dealers. The only down side is that replacing the Prius’ battery is horrendously expensive and it will need doing periodically, so check the battery still has plenty of life in it.