Toyota Prius Review

The Toyota Prius was the first hybrid model and has set the scene for ‘green’ fans ever since becoming the world’s best-selling hybrid and with Hollywood A-listers clambering for its earth friendly credentials, it’s no wonder Toyota have continued to produce the Prius and it’s now into its fourth generation. So what is this new version like to drive?

What makes the Prius so appealing is the hybrid system; it uses a 4 cylinder 97hp 1.8-litre petrol engine, alongside an electric motor that combined as one produces 121hp and it can get from 0-62mph in 10.6 seconds with a top speed of 112mph....but you don’t buy this car for those figures.

With it possible to just run it in electric mode, ideal if you’re just nipping around town, there’s no range anxiety as it’ll seamlessly and quietly start using the engine - it really is inperceptable. Using an electric CVT automatic transmission, gear changes are essentially non existent with no jarring as it pulls on, but what’s surprising is that even in eco mode you can still overtake the motorway middle lane hoggers...

It’s a nice, soft gentle ride which is great for long distance driving and based on a new Toyota platform it makes the car more agile than previous generations. Steering is light and responsive and even though it’s not a sporty car, it is quite fun to drive and offers plenty of stability.

When you start it up it can be slightly disconcerting to have no engine noise, just the slight whirring of the electric motor. Although it’s refreshing that it is so quiet, its downfall is trying to heave it up an incline, the engine is loud as it tries to get the Prius uphill.

Road noise on B roads isn’t that great either so don’t expect a quiet cabin, it’s a shame as the Prius is a great car but lacks some insulation. 

Jump behind the wheel and the first thing you notice is how futuristic the cabin looks, white plastic accents on the leather steering wheel, around the blue coloured gear selector and the wireless mobile phone charger make you wonder if the Prius will actually take off and fly.

With an informative heads up display that shows speed and road sign assistance, there is a screen in the centre of the dash that shows car hybrid information, speed, fuel economy and it gives you a score out of 100 on your driving. It’s a good little game to see how economical your driving can be.

An addition is a 7-inch touchscreen which features the Toyota Touch 2 with Go Plus system, navigation, Bluetooth, DAB radio, USB port and a rear-view camera come as part of this pack.

The entry level Active model comes with plenty of standard equipment including adaptive cruise control, heated door mirrors, a rear-view camera and the top spec Excel features Wifi connectivity, front and rear parking sensors, heated front seats and a head up display.

One of the biggest plus points of the Toyota Prius is space, it is extremely practical both for driver and pasengers and in the rear it is more than capable of taking two adults comfortably. We managed to put in a child seat with ease and it just seems to swallow up items, the rear footwells provide lots of room, the centre armrest between front seats is deep too and the boot space holds 457-litres - we managed to get in a pushchair, a couple of small suitcases and bags and a bucket and spade...we were going on a roadtrip to the seaside.

The boot also has a glass back so unusually you can see straight out the rear. A word of warning though, because there is so much glass, items in the boot will get very hot when it’s sunny. Grow tomatoes in it as it’s like a greenhouse.

The Toyota Prius starts from £23,295 and is a very well-priced car, it also comes with a 5 year/100,000 mile warranty and a year of full cover with the AA. The styling might not suit all tastes and even though more manufacturers now offer hybrid systems, the Prius started it all and is still quite unique.

Running costs will be extremely low, we managed mpg figures in the early seventies on a trip consisting of motorways and B roads and if you really are light on your feet, or your right foot to be more specific then the official Toyota figure is in the mid eighties. Imagine our delight when we’d only used half a tank of fuel at the end of our 370 mile trip.

With it emitting just 76g/km of CO2 then it’s road tax exempt so it’s perfect if you’re looking for a car that is spacious, economical and well-priced.

Quality is really good on Toyota models, the cabin materials are a mixture of durable plastics, soft-touch leather and piano black gloss surfaces that give the Prius a polished look.

Toyota rate very highly in the reliability standings, they have continued to take the top spot in the JD Power survey and some previous Prius owners bought this new generation without even taking it for a test drive. That says it all really and shows how satisfied customers are with the generations of Toyota Prius.

The Toyota Prius scored five stars in the Euro NCAP tests taking 92% for adult protection, with 82% for children.

Toyota Safety Sense comes as standard on the Prius which includes lane departure warning, road sign assist, adaptive cruise control, a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection and automatic high beam.

It comes with plenty of driver and passenger airbags, traction control, hill-start assist, a tyre pressure warning system and vehicle stability control.