Auto Review TOYOTA PRIUS

TOYOTA PRIUS

PC Car

Toyota's dedicated hybrid-powered car may be bland to look, drive and sit in. But it's ecofriendly after all-and great value

Published: 31/12/2010 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: Motoring

The Prius marks an important milestone in Toyota's Thai history, in the sense that it is a brand new model and has a dedicated petrol/electric drivetrain.

Moreover, the country is second after Japan to produce it locally.
It's not that Thailand's best-selling brand has never taken any interest in selling the Prius which now is in its third generation. Ever since the first-gen model was launched in Japan in the 1990s, Toyota carried out tests on Thai roads to gauge public opinion about the car.
And now that Toyota has already successfully launched the Camry Hybrid in the Thai market, it's now right time to move lower down the ranks to chase for even more sales in the B1.2-1.3m price bracket - some B500,000 cheaper than the petrol/electric Camry.
The Prius also provides Toyota a good chance to make Thais more acquainted with hatchbacks in this price range - something market leaders like itself and Honda haven't always been keen in offering them alongside the traditional saloon.
At first sight the Prius seems a rival for C-segment hatchbacks like the Ford Focus and Mazda 3. But if you glance at the specs, the Prius is a tad larger than those two.
So you can't consider it a five-door variant of the Corolla saloon; that honour goes to the Auris sold in Europe and Japan.
Which means that the Prius is a reasonably practical car in its own right, boasting more occupant space than in conventional C-cars. The rear bench, for instance, can take three in comfort and has airiness enhanced by a near-flat floor.

Just don't expect it to be as wide as in the Camry, which is a notch above the Prius as a proper mid-size family saloon.
But boot versatility is something the Prius can boast over the Focus and its likes and the Camry. Despite a somewhat shallow boot, it can still hold a decent amount of luggage and becomes commodious when the rear seats fold flat.
Then there are the numerous cubbie holes up front that lend the Prius a dose of everyday livability. The console is not only designed to enhance function, but it also yields a fine level of ergonomics for the driver.
It's comprehensively equipped with safety features, be it on the active or passive side (see safety kit graph). No other close rival or Toyota has such a complete range of airbags. Be reminded, though, that LED lights - and some other small details - are only reserved for the top model, as tested here, priced at B1.27m.
Other than that, though, it's quite a dull place to be in the Prius. There's ample hollow feel while grey plastics around the cabin make it such an unsophisticated place, but everything else works in a faultless manner.
The same goes for the exterior that hardly looks any special, although Toyota stresses that aerodynamics was prioritised to go along with the car's eco-friendly concept. The same goes for the cheap-ish 15-inch mag wheels.
Comfort-oriented buyers who have been spoiled with items like electric adjustments for the seats or side-view mirrors, will be in for a disappointment. Toyota insiders say these features could come at a later stage when economies of scale improve with higher sales.
Like in most other hybrid-powered cars, you press the starter button on the fascia to bring the engine to life. But actually you hear nearly nothing; you know when to set off when the "ready" sign appears on the instrument panel.Auto Review , auto shipping reviews.

Interior is on the dull side with a sea of hollow, grey plastics; ergonomics is nearly peerless.

No special technique is needed in driving the Prius. When the system's battery runs out of power, the conventional petrol engine comes to life.
Although the 1.8-litre inline-four engine is shared with the Corolla, the Prius only sips E10 gasohol at the most. Toyota needn't go for E20 because hybrids already enjoy a low 10% excise tax; E20 Corolla is subject to 25%. It's the same for the regular and hybrid Camry.
What differentiates the Prius from the Camry is the former's ability to run on pure electricity for short distances at low speeds, as well as an eco/normal/power mode for whatever driving style you desire.
Eco mode helps if you want to economise and achieve over 20kpl, although the performance is on the sluggish side, normal gives more grunt, and power plenty of it especially when you want convincing overtaking power or surge on demanding roads.
Because of that, the Prius has different manners when it comes to economy and performance. You want to be a miser, you'll be slow. If you need power, you have the choice.
And that doesn't really mean that sporty driving will set you back with fuel costs. Driving around Chiang Rai during the car's driving trials over various road conditions saw us returning between 14-17kpl. That's practically what a Ford Focus diesel would achieve.

Rear space feels airier than in other C-segment hatchbacks.

Still, we reckon the Prius will shine in city-driving when you want to achieve over 20kpl. Toyota's claim of over 25kpl seems impossible to achieve in real-world driving.
Yet, it's a figure that virtually all other cars on sale officially in the Thai market won't be able to match, and that's exactly the reason why buyers will be attracted to the Prius in the first place - apart from being able to boost their green ethos.
The driving characteristics of the Prius are average - and not outstanding as its technical credentials suggest. The brakes, for one, is wooden in feel - just like in the previous generation models.
But what sets out today's Prius with its forebears are more resolved handling and ride. The decision by Toyota to offer 15-inch wheels and thick-ish tyres help make the ride compliant on Thai roads. In Japan, there's a 17-inch variation with lower aspect-ratio rubbers for sharper handling and better looks.
Handling in the Prius doesn't feel as stodgy as before, and there's a good level of grip at high speeds and during cornering albeit with noticeable body roll.
In spite of a steering that's light and direct in general use, it feels somewhat restrained in the twisties and doesn't play the tune with the chassis. In this respect, the 3 and Focus have a more balanced handling.
But then you would argue that the Prius wasn't meant to be a driver's car in the first place, and you would be absolutely right in suggesting so.
You could even say that all what is needed for a car with an outstanding drivetrain is a steering that turns well, and brakes that will stop the car; never mind the bland exterior and interior or driving manners that are put in shade by other similarly priced brands.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, that's what the Prius is all about: economical motoring and satisfying eco-friendly feeling - all at prices deemed very competitive in Thailand, thanks to tax breaks. Camry Hybrid punter ought to consider downsizing to the Prius.
And it is those attributes that help compensate for the lack of excitement the Prius has, which is exactly why it narrowly makes into Motoring's 2010 top 10 cars.

Boot is shallow but useful... and becomes commodious when rear seats fold flat.