Road Tests
Read the road tests that have appeared in Local Cars magazine
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Toyota Prius
It is like going out on a Saturday night razz with a pocket full of cash and a mind full of lust but with a good mate as guardian angel to stop you sinking into unconscionable excess!
Such is the saintly Toyota Prius which is capable of letting the driver’s horns poke our to enjoy some spirited driving but has a huge halo shinning above it to save his or her conscience because it is holier than thou in terms of fuel consumption and emissions.
On test from Myers and Bowman of Lillyhall, Workington, the Toyota Prius is the latest incarnation of the Hybrid and only had 6 miles on the clock when I picked it up; it had rather more on it when I returned it because I enjoyed driving it so much!
Called hybrid because it combines electric power via batteries and a 1.8-litre VVTi engine when conditions demand or more acceleration needed. However, the really clever and world-beating feature of the Prius is its system for recharging the batteries via Kinetic energy, somewhat similar to the F1 KERS experiment to give an additional power boost.
In simple terms, whenever the brakes are employed the kinetic energy is captured and stored in the nickel-hydride batteries to power the Prius at low speed and add extra oomph when the petrol engine is deployed.
This assistance results in the Prius returning an impressive 72mpg and emissions so low it brings excited delight to all earth-hugging sandal wearers, and means owners pay absolutely no road tax at all. That’s right – nothing and no congestion charges for Londoners either. So, Prius drivers can be very smug because they are very environmentally friendly, but what about looks and performance? Well I have to say it looks great.
The early Prius model was an Ugly Betty with a huge back end to store the batteries. This made it look like a prolapsed hen but the latest version boasts the Toyota family front-end styling with a chunky side profile softened by the tear drop side window treatment which gives it a subdued elegance. And the test T Spirit model looks even better because it sits on 15-inch alloy wheels.
The tailgate is heavily glazed, which adds to the airiness of the cabin, and the stumpy-bum look is thereby lost making the Prius an attractive and youthful-looking family car.
Slipping into the sumptuous and roomy interior I found there is some plastic but thankfully not much because the seats and doors are swathed in quality soft and warm fabric which, while adding to the luxury feel, will not be as practical if you have brats with a love of chocolate and possessed of sticky paws!
The rather futuristic dash and flying buttress centre console, from which sprouts the tiny auto gear knob (too small to be called a gear stick!), contain a flight deck of bells and whistles. Sadly I do not have space to list them all but I have never seen so many, making a day with the instruction book an essential to make the most of them, but suffice to say it is the easiest of cars to drive; it will even park itself!
Press the start button and there is no sound with only instruments to indicate it is ready for action. Press the throttle gently and the Prius glides silently away but floor it and the engine cuts in with an effortless and powerful urge. The engine is not silent but is very quiet which makes the perception of speed deceptive. Indeed, there is no real audible indication that the 136bhp Prius will go from zero to 62mph in 10 seconds and sweeps on to 110mph.
In terms of handling, the Prius is just like any other family saloon but being high-tech has every handling aid known to man to make it ultra safe, but to be frank the Prius is not a car which encourages the hooligan in the driver, rather its whole ambiance instils a more relaxed style as one is drawn into its environmental qualities – that bloomin’ halo effect!
But when there is a need to overtake, or you want to banish the halo for some fun, the Prius delivers: it has two personalities but I found its luxury and environmental one is dominant, so those who want to be a hooligan should perhaps go for a sportier car.
So, for a proven reliable and attractive car which will last for years, be hugely cheap to run, is immensely comfortable, roomy and effortless to drive, and allows you the sort of smugness which allows you to stick two fingers at maniacal greens, with prices beginning at £19,505 OTR the Prius is a good investment any modern family will enjoy.
By Tony Brunskill.
Car on test from Myers and Bowman of Lillyhall, Worklington
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