HYBRID champion the Toyota Prius has come-of-age trading its stubby green statement looks for a grown-up sleek new bodywork.
Deeper sculptured bodylines and a go-faster rear spoiler sends the latest generation Prius straight into the mainstream motoring market.
And yet the sleeker new model claims to 10% improved fuel economy of 55mpg making it the most fuel efficient car without an electric plug.
It claims acceleration is smoother and more responsive, and, at higher speeds, quieter while driving dynamics have been improved by a new chassis.
Load space is improved thanks to the use of a smaller, more energy-dense hybrid battery and a new double wishbone rear suspension system – features which do not intrude on boot capacity.
The full hybrid powertrain has undergone extensive revisions to improve efficiency, reduce weight and sharpen performance
The scope of the Toyota Safety Sense package is extended in the new Prius with addition of radar-managed Adaptive Cruise Control and a pedestrian detection function for the Pre-Crash Safety system.
The full hybrid powertrain has undergone extensive revisions to improve efficiency, reduce weight and sharpen performance. Other hybrid system components have been made more compact and have been repositioned for optimum packaging, further contributing to the car’s lower centre of gravity. The new nickel-metal hydride hybrid battery is more compact while its durability and charging performance have been significantly improved.
Sales of the new Prius are expected to begin in Japan by the end of the year before a global roll-out in 2016.
