The Toyota Prius has always been able to skimp on fuel.
The 4th generation of the hybrid brings driving fun into play for the first time, no longer just wants to be a carelessly economical vehicle.
You can find out what else is important in our test.
Toyota Prius
So Prius, now in its fourth generation. It would be unfair to claim a drive with the personified good consumption conscience of Japan would trigger storms of joy.
Let’s see what the new guy can do.
In order to reduce this to just three liters per 100 km according to EU norm, the hybrid sacrifices other criteria more consistently than almost any other car – such as attractive design, for example.
This also has a disturbing effect on number four in its hara-kiri line, because number three was already on a very respectable path. But well, there is now a drag coefficient of 0.24 and – let’s be honest – even uglier studies were made in the past to achieve such a good value.
Toyota Prius 2016: Less power
What is also somewhat disturbing is the 14 hp less than the new 122 hp Prius now has as a total system performance compared to its predecessor.
Is there a car that needed less power reduction than Toyota’s flagship saver? But let’s give the all-clear right away: The 0.2 seconds that the new one takes from zero to 100 km / h longer than Generation III are not noticeable in normal traffic.
The Prius flows bravely and is characterized by a significantly lower noise level than before.
The large family of cats that used to howl from the depths of the power-split hybrid system at strong accelerations has now become a small, sonorous, humming kitten.
There are many technical reasons for this.
Toyota dedicates a total of five pages in its press kit to the extensive drive optimization measures that specifically affect the intake and exhaust system, the cooling unit, exhaust gas recirculation, the control software, the smaller electric motors and the battery.
Toyota has de-throttled, downsized and improved, but basically, the Prius remains surprisingly constant: The predecessor also had a 1.8-liter naturally aspirated engine with a lean Atkinson cycle and variable valve control, and Toyota has been using the more energy-dense metal hydride battery for 19 years on.
Also metal hydride battery in the Toyota Prius
A defiant anachronism in these lithium-ion-driven battery revolution times.
But that’s just the way it is when a company has battery technology under control in a cost-effective and reliable manner and does not necessarily need large power capacities.
If it is not absolutely necessary, Toyota will not experiment.
The purely electric driving experience of up to two kilometers has therefore only been expanded a tad.
The smaller battery is now located under the back seat and therefore creates even more space in the interior, which also looks pleasantly airy.
The weight of quite lush 1450 kilograms has hardly changed. But here, too, Toyota has to be blamed for not correctly recognizing weight as the main fuel offender, contrary to popular populist opinion.
| Toyota Prius | |
| Base price | €28,450 |
| External dimensions | 4540 x 1760 x 1470 mm |
| Trunk volume | 343 to 1633 l |
| Cubic capacity/engine | 1798 cc / 4 cylinder |
| power | 72 kW / 98 PS at 5200 rpm |
| Top speed | 180 km / h |
| consumption | 3.4 l / 100 km |
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