When we went to Tucson to preview the new 2010 Toyota Prius we had heard about the new styling cues and had read and heard about some of the new features but the truth is, I was expecting a nicer iteration of the staid Prius. During the press preview we heard all about the new styling that along with making the car better looking provided more headroom, a new beltline that gives the car a sportier look, and about the technology package that moves the Prius up a notch from just an econo-box. It all sounded good but the revelation came once we got behind the wheel.
One of the first things I noticed was the smoothness of the transition between electric and gas modes. One of the great things about the synergy system is the ability to cruise around you neighborhood, or shopping mall parking lots in electric only mode. The problem was the back and forth between the two modes. It was abrupt and while not awful, it was annoying. The smoothness of the transition along with just a bit peppier engine actually makes the Prius respond a bit, dare I say it, sportier.
The road trips the team set up had the obligatory mileage route which we eschewed because there is no doubt about the economy of the Prius, so Cathy and I decided to challenge the sportiness by taking the route the team set up that actually had hills and twisties. A surprising twist, if you’ll pardon the pun, for testing a hybrid. There are three mode settings, EV for electric mainly, Econ for everyday driving if you will and Power mode, which in and of itself sounds strange with the Prius but what it does is increases throttle response.
The power mode coupled with the electric power steering which had improved greatly, especially in negating understeer has a great deal to do with making the Prius drive and handle much sportier. The brakes are much better although they still take just a bit of getting used to but all in all, driving the twisties was a whole lot more fun then I would have believed possible in a Prius.
All that said I have to remind you that sport mode is not the wisest and best use of the Toyota Prius but even in sport mode, you’re going to get much better or equivalent to the best non-hybrid economy cars on the road so just knowing that if you could detour through some twisties on a road trip to add some spice to the trip without having to unload the wallet in a gas guzzler has to be worth something.
I mentioned earlier about the bigger engine, a 1.8 liter versus the 1.5 in the predecessor which doesn’t seem like much but what it does is offer more torque at lower rpm which means better performance and actually a slight improvement in fuel economy. The A/C is driven by electricity which reduces friction on the engine again adding to the mpg rating.
The roof peak has been moved back some 4-inches which allows for more headroom but a side benefit is a, there’s that word again, sportier profile. A nifty low to high beltline also adds some pizzazz to the look as does the rear end with new LED tail lights. Inside the front seats are much improved providing more support and comfort and as with most hybrids, there is a pretty interesting display of technology readouts on the instrument panel. My one complaint is that my aged eyes had a bit of a problem because the LED readouts were just not crisp enough, but a minor problem overall.
There are a couple of Technology packages but the high-end advanced package includes the NavSystem plus the Solar Roof Package which provides ventilation to bring the interior of the car to just about whatever the ambient temperature is and in Phoenix that means taking the interior from 160 or more in the dead of summer to a “balmy” 115 or 120 depending on what the temp is. However, the package also includes the remote air conditioning start which allows you to pre-cool the car without starting the engine. The package also includes Lane Keep Assist and intelligent park.
So what we found out in Tucson was that Toyota didn’t rest on its laurels with the Prius and made a really good car even better and in the course of doing so, actually added a fun quotient to an otherwise relatively boring little grocery getter.
