The Toyota Prius PHEV test doesn’t just seduce the green boys
Honestly, it took a while before we started to appreciate the Toyota Prius. In the late 1990s, he made eco-driving available, but it wasn’t exactly exciting. However, for four generations it has worked on its image as an environmentally friendly and reliable car… and now it approaches those qualities from a different angle!
After all, not everyone will immediately paste a Prius badge on the sleek car in photos. An attractive body with elegant lines, a striking light signature and a slightly sloping roofline. If the first Prius was still an upholstered rose, then the fifth generation is definitely the fifth generation Queen prom From the end of the year ball.
Although the old saying goes, “Whoever wants to be beautiful must suffer.” For example, the long A-pillar ensures that visibility out of corners is not ideal and the sloping roofline is of no benefit to rear passengers taller than 1.80 metres. Boot volume increases by 33 liters to a total of 284 liters with the rear seats upright, although that’s nothing to write home about.
Two screens
The rest of the interior is in place, especially based on the infotainment system, and Toyota has made great leaps in recent years. A 7-inch screen that acts as a meter is combined with a second 12.3-inch screen equipped with the brand’s latest infotainment system. Graphically, it’s a nice step forward and is thankfully combined with enough titles. Additionally, Android Auto with cable and wireless Apple CarPlay are standard. The rest of the finish is more than correct, with solid materials and only a few hard plastics.
A simple PHEV
Another small revolution with the Prius: the self-charging hybrid version, which has been the hallmark of the car for a long time, is no longer marketed in our country, and you can only choose a plug-in hybrid version. Thanks to a 13.6 kWh battery, it can theoretically travel a distance of 72 km, a distance that can also be achieved in practice thanks to the car’s excellent aerodynamics. What’s more, once the battery is flat, you benefit from Toyota’s knowledge of hybrid self-charging, which means consumption remains very low. After a week of test drives, during which we weren’t always able to charge, the car’s on-board computer showed 2.3L/100km.
The power of the drive system is 223 hp due to the combination of an electric motor and a four-cylinder gasoline power source. 0-100 km/h? Only 6.8 seconds! Merging into traffic is easy and road holding is also excellent thanks to the low center of gravity. Only the damping could be a little softer in our opinion, on typical Belgian roads you notice that the damping is quite sporty.
Conclusion
The Toyota Prius changes course a bit in its fifth generation. The jacket fits him like a glove. More beautiful than ever, with a contemporary interior with few flaws and a great driving experience. Furthermore, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) remain interesting in the fleet for a while
Toyota Prius pictures
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