European brands are racing to see who will abandon the combustion engine first, Toyota is patiently looking for its other reserves. It came up with a hybrid drive a quarter of a century ago and is still improving it. The Prius model remains a laboratory. The new generation will come to Europe only with a cord to the socket, adding strict aerodynamics and a sporty agile chassis. A combination that is as economical as it is individualistic.
Toyota has been writing the history of hybrid drive since the nineties. At that time, ecology began to significantly influence the policy of the international community, and fuel consumption was not only discussed because of limited oil reserves, but also due to greenhouse emissions of carbon dioxide.
At that time, European car companies opted for diesel, the production of which was closest to local supply chains. Toyota chose a combination of gasoline and electricity. Among other things, because its business group included manufacturers of batteries and powerful semiconductors.
Since the introduction of the first Prius in 1997, the fifth generation of the hybrid drive has been counted today, and since 2010 it has also been supplemented by a plug-in version. The new model will be imported to Europe only as a plug-in hybrid. It will appear at dealers in the spring, Toyota invited us to Athens for a short ride in the prototypes. That’s why you can still see the remains of the masking foils in the pictures.
Above them peeks out an unusually emotional and sporty liftback, which reflects the motto of the current management: no more boring cars. It surprises with its extremely inclined bow and low silhouette, almost ideal from the point of view of aerodynamics expressed by the drag coefficient Cx 0.26. The Prius has been following a similar path for twenty years, but in the new generation it goes a long way.
We make sure of it in the first minute. Not only is the new Prius only 142 centimeters tall, but the roof is already rounded above the side pillar. In the place where you bend your head when getting in, it is low like in a sports car. It’s the same with the dashboard and the position behind the wheel, but when you stretch inside, it’s quite pleasant to live there.
The large windshield gives the driver a good view, and the pillars run so far forward that you can see a lot below them. We also enjoyed some city traffic on the test route, and in terms of clarity, the Prius has no disadvantage in it.
On the winding roads along the sea, it shows an unexpectedly athletic nature. The relatively small steering wheel with quick steering gear and the sharp calibration of the gas pedal encourage a lively style, the music is confirmed by the low and sportily tightened chassis.
Given that the main goal is economy requiring a fluid style, such an attitude seems unusual, but no Czech can argue against Japanese taste. However, how Prius will iron our impoverished roads, we have to let ourselves be surprised.
In any case, all the described compromises are aimed at the lowest possible energy consumption, and this is definitely successful. With a total standard battery of 13.6 kilowatt-hours, the Prius will run almost seventy kilometers without gasoline, which should result in tabulated CO2 emissions of 19 g/km. This promises very low demands even in real traffic with a higher share of gasoline trips.
Toyota is clearly targeting the legislation of countries where even the usual 50 grams is no longer enough for subsidies and tax breaks. The Prius, for example, will pass the French limit of 20 g/km. Unfortunately, the fickleness of green politics leads to the fact that European governments are beginning to completely cut off support for plug-in hybrid drives. Only time will tell if the novelty will succeed with it, since it is logically more expensive.
Toyota Prius PHEV 5th generation
Engine: gasoline 4-cylinder 1987 cm3 + electric
Power: 112 kW at 6000 rpm + 163 kW
Torque: 190 Nm at 4400 rpm + 208
Battery: Li-Ion, 13.6 kWh
Top speed: 177 km/h
Acceleration 0-100 km/h: 6.8 s
Electric range: 69 km*
Combined consumption: 0.8 l/100 km*
Volume of the luggage compartment: 284 l
*) Preliminary values
The exact price will be announced in the spring, and Toyota makes no secret of the fact that the Prius remains a laboratory or showcase of technology. People who appreciate individuality and modern technology should buy it. Those who are looking more for space and practicality will find them in other Toyota models, also offered as a hybrid without a cable.
After all, the fact that since the launch of the hybrid Corolla, Yaris and RAV4, the Prius has been moving towards more and more ultimate efficiency, confirmed the unique opportunity to test the previous generations. All of them had a more spacious cabin, the founder from 1997 was pleased with the most comfortable suspension and soundproofing of the chassis.
Not that the Toyota designers have forgotten their craft. They are just trying to maintain a practical internal combustion engine in the network of increasingly strict regulations, which some European brands have already resigned to.
