Hybrid power and ultra low emissions have made the Toyota Prius the definitive eco car.
The Prius Plus adds more seats and more space, but just that make it the definitive family
car. Like the regular Prius the Plus uses a petrol engine and an electric motor with
the battery stored beneath this large center console.
the combined power output of both units is 134 brake horsepower which isn't much in a
car this size. The naught to 60 mile an hour sprint takes a leisurely and very noisy 11.3
seconds [xx] CVT automatic gearbox holds the engine [xx] while you accelerate, slow down
though and the Prius is very refined speed blow 30 miles an hour.They cannot play on
battery power only .
So it is virtually silent. Fuel economy of this car strength of course. Toyota claims
an outstanding 68.9 miles per gallon for the entry level T4 version. However, the larger
wheels Porsche T Spirit seen here actually reduced that figure by around five MPG and
pushed the co2 emissions up so you know longer get free car tax.
We'll see if Toyota figures stack up when we test this car in our lab very soon. in
the meantime according to the trip computer we've averaged 47 miles per gallon today,
not particularly great and certainly no better the many diesel mbs Prices start at around
twenty-six and a half thousand pounds for The T4 up to nearly 30 thousand pounds for
the T Spirit.
Both come with panoramic glass sunroof, head up display and the Toyota touch media system,
which includes a reversing camera The T-Spirit adds those larger alloys, leather trim, satin
[xx] and an upgraded sound system. Now the benefits of driving something [xx] looks a
bit like a giant fridge, is that there's plenty of space inside.
These front seats like armchairs there is plenty of lounging space for three adults
in the back. Plus you don't need to amputate various body parts to fit into the third row
seats granted they're best suited to kids but adults should be happy enough back here
for short journeys. With all the seats in place claimed boot space is a paltry 232 liters,
enough for a small supermarket shop.
But, fold all the seats flat and that balloons to a wardrobe size thousand seven hundred
and fifty liters, bigger than Toyota's non-hybrid Verso MPV. The Prius Plus actually diverts
some of the torque from it's electric motor to the suspension to help control pitch and
bounce on bumpy roads like these.
The result is a very comfortable car that is easy to drive What the Plus isn't is exciting,
but this is a people carrier based on a Toyota Prius. So you knew that, right? One likely
benefit of that Prius it's heritage is good reliability. Toyota is consistently one of
the top performing brands in the Which Car survey.
The car is covered by Toyota's five year warranty with 8 years cover for the battery pack. The
Plus scores a lot of plus points. It's certainly better than the only other hybrid MPV, the
Peugeot 3008 Hybrid 4, which left us un[sp] underwhelmed in our recent eco cars group
test. The questions is do you really need a hybrid MPV?
Toyota's own Verso is about 7,000 pounds cheaper and it isn't drastically less efficient. For
us, we take the Verso and keep the change, but if you are a company car driver or an
eco warrior, you might see things differently.