What is it?

The world’s most famous hybrid car has been given a new lease of life in this new fifth-generation car. The Toyota Prius had built up a reputation over the years for being one of the most reliable and fuel-efficient cars out there, while also being the go-to choice for Hollywood stars and Uber taxi drivers.

With over five million units sold worldwide, the nameplate has proven very successful for the Japanese brand and now with the automotive industry favouring electrified technology – the Prius certainly has a head start when it comes to hybrid powertrains.

What’s new?

This latest Prius was launched globally 18 months ago, but it was not intended to arrive on our shores. However, Toyota realised that the UK is a big market for the model and decided that it would import it after all.

The car sits on the firm’s second-generation TNGA-C platform which is more rigid and stiffer than before to improve the way the car drives and enhances the stability to make it more composed out on the road.

The Prius is only available as a plug-in hybrid now, which should be good for those looking into a company car. There is also a new exterior design and new interior, while the car uses Toyota’s latest Safety Sense Three technology.


What’s under the bonnet?

It’s simple. All Prius models come as standard with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that is mated to an electric motor and a 13.6kWh battery pack. It gives a total power output of 220bhp and 208Nm of torque. Acceleration is also better than it was before taking 6.6 seconds to do the 0-60mph sprint compared to 10.7 seconds in the old car and the top speed is 109mph.

When driven carefully, Toyota claims an electric driving range of up to 53 miles and CO2 emissions have dropped to just 12g/km.


What’s it like to drive?

This new Prius really is an impressive car out on the road, not only does it look good everywhere it goes, but you can have fun in the process. The steering is direct and precise, and while the skinny 195 profile tyres fitted to our test car didn’t offer that much grip, it was fun nonetheless. No matter what model you go for, the ride is comfortable and smooth and the suspension does a great job of ironing out those larger bumps.

What lets the Prius down is rear visibility which is poor, to say the least. Its thick C-pillars and lack of rear wiper make it even harder to see in wet conditions. Also, the standard e-CVT automatic gearbox is fine for pottering about town, but as soon as you pick up speed, the engine screams into life with the gearbox artificially altering the gears to make the experience less groany, but it still was a little loud from time to time.

How does it look?

Throughout its generations, the Prius has retained a sober and anonymous look with its boxy shape. However, this new model really is a striking piece of design. Its low-slung body and sloping roofline give the car a much sportier presence and the side profile features a large curvaceous crease in the side sill. Plus, hidden rear door handles give the car a sleeker and three-door-like appearance.

At the front, there are C-shaped front headlights that curve around from the bonnet to the front grille and you can get the Prius in some cool exterior colours such as Lunar Shadow (blue) and Mustard (yellow).

What’s it like inside?

Inside the Prius, you’ll notice a similar design aspect to the larger bZ4X SUV. It uses the same jet-fighter-styled instrument binnacle and smaller steering wheel which gives the driving position and sportier feel.

The dashboard layout is simple yet stylish and there are plenty of cup holders and compartments dotted about the cabin to cater for your personal items. Also, Toyota still uses physical buttons for its climate control settings which is a major plus point when it comes to user-friendliness.

However, look a bit closer and you’ll notice that the interior plastics are fairly hard and brittle and don’t reflect in a car that costs nearly £40,000. Furthermore, space in the back is at a premium for those over six foot tall as the cool-looking body eats into headroom – but there are ample amounts of leg and knee room, though.

Also, the boot space is smaller than it was in the old car by as much as 75 litres, standing at 284 litres. The space itself is fairly shallow and not very commodious for its size either. Rivals from South Korea such as the Kia Niro have bigger boots and are more spacious in the back.


What’s the spec like?

Toyota offers the Prius in two simple guises of trim and no matter what version you go for, there is plenty of standard equipment to keep everyone happy.

We are driving the entry-level Design which comes in at £37,315 and includes features such as keyless entry and push button start, automatic headlights and wipers and a 12.3-inch multimedia touchscreen with navigation.

Move up to the Excel grade for an extra £2,640 at £39,955 and it boasts 19-inch alloy wheels, an electrified tailgate and heated and ventilated seats.

Verdict

Toyota has really pulled it off with this new generation of Prius. Not only is it great to drive, but it also looks good, too. Its plug-in hybrid powertrain is efficient and smooth and while it may not be the most practical car in its class, it is one of the best.

The interior plastics do let it down a bit and it’s a shame that we’ve had to wait so long for it to arrive, but we are very glad that Toyota did decide to import one of its most famous nameplates on British soil and for that, the Prius should continue into the firm’s future as one of its most successful models.