All-new for 2009, the third generation Toyota Prius is bigger, cleaner and more economical than its honourable ancestors. We have just spent a week using a Toyota Prius i-Tech, the topline variant, as a family car, and have come away mightily impressed with most aspects, though concerned about the inevitable compromises in a vehicle like this.

Let's start talking about the fuel consumption, because that's the number one reason for owning a Prius. Low consumption automatically results in low carbon dioxide emissions. Measured to Australian standards on the combined fuel consumption cycle, Toyota Prius has the impressive figures of just 3.9 litres per hundred kilometres when CO2 emissions are only 89 grams per kilometre.

However, in real life driving conditions we ran figures that were a fair bit higher than that low consumption number. Steady motoring at around the speed limit on freeways saw best results of 4.6 litres per hundred kilometres. Around town the number lifted into the low to mid fives. For some reason hybrid cars, not just Toyotas, show up exceptionally well in laboratory testing, but don’t always deliver on the road.

 

We should point out that fuel consumption in the 4.5 to 5.5 litre bracket is impressively low for a car of this size. We should also say that turbo-diesel models that are specifically skewed towards the economy end of the spectrum have similar fuel numbers. And achieve this without having the complexity of two engines, two fuel tanks and the technical equipment to interconnect the pairs.

The strong torque characteristics of the combination of electric and petrol power mean that the Prius moves off the line smartly, climbs hills with no real hassles and can overtake reasonably well. The continuously variable transmission works nicely and by its very nature the transmission is always in the right gear at any time. And that ‘right’ gear can be any one of hundreds of offer – clever stuff!

The suspension has a slightly harsh feeling at times, one that's exacerbated by Aussie back roads that have seen better days. That may be partly due to the economy, low-rolling-resistance tyres which are a necessary part of a package in a car that's aimed at economy above all else.

 

Handling is safe and predictable, though far from sporting in its nature. Again, the economy tyres come into play and road grip starts to deteriorate at lower speeds than an equivalent car in which the handling/economy/comfort equation leans more towards the centre of the graph. You don’t get anything for nothing in this world...

The styling of the latest Prius is sleek and futuristic and gained lots of attention, both on the road and when we were stopped in carparks. Most people love the shape, and particularly admired the solar roof on our i-Tech test car. This panel is there to generate electricity to power fans that extract hot air from the interior when the Prius is parked in the sun. It works nicely and our car was noticeably more comfortable on hot days. Naturally, keeping the interior cool when parked also takes a load of the air conditioning when you do start to drive off. Every little bit helps.

As is often the way with a windscreen that sweeps a long way forward, the big A-pillars on the Prius created visibility problems for the driver at times. This was most noticeable (pun intended!) on winding country roads, but sometimes also created hassles in traffic.

Prius is larger than ever before, with significant gains in interior volume. Interior room is roughly halfway between that of the Toyota Corolla and Camry/Aurion. There's good legroom in all seats and the rear compartment can handle three adults, though it really would be better left to two and a child. Headroom in the back seat has been significantly improved by a roof that holds on to its flatter shape for longer than before, not sweeping down to the tail until it's almost at the head space above the seat.

Boot space is up, now 446 litres instead of the 416 litres of the just superseded second-generation Prius. That's partly because of the larger overall size of the car, but a redesign of the rear suspension means it takes up less space under the floor.

The battery provides more ‘fuel’ than before, yet has been trimmed down in its physical size. It's now possible to drive the Prius on electric power alone at slow speeds for up to two kilometres. This is great for getting out of an underground carpark without emitting any harmful gases, or simply reducing noise to neighbours as you depart early in the morning. It could also be useful for creeping quietly home late at night...

Toyota Prius comes in two models, the standard car is priced at $39,990. The Prius i-Tech we road tested sells for $53,500. That extra outlay buys you some fascinating features. We have already mentioned the solar panels on the roof. The Toyota can reverse park itself automatically without the driver having to touch the steering wheel. If you want to reverse the car yourself you get added visibility by way of the rear-view camera. Then there's air conditioning that can be turned on remotely from outside the car, and radar cruise control to make open road driving more relaxing.

Leather trim gives an air of real elegance to the Prius i-Tech and combines surprisingly well with the futuristic theme of the car.

MODEL RANGE
Prius 1.8-litre petrol/electric hybrid four-door sedan: $39,990
Prius i-Tech Pack 1.8-litre petrol/electric hybrid four-door sedan: $53,500
(Statutory and dealer charges have to be added to these prices.)

FEATURES
ABS Brakes: Standard in both models
Air Conditioning: Standard in both models
Automatic Transmission: Standard (CVT) in both models
CD Player: Standard in both models
Central Locking: Standard in both models
Cruise Control: Standard in both models
Dual Front Airbags: Standard in both models
Front Side Airbags: Standard in both models
Stability Control: Standard in both models
Traction Control: Standard in both models

SPECIFICATIONS (Prius 1.8-litre petrol/electric hybrid four-door sedan)

ENGINE:
Capacity: 1.798 litres
Configuration: Transverse, four cylinders in line
Head Design: DOHC, four valves per cylinder
Compression Ratio: 13.0:1
Bore/Stroke: 80.5 x 88.3 mm
Maximum Power: 73 kW @ 5200 rpm
Maximum Torque: 142 Nm @ 4000 rpm

DRIVELINE:
Driven Wheels: Front
Manual Transmission: Not offered
Automatic Transmission: Continuously Variable
Final Drive Ratio: 3.267:1

DIMENSIONS, WEIGHT AND CAPACITIES:
Length: 4460 mm
Wheelbase: 2700 mm
Width: 1745 mm
Height: 1490 mm
Turning Circle: 10.4 metres
Kerb Mass: 1370-1420 kg
Fuel Tank Capacity: 45 litres
Towing Ability: Not recommended for towing

SUSPENSION AND BRAKES:
Front Suspension: Independent, MacPherson struts, L-arms, anti-roll bar
Rear Suspension: Semi-independent torsion beam, trailing arms, coil springs, anti-roll bar
Front Brakes: Ventilated disc
Rear Brakes: Disc

PERFORMANCE:
0-100 km/h Acceleration: 10.4 secs

FUEL CONSUMPTION:
Fuel Type: Electric/Petrol 95RON
Fuel Consumption - Combined Cycle (ADR 81/01): 3.9 L/100km

GREEN VEHICLE GUIDE RATINGS:
Greenhouse Rating: 9/10
Air Pollution Rating: 8.5/10

STANDARD WARRANTY:
Three years/100,000km