Toyota Prius

Toyota Prius review

The latest version of the hybrid hatchback is even greener than before, emitting 70g/km of CO2 and returning up to 94.1mpg

The 2016Toyota Prius  marks a major shift for the hybrid hatchback: it moves onto a new set of components that will underpin many Toyota products in years to come.

The new parts bring a more sophisticated chassis set-up than the existing car’s, with the aim of making it a more interesting drive than its efficient, but fairly anodyne predecessors.

However, the emphasis is still on remarkable fuel economy and low CO2 emissions, and the new Prius has taken a significant step forward. According to official government figures, it emits an impressively low 70g/km of CO2 and is capable of 94.1mpg.

The Prius gets a new version of Toyota’s hybrid powertrain, which mixes a 1.8-litre petrol engine with electric motors that are powered by more advanced batteries. The petrol engine produces 97bhp while the electric motor puts out 71bhp.

This new car looks different inside and out; the front gets more dramatic headlights and complex surfacing on the bumper while the side profile is helped by a blacked-out C-pillar that’s designed to create a ‘floating' roof.

The rear has clear cues from the recently launched Mirai fuel cell vehicle, meanwhile, including the deep crease above the back wheels, tall tail-lights and a spoiler integrated into the hatchback glass.

What’s the 2016 Toyota Prius like to drive?

Our first test of the car came as part of a strictly speed-controlled convoy run over two laps of Fuji Motor Speedway in Japan. Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive propels the car quietly away from a standstill on battery power, with just a subtle hum from the electric motors.

The new Prius is designed to spend more time on battery power rather than relying on the petrol engine; that helps to tease out more fuel economy. At higher A-road and motorway speeds the combustion engine kicks in, and most of the time its arrival is almost seamless.

Toyota has tweaked the power delivery to provide more linear acceleration; if you press the throttle hard you hear less of the engine’s buzzsaw drone as it revs, although this trait – which was more pronounced on the previous car – hasn’t been eradicated entirely.

Three driving modes – eco, normal and power – are available at the press of a button on the centre console; normal is best suited to most types of driving. Power mode is supposed to introduce more throttle response, but the difference felt minimal over our short test.

Of course, this car’s unique selling point isn’t its performance – and driving a Prius in an over-enthusiastic manner traditionally plays havoc with the fuel economy – but the Toyota is definitely more composed during cornering than before, steering fairly precisely and cornering in a neat, flat manner.

The brakes, too, have been improved, providing a more progressive and ‘natural’ feel that was somewhat corrupted by the regenerative braking system on the old car. The ride of the previous Prius could feel harsh and fidgety over uneven roads; Toyota’s claim of an improvement brought about by new rear suspension felt accurate on a smooth race track, but we’ll require a more thorough test on UK roads to fully assess the changes.

What is the Toyota Prius like inside?

Toyota has been focusing on simplifying its dashboards and the Prius continues that trend, with a huge slab of gloss-black finish and an infotainment display mounted in the centre of the fascia. There’s a digital instrument panel, colour head-up display and an air-conditioning system that recognises which seats are occupied and adjusts itself accordingly. Higher trim levels get an inductive charging pad for a smartphone.

The gear selector for the Prius’s version of a CVT transmission is mounted on a near-vertical surface at the bottom of the dashboard, freeing up space between the front seats. There are useful stowage spaces throughout the cabin, which can seat five people even more comfortably than before.

The shift to the new platform has reduced the height of the top of the bonnet by 620mm, allowing more light into the cabin and providing better forward visibility for the driver. The feeling of spaciousness is accentuated by increases in front and rear head room, while all passengers benefit from more supportive seats.

The battery that powers the electric motors has been shifted even farther under the rear seats, freeing up 56 litres of extra boot space in the boot compared with the old car and providing a total capacity of 502 litres. The rear bench splits 60:40 for more load carrying space. This is also the first Prius to be rated for towing, with an unbraked capacity of 725kg.

Should I buy one?

A starting price of £23,295 puts the Prius up against a wide range of efficient petrol and diesel vehicles from Toyota’s mass-market rivals, but few cars equipped with a combustion engine can match its astonishing low emissions and that means it should continue to appeal, particularly for company car drivers who would stand to pay 9% benefit-in-kind tax at the 2015 rates.

It’s a case of small gains in lots of areas as opposed to a revelatory leap in any one, but given the success of the Prius it shouldn’t be a surprise to discover that Toyota hasn’t deviated too far from the popular template.

The Prius range has been revamped to appeal to company car drivers, and comprises Active, Business Edition, Business Edition Plus and Excel trims. Prices start at £23,295 for the Active trim and rise to £27,450 for the Excel.