The Prius Toyota remains the most recognizable hybrid vehicle in our path and the pseudonym of the third generation, not only greener and more efficient than its predecessor but also bigger and stronger. In short, the hybrid is more mainstream appeal and becomes a real choice for many family buyers who previously would never be considered as models like this. Let's see how the pile as buy is used.Model
5DR (1.8 VVT-I hybrids [T-Spirit, T4, plug-in])History
Think of a hybrid-powered family car, and you might imagine this one, the Toyota Prius. Launched in 2000, with New Millennium minds turning to improved automotive efficiency, this is the world's largest car show us precisely what it might be. The original version was directly embraced by Eco-Warriors worldwide, which quickly also included Hollywood celebrities and various environmentally friendly politicians when version 2003 of the second generation offered us the concept in a smart, more user-friendly 5-Door form. But it's not perfect. The cab felt smaller than the conventional Mondeo-sized model was priced against, and away from public use, the weak 1.5-liter gasoline engine struggled, fuel, and the CO2 figures are falling behind them from traditional diesel.So in creating this third-generation design, launched in 2009, Toyota has a rethinking. The result is an MK3 model with a 1.8-liter Pokier hybrid machine, the car that Toyota expects to finally be able to offer a viable alternative for the family to a range of ordinary medium models. A car folk might consider buying even if they don't have a Greenpeace membership card in their pocket. At the time it was introduced, it was the most efficient family car of five seats money could buy. In 2012, Toyota also announced a plug-in version, but the price is high, and electricity only ranges relatively limited, so the sale is slow. There is also a Prius MPV + 7 seats – but we discuss it separately.
Conventional production of the third-generation Prius range lasts up to 2015, and early next year, Toyota launched a smart fourth-generation version.
What you get
You will be forgiven for this one third-generation Prius for its predecessor, with characteristics of curved roofs, slab sides, and double back screens. Look a bit closer, though, and the difference becomes more explicit, although this remains one of the slipperiest cars in modern production with the Super-low coefficient of a drag CD 0.25. Most importantly, it's bigger than its predecessor — something that makes the original buyer feel much better about the prospect of spending about £20.000 on one. You appreciate this mainly on the back where the legroom is outstanding, even if you are sitting in the middle. Thanks to HighPoint on the rear roof that has been moved back by 10cm, the main room is also quite good.There's a better boot space than you guessed, too, considering that all the batteries have to sit somewhere. There are 446 liters with all the chairs in place, which is almost the same as you get in the Honda Insight hybrid of this era. And the 1120-liter load area is entirely flat with a seat level – which is a bit less than that Honda has to offer. For valuables, there is also a tray hidden over the spare wheels. On wheels, you are surrounded by a regular Toyota high standard that fits and finishes, with a variety of switches and manage the screen to embed a large amount of information very quickly easily.
What to look for
High-tech models often tend to produce some glitches, but the MK3 Prius model has been very trouble-free, Toyota ironing out some of the quirks that suffered previous models. There are several reports of the model era 2010 using excessive amounts of oil machines, but this problem seems to have been sorted by the car later. We found some owners who have issues with the Infotainment touch screen as well. Moreover, not much. Skinny tires wear rather quickly, and the regenerative brakes take a little familiarize yourself, but instead, as long as you get fully stamped over the history of the service, you should be good. Most of the examples should be very well looked after, but some will be used mainly as urban scoots (they neatly avoid the costs of London congestion) and thus can bear the scarring of life on the streets.Replacement parts
(approx based on 2010 Prius) Relatively affordable spare parts. To give you some examples, you'll see paying around £15 for the drive Belt and either right above or just under £100 for the ignition coil, depending on which brand you choose. If the cap is broken, you will be able to get a replacement just under £120; If it's the front wing you have to replace, it will be around £90. A decent quality Shock absorber will get you back around £150.On the way
If you're one of the new customers for the hybrid concept that Toyota hopes to draw, then there is a slight mental adjustment that is needed once behind the wheel. Press the ' Start ' button round, and the small blue flick lever to D (hybrid is always automatic), and there is... Silence. Your first reaction is to press the button again, but not: this is how it is. In theory, assuming that the battery is charged, this Prius will run on electricity – only a pseudonym at speeds of up to 31mph and will remain in the milk float mode for just over a mile if you select the ' EV ' (electric vehicle) option from the On the left side of the wheel E. It's great if you're in the stop-start of the automotive city. Still, outside the city, the battery life needs a relaxed pace, so you'll soon find other road users in line with the rest of your back. At least the rear window spoiler separation means you won't be able to see them very well.The ability for both the battery and the machine to run separately from each other as well as Tandem is one of the critical things that separates this car from the closest rival to this era, Honda, a bit smaller hybrid model of the five-door Insight. Perhaps more significant is this Toyota using 1.8 of the 1.3-liter gasoline, a 98bhp unit that is 20% more powerful than the MK2 Prius's 1.5-liter unit. Coupled with a more powerful electric motor, it contributes to the combined power output of 134bhp. The result is progress that, although still a little tenser than you would experience from the same powerful conventional gasoline or diesel rivals, is on the open road a massive overhaul on the experience presented by the predecessor This car.
The Daily standard automotive Prius takes place in one of two driving modes – Eco and Power; one soothes delivery power, the other peeks it. Since subjective, there is not much difference between the two, Enviro-conscious Prius buyers will likely leave their cars at the ECO most of the time, with perhaps one eye on an ECO monitor that will hopefully convince them of ' greenness ' ' Their driving style. Like all hybrids, electric motors help the engine when necessary and act as a generator to fill the battery pack when it is not. Regenerative braking, which takes back the energy that will generally disappear when you brake, is an easy way to charge more battery. You can optimize this with snicking that earlier becomes ' B ' rather than a ' d ' while moving. At any given time, the neat energy flow diagram at the top of the dashboard shows what is being filled or driven by what.
This type of high technology, however, comes at a high price, so to keep the Prius relatively affordable, the Japanese engineers have to mix in some low tech as well. One example is the way this car rises on the chassis of the Toyota Mondeo-sized Avensis but does not have a multi-link elastic rear suspension instead of using a simple torque beam set-up. Or the way that the 1.8-liter engine should forget the lifting of the Smart valve variables that give this unit such as the Rev-happy stance elsewhere in the company's model line-up. It still makes 60 from resting at 10.2 s on its way to 110mph, but the result, like a faint bit of steering force, is hardly essential to create a car that will appeal to fans, but then they won't buy one of them anyway. The important thing is that this car offers an environmentally-friendly conscience without sacrificing daily usability. Refinements and footed handling come as bonuses.
Overall
In the pseudonym third generation, the Toyota Prius has finally made a real-world flavor. As a proposition is used, it is a car you can justify buying, even if you are not trying to make some kind of environmental statement. True, it's not cheap but decent value for what you get, especially if you compare prices for high-efficiency diesel rivals with technology that, by comparison, dates back to Ark.With sensible driving dynamics, extensive taxis, and an easy-to-use design, this third-generation model deals with all the shortcomings used to be a Prius part and package ownership, creating an increasingly tricky car To be ignored in the dark times we live in. The Toyota hybrid revolution continues to accumulate speed.
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