Category: Small Family 
Price Range: £18,370 to £22,130
Low emissions, fuel economy, low running costs, eco-friendly image, well-equipped, roomy cabin.
Advanced technology still not that well-proven, complex controls, CVT transmission only.
May be too much of a leap of faith for some as yet, but this is the (not too distant) future of family motoring.
It'll take a while to get used to the Prius; the sequence for the keyless ignition process, for example, is less than intuitive, and the foot operated parking brake takes a bit of getting used to.
Some of the controls are not initially obvious; a lot of buttons are clustered on the steering wheel (air-con, audio controls, phone etc.), and there are unfamiliar functions on the gearshift lever (B, for engine braking and to boost the regenerative braking).
But otherwise, all-round vision is good, even looking rearwards through the split rear screen and around the thick front pillars, the driving position is excellent and the touch-screen displays are thoroughly user-friendly.
The electric power steering feels a little imprecise and artificially-weighted at low speeds, but is much better once you get going; it's direct and responsive, and inspires fast cornering. The chassis and suspension are not set up to be excessively sporty, but draw a good balance between comfort and precision, and despite the height and shape of the Prius, body roll and wallowing is well controlled. This shows that clean cars don't have to be dull and worthy.
The 1.5-litre, 76bhp petrol engine is more powerful than that of the previous Prius, and has more torque (now 85lb ft). On its own, it would struggle to propel a car this size - but with the assistance of the 50kW electric motor, which adds the equivalent of an extra 67bhp and 295lb ft right from the low end of the rev range, it delivers 0-60mph in 10.9 seconds and feels as quick as a 'normal' 2.0-litre, and as torquey as a large diesel.
The CVT clutchless gearbox is responsive and surprisingly intuitive, allowing you to rev hard for spirited acceleration yet changes up sensibly for quiet, high-speed cruising. The fully-electric mode (low speeds around town) won't get you away from the lights first, but it's more than adequate - as well as emitting no nasties and being absolutely silent.
Latest Readers' Drives About the Toyota Prius
wrote on 01 02 2007
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