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.
Official combined consumption figure is 65.7mpg, and whilst this may not be achievable in real-life everyday driving, it's a huge improvement over any other petrol car. Toyota didn't quite manage to get carbon dioxide emissions down to the magic 100g/km, but at 104g/km the Prius qualifies for a low tax banding (AA) and company car levy for this type of car, and it's exempt from the £8-a-dayLondon congestion charge.
Toyota estimates that even compared to an equivalently-powered diesel, owners can save an average of £1400 over three years on fuel alone, £1800 in company car tax and a total of £3,400, not counting the congestion charge.
Servicing intervals and costs are the same as for the Avensis, and insurance is low at group 7E, thanks to affordable parts and repair prices.
The only question mark is residual (resale) values; Toyota controlled these for the earlier Prius via buy-back schemes, but you're out on your own this time. Still, the eight-year warranty should reassure used buyers, and analysts Glass's Guides predict that it will still be worth 34 percent of new price three years later, in line with 'normal' mainstream competitors.
Used buyers may well be wary of the technology, but there's the reassurance of that warranty. The Prius is not a cheap car to buy, but considering the cost of its development and all the high-tech features it showcases, it's a bargain. And what price the smugness of knowing you're a pioneer of planet-protecting motoring?
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