Toyota Prius Review – Evolution of Toyota’s Iconic Hybrid
If you want a car that puts environment-friendliness and fuel-efficiency above everything Toyota Prius is for you. Toyota Prius is the most successful hybrid cars of Toyota. It is now produced in many countries. Many used Prius cars are exported to different areas of the world and suggest an environment-friendly ride.
Toyota Prius was launched in 1997. It is the first mass-produced hybrid car in the world. It has sold over 90 markets with Japan and the United States being the largest markets. Toyota has expanded Prius family and now Prius C, Prius V, and the Prius plug-in hybrid are the members of the Prius family.
The name “Prius” is a Latin word that means “prior” or “previous”.
• First Generation (1997-2003)
The first generation of the Prius was launched in 1997 as the first production car in the world with a hybrid system. It was equipped with an electric motor and a specially designed VVT-i 1.5-liter gasoline engine. This hybrid system was able to balance the power according to the driving conditions.
The Prius managed to reduce the energy loss by a mechanism that stopped the engine when in idle. The regenerative braking system continued for energy saving by converting the kinetic energy into electricity when braking and decelerating the car. The new model could accommodate five passengers. The design of the car featured a large cabin, a centrally located instrument panel, a relatively tall body, and short overhangs.
The driving performance of the Prius was comparable to gasoline-powered cars. However, it made significant improvements in terms of fuel efficiency and the Co2 emissions were reduced impressively.
The Prius was awarded the new car of the year award in 1997.
• Second Generation (2003-2009)
Toyota Prius was completely redesigned for the second generation.
The new Prius was launched as a 5-door hatchback instead of the semi notchback 4-door sedan in the previous generation. The interior space was increased significantly with expanded rear-seat legroom and luggage room. The new version was more environment-friendly than the previous one. The width, wheelbase, and body length were lengthened by 30 mm, 150mm and 135mm, respectively. The rear end panel was inset with a transparent window to improve rear visibility.
The Toyota Hybrid System was upgraded to THS II from the THS used in the previous generation. The engine boosted its revolution speed and the motor increased its output. Also, the fuel efficiency level improved which was greater as compared to other levels in the world. The Prius also came equipped with many worlds’ first technologies including the Intelligent Parking Assist system, the Steering-assisted vehicle stability control system, power steering systems, and an electric inverter-controlled automatic air conditioner.
- Third Generation (2009-2015)
The third generation Prius was launched in 2009. It featured plenty of features. It had slightly higher body dimensions than the previous generation. The new Prius featured an improved engine and enhanced electric motor that resulted in improved fuel efficiency at higher speeds.
There were no major design changes for this generation.
- Fourth Generation (2015- Present)
The fourth generation of the Toyota Prius was launched in 2015. It featured a more aggressive appearance than the previous generation. The new model offered a combination of excellent fuel efficiency and superb performance.
The fourth-generation Toyota Prius focuses on ride comfort. The materials were adjusted for the cushion pads and their thickness to make the ride more comfortable the long drives. In addition, different switches on the steering wheel were zoned accordingly to function support comfortable and safe driving with less eye shift.
The new colors have been added contributing to the beauty of the Prius. These colors include Emotional Red, Thermo-Tect Lime Green and Steel Blonde Metallic.
The quietness during driving has improved with the suppression of engine noise and vibration. High-performance soundproofing and absorbing materials have been used for the engine bay walls to keep the engine noise from entering the cabin.
Different safety features have been included to improve safety performance. It has been done by the adoption of Toyota Safety Sense and the latest GOA passive safety body.
