Review
/5
- Pros:
- Extremely low running costs
- Very practical cabin
- Great in traffic
- Cons:
- Expensive list price
- Ride is quite firm
- Noisy when accelerating quickly
reviewed by Carbuyer
"The Prius is undoubtedly the world's most famous hybrid – and for good reason. It's economical but it's also practical and pretty good to drive too."
At a glance
- The greenest
- 1.8 VVT-i Hybrid T3 5dr
£21,560 - The cheapest
- 1.8 VVT-i Hybrid T3 5dr
£21,560 - The fastest
- 1.8 VVT-i Hybrid T-Spirit 5dr
£24,870 - Top of the range
- 1.8 VVT-i Hybrid T-Spirit 5dr
£24,870
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There's still not too many hybrids on the roads, and even less still that are truly efficient. The Prius is the exception with a CO2 emissions figure that's among the lowest on the road. It all means that you don't have to pay any road tax or the London Congestion Charge and you'll find trips to the petrol station become a rare occurrence. Performance is good too, but this certainly isn't a car for enthusiasts as the steering lacks any kind of feedback.
Drive
Easy to drive and surprisingly quick for an eco offering
The Prius is driven by a 1.8-litre petrol engine and an electric motor for a total of 134bhp – 98bhp from the engine and 36bhp from the motor. On the road, the Prius is quicker to accelerate because of this combination of power compared to a conventionally powered model. Acceleration from 0-62mph takes an impressive 10.2 seconds. The Prius can also be driven for a short time on electricity alone but you have to be careful with the accelerator, or the petrol engine will kick in. As you'd expect from an eco model, handling isn't spectacular but the light steering makes driving around town easy and body roll is quite well controlled.
Comfort
Ride could be a bit softer but refinement is excellent
At low speeds there are very few cars quieter than the Prius, and driving in silent EV mode is an eerie experience. Try and accelerate too hard though, and the automatic CVT gearbox holds on to engine revs too long and can become quite noisy. Due to extra weight created by the batteries for the electric motor the suspension is quite stiff which leads to quite a jittery ride over rough and potholed roads.
Reliability
Hi-tech powertrain has proved itself to be very reliable
The Prius has been around in one form or another since 1997 and the technology has remained much the same. The good news is that since its introduction there has been no reliability issues with the Prius's running gear. There are concerns about the life of the batteries but Toyota claims they are designed to last as long as the car itself. You'll be safe too, with the Prius achieving a maximum five star rating for crash safety, thanks to seven airbags and an array of technology to prevent accidents.
Practicality
Boot is spacious and there's plenty of space for rear passengers
Some hybrids struggle for space because of the bulky batteries intruding into the cabin, but the Prius manages to overcome these issues. The boot is spacious at 446 litres, and can even be expanded to a maximum of 1120 litres with the rear seats folded down. There's plenty of room in the back seats to carry adults too.
Value for money
Hybrid technology makes list price expensive but plenty of kit on offer
The Prius comes in a simple array of trim levels - starting at T3, following on with T4 and topping out with T Spirit. The list price isn't exactly cheap but basic models still receive automatic air-conditioning, alloys and electric windows. T Spirit cars get sat-nav, a reversing camera and the option of a solar panelled sunroof which can heat or cool the car while it is parked. However, with this option ticked, you must revert to the 15-inch alloy wheels that come as standard on lesser models.
Running costs
One of the lowest emitting cars on the road
The Prius may command a high list price, but you'll be making plenty of savings elsewhere. Official combined fuel economy stands at 74.2mpg and CO2 emissions are among the lowest on the road at 86g/km. With both those figures in mind the Prius is capable of travelling up to 715 miles on a tank of fuel and is also free from road tax and London's Congestion Charge.
*Our monthly finance prices are updated on a regular basis, but due to the dynamic nature of the market are not guaranteed accurate. You can always confirm the monthly finance price with FinanceAcar.
