There are probably two things that concern you the most these days, more so if you’re an urban commuter — alarming levels of pollution and rising fuel prices. When it comes to the former, vehicular pollution is one of the biggest reasons of the choked air we breathe especially in the metros. The auto industry has for a while now been looking at alternate fuel technologies, especially electric to power mobility in India. We’ve seen some electric cars on Indian roads but sadly the infrastructure doesn’t really support their existence. The next best thing then is to go hybrid. Again from mild to strong hybrids we’ve seen car makers introduce various models in the market, but the one car maker at the forefront of it is Toyota. The Japanese car maker launched the Prius hybrid in India half a decade ago, currently sells the Camry hybrid here and is now ready to launch the Prius in a brand new generation. We sampled the car recently at one of Toyota caravan events where the idea is to promote safe and eco-friendly technologies.
Looks
We know the core area focus for Japanese car companies like Toyota is technology and that is evident from simple design of cars like the Corolla and the Camry. But a look at the new Prius makes you believe that designers have done a great job with this car. The boomerang shaped bi-beam headlamps looks very modern and the uniquely styled fog lamps compliment them perfectly. The bonnet and the bumper have also gone for a refresh and it won’t be wrong to say that this is giving some European car makers a run for their money when it comes to design. The profile pretty much remains the same and the rear also retains the signature Prius character. It does hamper the rear view for the driver and takes some time in getting used to.
Interior
Step inside the new Prius and you get into the future. The design, the color tone is something you haven’t seen in India. There’s a lot of light grey on the seats and on the dash and that gives the car a distinct look. The dashboard itself isn’t flat and curves out as it nears the doors and that looks fantastic. There are two infotainment screens, the bigger one is a touchscreen system we’ve seen on the new Crysta and the Fortuner and comes with added info about battery like range etc. The smaller 4.2-inch screen in nicely tucked away in the dash and also gives a lot of info. The steering wheel is nice to hold and has a lot of controls over it. The placement of buttons all over is very nice and the best part is cute little gear lever. The car is slightly longer than before and that means more space for rear seat passengers. Unlike the previous generation the batteries are now placed under the rear seat and that means a boot space of over 500 litres now.
The new Prius will be imported to India which means buyes will have to pay higher taxes.
Engine
The Prius hybrid is a combination of a petrol motor and batteries. A 1.8-litre, 4-cylinder, 97bhp petrol motor does the duty while the batteries add their own 71bhp. It’s a silent start as initially the car starts only on batteries and once you attain some speed, the petrol motor comes into play. A maximum torque of 142Nm is promised on the new Prius. Toyota claims new Prius comes with 10% increase in fuel economy and a 40% increase in thermal efficiency. This means the car may be able to give you upwards of 30kmpl. In what is characteristic of a performance car there are two driving modes — Eco and power; one for better fuel efficiency and one for superior performance.
Ride & Handling
The new based on the company’s Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform. The chassis is 100% rigid now and the centre of gravity has gone down from before. That only means a better handing car than before. Ride quality is also up to standards you would expect and on both the row of seats the Prius gives a plush ride comparable to regular petrol cars in the segment.
Verdict
The new Prius will be imported to India which means it will have to pay higher taxes. It could probably be priced between Rs 35-40 lakh when it is launched in January. This will take it beyond the reach of many but that doesn’t take away from the fact that it is great set of wheels one that is designed for the modern times, in fact a car that’s made for the future. And it doesn’t stop there as Toyota is also planning to adopt hybrid technology for its higher selling sedans and SUVs in India, which only augurs well for the concerns mentioned at the beginning of this story.
Shams Naqvi is an anchor/producer for the News X motor show Living Cars