Selwyn Times: September 13, 2016

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SELWYN TIMES Tuesday September 13 2016 31
Driven
Toyota Prius cares for the environment
• By Ross Kiddie
I HAD the good fortune recently
to listen to a speech from Toyota
New Zealand’s managing director,
Alistair Davis.
The subject was global
warming and the effect that is
having on our planet. Mr Davis’
address was fascinating and way
too comprehensive to detail, but
for the fact that the bottom line
is as a global population we aren’t
doing enough to save our planet
from rising sea water levels and
other issues surrounding climate
change.
Toyota as a global vehicle
manufacturing operation is
well aware of the problems our
future generations face, and
are amping up the production
of more fuel efficient and low
emission vehicles, those which
are less likely to contribute to
the problem greenhouse gas is
creating on our weather patterns.
There is no silver bullet to the
issue without a viable alternative
to the internal combustion
engine; that being the case,
Toyota’s production of hybrid
vehicles is reaching new intensity.
Because of New Zealand’s
tiny appetite for new cars
in comparison to the world
market, we don’t see the volume
of hybrids that are leaving the
Toyota factories, but as demand
TOYOTA PRIUS: Major technology boost in new model.
here swells, more and more more radical. Inside, contrasting
hybrids are landing; take for white plastic trim elements are
example, the release of the new striking and while it may sound
Corolla hybrid which will be garish, it works well with the
evaluated in these columns in a purpose of Prius.
few week’s time.
On that subject, the new Prius
In the interim, this evaluation is quieter and far more refined
focuses on the Prius – the car than ever before, the level of
which really started the hybrid sophistication has been cranked
revolution, and for 2016/17 a new up a notch or two. It drives
generation has landed, priced quietly, and for all intents and
from $47,490 to $54,990.
purposes it works much like a
The fourth-generation car standard car. I’ve often said that
shares much of the same
the Camry is my favourite hybrid
basic design and mechanical but the new Prius is on a par,
engineering of its predecessor, you just feel so at ease with the
but it is a far more advanced car, system, and even if you aren’t
and the styling cues are fresh – familiar with the Prius concept,
almost futuristic – and designed the latest iteration will quickly
so that the person who buys Prius win you over.
will make a statement.
The dash and console area
The Prius has always had are new-age, there are a raft of
styling a little avant-garde, but screens and displays, and even
new treatment makes it a lot though it is a complex car, the
controls are intuitive and easy to
locate the display which shows
the the inner workings of the
hybrid operation is my favourite.
And therein lies the ideology
of the hybrid operation. It has
battery power to activate the
electric motor which is initiated
in the first instance; however,
the petrol engine operates
automatically when the electric
motor is under load. The 1.8-
litre petrol engine also provides
the generation needed to keep
recharging the batteries, as well
as some regeneration available on
deceleration.
It’s a complex process, although
in effect it works seamlessly
and efficiently, drive is sent
to the front wheels through a
continuously variable automatic
transmission.
The benefits make a lot of sense
when you take into account the
fuel usage readouts. Between a
long highway drive and a lot of
suburban running around the
test car recorded a 5.2-litre per
100km (54mpg) average.
That’s nowhere near Toyota’s
best claim of 3.4l/100km (82mpg)
on a combined cycle average
but conditions to get usage that
friendly would need to be near
perfect.
In terms of handling, the Prius
feels taut, the newcomer has had
a shift in battery position so it
• Price – Toyota Prius,
$47,490
• Dimensions – Length,
4540mm; width, 1760mm;
height, 1475mm
• Configuration – Fourcylinder,
front-wheel-drive,
1798cc, 90kW, 142Nm, CVT.
• Performance –
0-100km/h, 11sec
• Fuel usage – 3.4l/100km
feels less bulky at the rear, and the
ride isn’t as harsh as I remember
Prius to be. The spring and
damper rates are firmish but not
hard, and that relates to positive
body balance in a corner along
with realistic steering feel.
In the wider scheme of things,
other manufacturers have only
dabbled with hybrid production
while Toyota is forever expanding
the number of vehicles available
in hybrid form. The Prius sets an
example as to how it should work
effectively.
Toyota in New Zealand
recognise the importance of Prius
in our market, even to the extent
of importing pre-owned plug-in
(electric-only) Prius through the
Signature Class operation. It’s
there for those who like the idea
of what the Prius represents but
who don’t relate to the idea of
still relying on petrol as the main
form of propulsion.
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