EV Reviews

That's the lure of hybrids and the reason why cars such as Toyota's Prius is so attractive to green-tinged and fuel-conscious buyers. But are they the be-all and end-all of personal transport?

When Toyota released the Prius hybrid the green debate was in its infancy and climate change sceptics poured scorn on this radical newcomer, but the debate is now driving our choice in cars and the just-replaced second generation Prius has become an option for environmentally aware used car buyers. For many years now we've had laws to limit the emission of unburnt hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and nitrous oxides, the stuff that causes smog and leads to all sorts of health problems, but those gases are only part of what comes out of the tailpipes of our cars. The bulk of what is emitted is carbon dioxide, now better known as greenhouse gas and blamed for causing global warming and climate change. While it's possible to effectively control hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and nitrous oxides by treating the exhaust gases before they enter the atmosphere the only way to cut carbon dioxide is to reduce the amount of fuel burnt. Enter hybrids like the Prius that reduce our reliance on the petrol engine, and therefore the amount of fuel burnt, by combining it with an electric motor. MODEL WATCH Toyota launched its first generation Prius hybrid here in 2001 with claims it would cut fuel consumption by 50 per cent and tailpipe emissions by 80 per cent. In 2003 it followed up with the improved second-generation model and claimed it would better those numbers. Driving a Prius was a completely new experience, one that was mostly silent. Silence was something the Prius driver had to come to terms with because there was little of the noise they'd become used to with cars over the decades. The front-wheel drive Prius five-door hatch used a combination of a small 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and an electric motor for motivation, and depending on the driving circumstances, one or both could be in use. When at rest, at traffic lights or wherever the Prius comes to a halt, there's an eerie silence as neither motor is running. When it comes time to move off the electric motor does the work, it's only when more acceleration is called for that the petrol motor starts and joins in to help out. Once a cruise is reached it's the petrol motor that does most of the work, as it's at its most efficient when running at a steady speed. At that time the electric motor becomes a generator and feeds the system's batteries. Energy is also harnessed during braking and that's also fed into the batteries to keep them charged. The Prius drives smoothly at all times and the changeover between petrol power and electric motivation are seamless. Best of all the driver can observe what's happening with the drive courtesy of an energy readout in the dash, which informs them of the energy being consumed, or better still, that being stored for future use. While the primary aim of designing the Prius was to be frugal and environmentally friendly, Toyota didn't do it at the expense of the driving experience. The Prius was a good car to drive, quiet and smooth with decent performance in traffic and out on the highway. When pitted against the clock it would match a Corolla for acceleration. If the focus was on the hybrid drive system there was also all the features you could want in your daily driver. It came standard with climate-controlled air, cruise, remote central locking, immobiliser, power windows and mirrors, and six-speaker CD sound. The I-Tech model boasted all of that plus a six-stacker CD, leather trim, nine-speaker sound system, reversing camera, and sat-nav. IN THE SHOP Driving a Prius effectively links you to a Toyota dealer, as they are the ones with the knowledge and equipment to service and repair it. The hybrid technology is still relatively new and hasn't flowed on to local workshop level yet. There is some concern about the life of the batteries used in the Prius, for good reason, as they are expensive to replace at around $4000. That said, Toyota says they will last the life of the car, and better still the company says it has only sold a handful through its spare parts service in the eight years the Prius has been on the market here. Because of the complexity of the Prius it's best to adopt a cautious approach when thinking of buying one second hand, and have it checked by a Toyota dealer to make sure all is well. Apart from checking the operation of the hybrid system make the usual checks for crash repairs and regular servicing. IN A CRASH The Prius was packed with all the safety features going. It has dual front airbags, and seat belt pretensioners standard, plus head airbags and side front airbags in the I-Tech. For active safety there was ABS antiskid brakes, brake force distribution, emergency brake assistance, and traction control, but if you stepped up to the I-Tech you also had electronic stability control. AT THE PUMP While the Prius is primarily about reducing greenhouse gas emission owners are keen to point out its fuel-saving virtues as well. But the amount of fuel you save with a Prius is very dependent on the type of driving you do. The more stop-start city driving the more fuel you will save; the savings out on the highway where the petrol engine is used more are much less. Tests of a Prius by carsGuide in 2005 showed that around the city the hybrid would comfortably do 4.1 L/100 km, whereas out on the highway it would run in the high-fives and wasn't any more economical than a small four-cylinder petrol or diesel car. LOOK FOR . Deafening silence . Smooth driving . Low fuel bills . Complexity beyond local mechanic . Comfortable and roomy . Environmentally friendly THE BOTTOM LINE It's not a gimmick, the driving future is here, but it isn't cheap and it is yet to be fully proven over the long term. RATING 80/100

The debate over the future of motor vehicle drivetrains swings between hybrids, hydrogen and alternative fuel technologies. Toyota has put all its short-term eggs in the hybrid basket; although its hydrogen fuel-cell program is well advanced but for now, the Japanese giant has the petrol-electric hybrid Prius as its main green machine, with the Camry to follow shortly. Its Lexus brand has a number of hybrids in the range; both brands have the aim of a hybrid model within each model range. The keys for a top-spec i-Tech have been flung our way - the top-spec version of the hybrid weighs an extra 50kg, accounted for by extra gear. The i-Tech gets the leather interior, a sunroof, the radar cruise control, an auto-dimming rearvision mirror and the touch-screen that controls the satellite navigation, displays the image from the rearview camera and dictates terms to the JBL sound system. The lack of a normal spare - which may well concern those who cover great distances - also contributes to the weight loss, substituted for a re-inflation compressor system with a leak-sealing fluid. Shutting the doors gives the impression of a lightweight construction - a ping rather than a thud - and the plastics, while being made of "green" plant-based materials, feel a little cheap. But the aforementioned features, as well as climate control, mean there's no shortage of gear on offer for the occupants. It's comfortable without being plush, with room for four adults without too much discomfort, parents and a couple of kids won't have too many issues. Something that isn't overly useful at this time of year - but will no doubt be a god-send come summer - is the solar panel ventilation system. The panel sits in the rear section of the roof and runs a secondary ventilation system to reduce temperature build-up when parked - but I still wouldn't leave a dog in there. The main climate control system also plays a part in remote car-cooling team, as it can be remote-activated to fire up the A/C before you get in the car. Driving The first-time hybrid driver may well wait quite a while after pushing the start button before taking off - the centre display has all manner of powertrain graphics but it's the small "READY" light you'll need to watch for. The newest incarnation of the Prius seems more eager, with plenty of punch from the petrol electric drivetrain. The new Prius also seems more intent and content using the electric-only side around town, resorting less to the petrol engine than its forebears. There's no tacho, only the speed (also on the heads-up display on the windscreen ) and the transmission lever, which also has the B function to provide more engine braking for better energy regeneration. Drivers looking for maximum grunt will welcome the Power button, which more readily provides full outputs. Normal mode offers a good all-round drive pattern, with smoother transitions between the petrol and electric side of the drivetrain. Toyota claims an ADR combined (and urban) figure of 3.9 litres per 100km - dropping to 3.7 on the open road. During our time in the Prius iTech the trip computer told us our best leg was just over four litres per 100km. Our overall average - which was predominantly metropolitan work, where the hybrid system gets the most benefit - was 5.4 litres of 95RON PULP per 100km at an average speed of 32km/h. Ride quality was a little rugged from the Bridgestone low rolling resistance rubber, which run at around 40psi, with the suspension keeping half an eye on body control but mainly leaning towards ride comfort. Anyone looking to Toyota for a five-door hybrid sports-coupe will have to wait a little longer (and look to Lexus). Neither brand has a handle on radar cruise control yet, with the Prius using the Lexus system that won't hold a set speed downhill without another vehicle to trigger the radar. The hybrid drivetrain works a little harder at maintaining a set velocity but it's still not up to Europeans. The driver will also have to get used to the split rear window, which can be a little disconcerting in traffic. It's good for parking - when you're not being lazy and letting it park itself - but it does prompt the odd double-take looking rearward. The $53,500 i-Tech, which also features cool LED low-beam and rear tail lights, boasts about $10,000 worth of extras for the $6600 price hike, according to Toyota. It's a large chunk of cash for what it a small car - but it will test the water on just what price consumers are prepared to to pay for frugal, greener motoring. TOYOTA PRIUS i-Tech Price: from $53,500 Engine: Petrol - 1.8-litre DOHC 16-valve Atkinson cycle four-cylinder. Electric - series/parallel 100kW full hybrid, AC synchronous 650-volt permanent magnet motor, 201-volt nickel metal hydride battery. Transmission: Electronically controlled continuously variable transmission, front-wheel drive. Power: 73kW @ 5200rpm. Torque: 142Nm @ 4000rpm. Performance: 0-100km/h 10.4 seconds. Fuel consumption: 3.9 litres/100km, tank 45 litres. Emissions: 89g/km.

Hybrid or diesel? It's one of the burning questions of 2009. Rival carmakers each claim to have the perfect answer to the green question of the new millennium, but they can’t both be right when one is trumpeting the economy and efficiency of diesel and the other says a petrol-electric hybrid is the only way forward. So we put them to the test. The contestants We lined the latest Mini Diesel up against the all-new Toyota Prius and put them through their hoops in the real-world disaster zone of commuter travel. To keep thirst and belch low, the Prius relies on switching over to its electric motor – partly charged by capturing regenerative braking power – whenever practical, while the Mini uses an efficient diesel system and stop-start technology that switches off the engine when you’re stationary. And they both do impressive figures on a test cycle. The Prius III’s 1.8-litre engine claims official figures of 3.9L/100km for urban and combined driving, and 3.7l for highway running, with emissions pegged at 89gm/km of CO2. Mini D carries a 1.5-litre diesel engine that also posts an official figure of 3.9l/100km combined - rising to 4.7l in city driving and dropping to 3.5l for the highway - but emits 104gm/km, But a laboratory test is a long way from the stop-start grind of an average Australian workday run. So how would they perform in a series of nightmare commuter runs through Sydney’s peak hour traffic into the CBD? We asked two colleagues to do a couple of commutes in each car, driving in their normal manner, restricting their trips to the work runs and noting their fuel consumption and impressions. Northern trips From Narabeen, Simon Fuller has a commute of about 35km, and takes just over an hour to cover it on average. The two round trips he did in the Prius through morning and afternoon peak hours resulted in an average fuel consumption of 4.6L/100km. Being totally city driving, that’s naturally a bit above the official combined figure, but a fairly economical result for peak hour travel. The same trips in the Mini came in at 4.9l/100km - just 0.2l above the car’s claimed city figure, but with the higher price of diesel a more expensive commute. Southern trips From Oyster Bay, Brett Houldin also travels about 35km and takes just over an hour. His two round trips in the Prius resulted in an average fuel consumption of 4.5L/100km, while his Mini consumption finished at 5.3l. So it seems the Toyota hybrid can ward off the bowser challenge from the Mini diesel. But if you’re going to spend long hours in a car, a great fuel figure is not the whole picture. Fuller on the Prius City driving at any time around peak hour means that there is plenty of stopping and starting in your drive. The Prius’ sluggish take-off but sensitive brakes made this an interesting practice, but this wasn’t too hard to adapt to. And once the car is moving, it has no problem getting up to the required speed. The steering was a pleasure and the turning circle was impressive. But when the electric motor is in control on slow-speed inclines-such exit ramps out of car parks - there is a tendency for the Prius to stop and roll backwards. I learned to put my foot down on the accelerator a lot harder than would feel comfortable in most cars. However I liked the radar cruise control. I didn’t have to brake or accelerate as the speed of the car in front changed. The radar would detect the Prius getting closer to the car in front, brake, and then resume speed once there was sufficient room again. Not sure how much I trust a computer-driven car, but it certainly was fun. As was the parallel park assist function. Once you have lined up a spot to park in, all you have to do is brake as it reverses and steers for you. For many people, the excellent fuel consumption might make it a significant factor in their car choice. If these were priced in a lower price range, I think they would be a lot more appealing. Overall, the Prius was roomy, reasonably powered, and feature packed. But there was no sense of pleasure in the driving. It lacked the feel that a keen driver would be looking for. Houldin on the Prius It’s small and sleek, but powerless. My first reaction - a lawn mower. It was hard to adjust to such a different car from my usual V8 offroader, and that was obvious each time I took off from the lights. But once you got up to around 30km/h, the car was very comfortable and enjoyable to drive around the city, manoeuvrable and easy to control. I enjoyed the positioning of various buttons and the ease of driving. Having the odometer in the middle was at first annoying till I used the illuminated ‘heads-up’ display - this is a fantastic addition. My biggest complaint was the location of the back spoiler. It seemed to be in the way every time I wanted to look through the rear-view mirror. But overall, a good city car and very economical, so it suits its purpose. Fuller on the Mini I was surprised at the spaciousness of the cabin, and felt an immediate sense of excitement at the interior-bucket seats, retro-styled gauges, aircraft-like control switches, two-panel sunroof … it looked like this car had it all. The engine has the hollow burbling noise familiar with diesel engines, but with the doors closed and windows up, you'd have no idea it wasn’t a petrol motor, until you use the accelerator. The distinct difference is the torque that this little beast has to offer compared to a similar sized petrol powerplant. It's definitely not lacking. The clutch and gearbox feel solid and are both easy to adapt to and very smooth. Gear ratios probably couldn't be much closer to perfect either. The steering is firm, and it handles well. There was an initial abrupt reminder that the engine switches off when stationary after you shift into neutral. Not yet trusting the system, I just touched the clutch pedal and the engine fired back up, and very quickly too. The Mini also coped well with a peak-hour commuter’s dread in a manual-stretches of stop-start-crawl on a twisty uphill road. The Mini makes this a piece of cake, with the hill-hold feature kicking in every time you come to a rest while facing uphill, making take-offs so easy and never needing the handbrake. And it used just under half the fuel of my regular vehicle, a turbo four-cylinder Mazda. Houldin on the Mini The manual is annoying in heavy traffic, especially when it turns off during idle. I found the suggested gear change interesting, mostly because it suggested changing before 2000rpm-this is obviously how they claim such low consumption. Very rarely did I get it into sixth gear around town even when it suggested it at 70km/h. But this car is really fun with a go-cart feel. It sounds like many other diesel engines - and this one was similar to an old Herbie. There is plenty of power for a small car and it’s very zippy around the city, but you tend to not focus on how fast you’re going when the gauge is in the middle of the dash. And the mesh cover on the sunroof is basically useless. It should have been solid. But overall it handles very well and you’d recommend it to anyone looking for some basic thrills with minimal running costs. Fuller’s choice The Mini for sure, because although it has great economy and is better for the environment than most cars, it manages to not compromise the driving experience, and still has plenty of power to boot. It's got better visibility and not so many features that I probably wouldn't end up using, like the parking assist. Houldin’s choice I’d buy the Prius, mainly because I know my wife loved it and it’s the type of car she would drive more than me. It had some awesome techno features that were equivalent to a top of the market car. But if I wanted a car just to fang around in, no question - the Mini. Toyota Prius Price: From $39,900 (Prius) to $53,500 (Prius i-Tech) plus on-road costs Engine: 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol plus electric motor Outputs: 73kW at 5200rpm and 142Nm at 4000rpm (engine); 60kW (motor); net power 100kW Transmission: Continuously variable transmission, front-wheel drive Economy (official): 3.9l/100km combined and urban, 3.7l/100km highway Economy (on test): 4.5l/100km urban, averaged Mini Cooper D Price: From $33,750 plus on-road costs Engine: 1.6-litre four-cylinder diesel Output: 80kW at 4000rpm and 240Nm at 1750rpm Transmissions: Six-speed manual or automatic, front-wheel drive Economy (official): 3.9l/100km combined, 3.5l/100km highway, 4.7l/100km urban Economy (on test): 5.1/100km urban, averaged

Meet George Jetson’s new car. It may not fly, but the Nissan Leaf runs entirely on electricity, can automatically charge itself without having to plug in and will send its owner a text message when it’s fully charged. The 95 per cent production-ready electric vehicle was unveiled at the official opening of the company’s global headquarters in Yokohama. While bristling with technology, the Leaf looks like any five-door small family hatchback; even less radical than the Toyota Prius hybrid. The only telling feature of the streamlined hatch is the blank looking front since there is no radiator grille. It doesn’t need one as the electric motor has less cooling requirements than an internal combustion engine. Nissan Australia senior corporate communications manager Jeffrey Fisher said the Nissan EV would go into production next year and be available in Australia in 2012. He said the vehicle was 95 per cent production ready, so most of the sleek design and interior computer graphics will be retained in the production version. Nissan product planning chief Andy Palmer said the Leaf would be “the same price as a similar C segment car” plus the cost of the battery. “We haven’t decided on the final price yet. We will lease the battery but the cost of operating the vehicle will be less than a similar C segment vehicle. The Leaf is powered by a front-mounted synchronous AC electric motor designed and developed in house and delivering 80kW of power and 280Nm of torque. The 24kWh capacity laminated compact lithium-ion battery pack is housed under the floor so it doesn’t compromise cabin or cargo space. It consists of 48 slimline modules comprising four flat cell batteries, rather than conventional cylindrical batteries for more efficient cooling. Nissan battery pack design chief Sadao Miki said the lithium-ion batteries developed by Nissan are also lighter, more compact, cheaper, more reliable and have a longer life. The batteries are made in Japan by Automotive Energy Supply Company which is a joint initiative established in 2007 with NEC. The car has a range of about 160km on the open road without airconditioning and about 20 per cent less in the city. It can be recharged off 240-volt mains in eight hours or 80 per cent charged on special quick charge “pumps” in about 30 minutes. A small pop-up section of the nose underneath the Nissan badge has two sockets for the mains or quick charge plugs. Three blue lights on the dashboard indicate charging progress with all three lit when full. The thin battery pack is located under the floor providing a flat interior floor and smooth air-flow under the car, reducing aerodynamic drag. Nissan EV spokesman Toshimi Abo says the Leaf will be backed by a global data centre that integrates satellite navigation and the internet to ensure the car is always charged and available for use. This includes a display on the car’s satnav map that shows the maximum range of the vehicle for the current state of battery charge and the location of recharging stations within the range radius. It also features a timer function which will start the car’s airconditioner or battery charging at a specified time. The air-conditioner can be programmed to cool or warm the cabin to a set temperature while the vehicle is being charged so that it doesn’t drain the vehicle's battery. Charging can be set to start at a specified time at night to benefit from cheaper electricity rates and can be programmed and monitored by mobile phone or the internet. A text message can be sent to the driver when the battery is fully charged and the vehicle is ready for use. Nissan Motor Company Australia managing director Dan Thompson said they had already held discussions with all levels of government about a range of incentives that would help convince motorists to go electric. “The states have been the most receptive,” he said. “Three years (before the electric car arrives) seems like a long time, but to get the infrastructure in place it isn’t. Thompson said they would also talk to companies such as shopping centres, cinema chains, fast food outlets as well as service stations about installing battery charging infrastructure. “We’ll talk to any business that wants to keep people longer at their business,” he said. Thompson said they would target fleet sales first, then private buyers. On Friday, Journalists were given a one-lap drive around the company’s Yokohama testing ground in an electric Tiida test vehicle which features the same drivetrain platform as the new electric vehicle. The little hatch was noticeably quieter, smoother and more torquey than the petrol model. While it doesn’t pull as smartly off the line as some hybrids, it has a linear power delivery. Steering feels heavy and the car turns in a little slow thanks to the 150kg extra weight. However, that weight, which is mostly due to the 300kg battery, is placed low and central, and with a lighter motor than the petrol engine up front, it provides an almost 50-50 weight balance. There is no engine compression effect, so it doesn’t slow when you take your foot off the accelerator. It therefore requires extra braking coming into corners, an issue with which drivers will have to become familiar.

Prince Charles drives a Toyota Prius. Patronage by Britain's green prince tells you everything about where Toyota's eco-warrior has been, but nothing about where it is going. Prius III, which hits Australian showrooms next week, has advanced from a social and science experiment into a real car for real people. Hollywood celebrities will still drive one to prove they care, and Charles Windsor is almost certain to upgrade, but the world's largest carmaker plans to convert more than 300,000 ordinary owners from more than twice as many countries as the old model was sold. The biggest change to the Prius is well hidden and shows important new thinking - it is effectively twinned with the Corolla and RAV4. Sharing platform parts with the compact super sellers has cut costs for the Prius, but also made it into a real car with a no-excuses driving experience. Pricing The price for Prius III has risen a little, starting at $39,900 and topping at $53,500, but value is better with the basic car even picking up a heads-up instrument display, keyless entry and start and seven airbags. The top-line i-Tech model is really loaded, with everything from a solar-powered ventilation system - to reduce cabin temperatures when the car is parked - to an automatic parking system, pre-crash safety package, dynamic cruise control and LED headlamps. Drivetrain The real work has gone into the basics, as the petrol engine has grown to 1.8-litres, the hybrid system is 90 per cent new - and smaller with dozens of fresh patents - and total power is up by 100 kiloWatts while fuel economy is officially 3.9L/100km with CO2 emissions of 89grams/kilometre. "Our philosophy is that we can take a complex project and achieve a simple, elegant solution. The essence of this is that nothing is difficult; there are just people who make things difficult," says the chief engineer of the Prius, Akihiko Otsuka. He is in Sydney for the Australian press preview and happy to talk about everything from the 1000 engineers who worked on the car to the need to focus on a better driving experience. "Customers told us they wanted more performance. We also improved fuel economy by reviewing the entire vehicle design, especially the aerodynamic characteristics." In the engine room it meant a complete lack of drive belts - and electric air-con, power steering and water pump - while drag was reduced to 0.25, a figure currently only matched by the new Mercedes E- Class coupe. Weight has risen a little but changes include eco-plastics in some areas, a bigger boot, more space for three adults in the back seat and three driving modes, from electric to a genuine power setting. Appearance and packaging The design of the new Prius looks almost identical to the outgoing car, until you put them side-by-side. Then the new car looks more adventurous and trendy, not just around the re-shaped nose but even in the side profile where the highest point of the roof has been moved back to give more head space in the cabin. Market and sales The third-generation Prius will never be a big seller in Australia, just 4500 cars a year, but it has already ignited renewed interested in hybrids and triggered a lot of diesel-versus-hybrid comparisons by European brands which have put their green eggs into the turbodiesel basket. Toyota touts the overall efficiency of its hybrid system, as well as the heavy fumes from 'evil diesel' cars, which produce more than 35 times as many oxides of nitrogen fumes. It predicts tighter European emission standards will quickly tip the balance away from diesel power in favour of hybrids and smaller petrol engines. "Companies such as Honda, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Ford and even Ferrari are embracing hybrid technology," says Otsuka, leaving out Porsche from the companies currently committed. Prius III also points to Australia's first upcoming local hybrid, the Camry, which will adopt a similar Hybrid Synergy Drive system and undercut the hybrid flag bearer on price with more space. Toyota Australia believes the new Prius will win buyers from all sorts of other cars, and not just people who want to fly the green flag. "They're concerned about society and the environment, yet they are interested in more than just fuel economy," says Toyota Australia's head of sales and marketing, Dave Buttner. "Everything in their lives is a subtle statement about what they stand for. They'll shop at local markets and recycle everything, but they're not eco warriors. They have the latest gear, such as an iPhone and iQ, but they're not tech nerds." The biggest test for Prius III will come when Honda launches its born- again Insight next year, with a price advantage that could be as much as $10,000. Toyota believes it will have the edge on size and with a more-sophisticated hybrid system, but says it is happy to have more companies pushing the hybrid drive. Driving Finally, the new Prius is a hybrid you can enjoy driving. Prius III is still not a sports car, but it has genuinely compliant suspension, good cornering grip, and a power pack with real punch. It's still hybrid super-quiet, and you can dribble around the parking lot in silent electric stealth mode, but put your foot down and the electrically-boosted 1.8-litre engine gives a surprising kick. The hardest thing about driving the Prius briskly is overcoming the belief that you should always put economy first in a hybrid car. Fuel efficiency is still one of the prime objectives, along with lower emissions, but the way the latest Prius goes is good enough to satisfy most regular drivers and it has the right size and cabin space for regular Australian families. It is easy to dip below 6L/100km in everyday driving, even pushing along, and a Sydney commuter run this week in heavy traffic returned better than 4.5L/100km without doing anything special. It takes a while to adjust to the controls, particularly the way to use the constantly-variable transmission, and the steering is never much better than wooden. But it is rewarding to sit at the lights with a zero energy drain, and move away under electric power, just like the earlier Priuses. The difference with this Prius is the way the engineering team has turned it from a real-world laboratory experiment into a worthwhile compact family car. It's not as sharp as a Mazda3 or Ford Focus, but feels as good to drive as a Honda Civic or Hyundai Elantra. That could be faint praise, but it is praise for a car which is still focussed on everything from low-drag tyres to a slippery body and a powertrain that even uses electric air-con, power steering and water pump to cut any parasitic drag on the engine. The first-generation Prius was an oddity, the second generation Prius was effective but unrewarding. There is a lot to like about Prius III and very little to complain about. Some people think the car looks too much like the previous model, the steering column does not have enough adjustment, the press preview cars in Sydney this week had some mis-matched plastic in the cabin, and the vacuum fluorescent digital gauges look cheap with pixelated graphics which are sub-standard for the car and class. But those are only little things in a Prius which is now one to recommend as a car, and not just a green statement machine.  

It is really a matter of horses for courses. What may seem a terribly desirable thing to consumers in one market is going to leave those in another wondering what the fuss is about. The three bar heater that seems indispensable to the good citizens of Gnome, Alaska, will simply gather dust in a shop window in Bangkok. And that brings us to the Smart Fortwo. As clever as all get-out in the alleyways of Rome or the backstreets of Paris the little two-seater micro-car elicits less enthusiasm in a wide brown land. It is not that the ideas are any less clever nor the solutions any less elegant it is just that there is less opportunity to be struck by them. We have long been a closet fan of the Smart concept — much the same way as one would be a fan of Morris dancing ... there is a certain skill involved but you don't want to actually do it yourself, or let others know that you do. Drivetrain The latest Smart close encounter has been with the so-called MHD (that's mild hybrid drive) which really isn't a hybrid at all — at least not as we know it. The Smart MHD has no electric motors to help it slip quietly away in the mornings, no battery packs soaking up regenerative power from the brakes or pouring additional urge to wheels as the workload increases. What it does have is a button marked Eco and a nice green light on the dash to make drivers feel good about their efforts to save the planet. That Eco button does have a function. It engages the stop-start capability of the MHD's dual-mode starter/generator and battery to shut down the three-cylinder, 1-litre naturally aspirated engine as the car is braked to a halt and restart it when the foot is lifted off the brake pedal. What the off-again, on-again engine means to the environment is a claimed saving of six percent in fuel use — down to 4.7L/100km on a combined cycle — with a similar saving in emissions (112gms of CO2 per kilometre). For a petrol car they are pretty impressive figures, until you remember that to move the same number of people as any other small sedan you need to use twice as many cars. Body, fit-out and equipment And that is probably what makes the Smart such a niche vehicle. It is a selfish car. There is nothing gregarious about it. Heading off for a game of golf? It's you and your golf bag on the passenger seat. Going shopping? Don't plan on taking a passenger because they are going to have to walk home as an average family shop fills the Smart to overflowing. The Smart is about satisfying very particular personal needs. There is no arguing that the car's tiny 2.7-metre length opens up never-before explored options for parking while the fuel-sipping economy is a wallet saver. It is also one of the better cars in the market for ease of entry and exit. The upright stance makes the seat height/hip relationship very suitable for joints that may not move as well as they once did. Interior space is also good. That may seem a strange statement given the criticism of the car for its selfish nature but head and shoulder room in the square passenger compartment is surprisingly generous. There is nothing flash about the car's interior with a small dash display for the speedo, a clock and tacho in two individual pods on top of the dash and materials that are tactile and pleasing. The seats are supportive and with enough range of movement to get a reasonable driving position from the fixed steering wheel. Driving The biggest surprise is just how adequate the performance of the Smart is. With just 52kW of power and a meagre 92Nm of torque it would be fair to assume that the little city car would struggle. It doesn't. While a 13.3 second 0-100km/h time is not the stuff of excitement the combination of the engine and five-speed automated manual transmission is good enough to handle most needs that arise in city traffic. The changes are not particularly smooth, especially if the manual selection is used and the engine run out to its peak performance range around 5000rpm. Ride quality on the 15-inch wheels is reasonably well controled through the McPherson strut front end and DeDion rear axle with coil springs and telescopic shock absorbers. As good as it is it can't completely isolate the tall body and relatively short wheelbase and narrow track from the laws of physics. On the open road the claimed maximum top speed of 145km/h is not something any sane person would want to explore but the car will cruise quite comfortable at the speed limit. However, getting away for the weekend will pose its own problems. With two people on board the luggage space is — well, restricted. There is a narrow bin behind the seats into which one could squeeze a soft sports bag and suitbag or a couple of briefcases. The bottom line A clever concept but as awkward in Australia as a carnivore at a vegan party. Rating: 70/100

But it is about to land in Australia at the same time as it’s running headlong into an economic storm and a sales slump in the US. With global sales of the hybrid pioneer tumbling in economic hard times and falling petrol prices, the Gen III Prius is about to land in Australia. In North America alone, sales of the current car for the first three months of this year totalled just 24,277, about the same number sold in a single month last year. With the official launch of the car set for July, Carsguide this week had an early opportunity to get at close quarters with the radically changed yet still instantly recognisable Prius. In a short drive of the new vehicle, it was obvious designers and stylists had been hard at work — and less obvious just what the engineers had been up to. Inside, styling changes are obvious to anyone who has previously driven a Prius. The driver now sits in a defined "cockpit" space with a floating centre console supporting the gear lever and buttons to select Power, Eco or EV. The other big changes to the interior are greater headroom for rear seat passengers — the result of shifting the high-point of the roofline further to the rear to accentuate the car's wedge styling — and better knee and leg room from a redesign of the front seats allowing for greater scalloping in the seat back. Drivetrain The Prius still has to make do with the carry-over nickel-metal hydride batteries from Prius II which means the full electric vehicle range is still restricted to about 1.5km at under 40km/h before the petrol engine fires up to take over propulsion and start the recharging process. The new 1.8-litre engine lifts power by 16kW to a peak of 73kW with 142Nm of torque. With an additional 27kW available from the electric motor the Prius III can get from 0-100km/h in a respectable 9.9 seconds and when carefully managed the company claim of 3.9 litres per 100km fuel economy may well be achievable. Pricing and fit-out Toyota is not giving away any clues as to pricing, only saying the car will be competitive — presumably with Honda's Insight which, while delayed into next year, is expected to reach the market at about $30,000. Exact trim levels are also being kept close to the chest although it seems certain that there will be at least two levels offered with the higher grade car winning optional extras such as LED headlights, heads-up driving display and satellite navigation. A world-first air conditioning function offers the ability to turn on a three-minute burst of battery powered air-con remotely from the key fob without needing to start the engine. Also aimed at the Aussie summer is the Prius III's 36-cell solar moonroof — which provides 59 watts of fan power to recirculate hot air out of the car after it has been sitting in the sun. Driving A redesign of the rear suspension geometry has the dual outcome of increased boot space (an extra 30 litres) and greater rear-end stability on a chassis the engineers claim is generally far stiffer than the outgoing model. It is a claim that had to go untested on this week's short drive but there is no doubt the new model has a better turning circle and steering that feels far more direct and connected than was previously the case.

You can't really get around it. There are others, from the original Honda Insight to the Civic hybrid and even the upcoming Porsche Cayenne and Panamera, but Prius was and is the benchmark. Right? Given the fact that the fuel-sipping Toyota was the petrol-electric trailblazer and kicked off the hybrid movement some 10 years ago, it has definitely earned its place in automotive history. Now, the car's third generation is here and it looks, well, much like the old one. But there is good news too. The all-new Prius is faster, handles more like a regular car, gets better mileage and employs higher-quality materials. It is going to face much tougher opposition, especially from a born- again Insight that looks a lot like the Prius and will be pitched lower on price, but the Toyota headliner is still the car being used to push the one million-a-year hybrid attack by the world's largest carmaker. Size wise, the new Prius is pretty much the same as before. It's just over one centimetre longer and sits on the same length wheelbase as before. The exterior design is a safe evolution of the current wedge- shape and is marginally slipperier through the air. But then you don't buy a Prius to admire it in your driveway. You buy it to make a social statement. Final pricing for the car has not been set for Australia, but the aim in the USA is to have it at $25,000 and to convert even more people than the greenies and movie stars who have already made it a hit _ particularly in California, where it is allowed in the car pool lane with only the driver at the wheel. "It will be here in July," says Mike Breen of Toyota Australia, confirming the timing but not the price or equipment levels. "It will be competitively priced. The specifications are different from the US, and there are a couple of things we get that the Americans do not, and they make a difference. They make a difference to the vehicle and as a result they have an impact on the pricing." Breen definitely rules out the Japanese plan to run the new Prius alongside the old one, to give a price fighter to combat the new Insight. "We are not going to run the old with the new. The market will not sustain the new generation and the old generation being sold simultaneously," he says. He admits it was considered, but rejected. "We are selling a Prius. But we keep an eye on all our competitiors." Driving Sitting in the tight new cockpit, I fire up the engine _ or at least push the start button to engage the silent electric motor. Power is up from the outgoing 1.5 litre's 57kW to the new 1.8's 73 at 5200 revs, with 142Nm of torque at 4000. Total power including the electric motor comes to 100kW, and there's an extra 27kW from the carryover nickel-metal hydride battery pack. No, the latest and greatest lithium-ion batteries are not yet in the picture for the Prius. A new front transaxle reduces power losses by up to 20 per cent and is now gear-driven to reduce friction and includes a reduction gear as well, meaning it can run at higher revs and make more power. The employment of the Atkinson cycle 1.8-litre engine is the main reason why the new car achieves a claimed 5L/100km economy, an improvement around five per cent Gently depress your right shoe and you can creep away in stealth mode _ or EV mode, one of three _ at up to 40km/h traveling up to 1.5km before the engine cuts in. Other modes are Eco, which most drivers will use, and Power for those who want quicker merging speeds on highways. The new hybrid might be over 40kgs heavier than the predecessor, but it still turns better and accelerates harder thanks to the new THSII hybrid system which helps it sprint from zero to 100km/h in 9.9 seconds. Using a feather throttle in my short 80-kilometre test around the perimeter public road surrounding Toyota's Fuji Speedway, I managed to move into the 4L/100km range. So Toyota's numbers are right on the money. The bottom line? The new Prius feels less like a hybrid and, well, more like a Toyota. More like a Corolla. Thanks to beefed-up torsional rigidity and revised suspension, there's better straight-line stability and braking response while the brake pedal does not suffer from that spongy feel of past regenerative brake setups. Its electrically assisted power steering has better weight and feedback when you steer into a corner, even though the predominant response is minor front-end push. It also gets a telescopic steering wheel which makes it easier to adjust and find the ideal driving position. Inside, Toyota has moved the fuel display and economy guage to the top of the dash in easier view. You also get a heads-up display which reflects in the lower section of the windscreen but in plain view to keep you up to date with your speed. Unfortunately, however, the driver's seat feels cramped due to the intrusion into the driver's knee and leg space of the rather thick and cumbersome centre console and dash. The Prius will impress many with its technological tour-de-force construction and better handling. But you still have to ask if the economy and so-so handling are enough to pinch buyers from diesel hatchbacks, without relying on the feel- good factor of a benchmark green purchase.

They won’t all be bearing the Prius nameplate – a Hybrid Camry is on the way, and will start rolling out of Toyota’s Altona plant in Victoria next year. But the Prius — the world’s first mass-produced petrol-electric hybrid vehicle — continues to do well here, with 9,300 Australian sales in 2009 showing sales are still improving year on year, and providing a solid base for the third generation Prius due here in July. Drivetrain As we all (should) know by now, the Prius uses what Toyota calls Hybrid Synergy Drive technology which utilises the benefits of its petrol engine and electric motor for optimum efficiency. The petrol engine is used for power in the high speed range and the electric motor uses its spontaneous high torque from rest. The petrol engine cuts out when the car is stationary, or under low-demand conditions like downhill driving and coasting. A regenerative system also captures energy from the brakes and stores it as battery charge. The Prius – and the Camry that will follow it – can drive for short distances on electric power alone, and the four cylinder DOHC petrol engine alone creates 57kW at 5000rpm and 115Nm at 4000rpm. Maximum output for the hybrid system adds another 25kW to 82kW. An electronically controlled continuously variable transmission gets power to the front wheels. Toyota claims that using the recommended 91 RON unleaded fuel will result in an impressive 4.4l/100kms. Exterior The Prius bob-tailed body has become something of a signature shape – and that has been a handy marketing ploy for Toyota in spreading and raising the profile of the car. So they’ve never mucked around with that, and this soon-to-be superceded second generation was merely dressed with body coloured bumpers and multi-reflector headlights, plus 15 inch alloys, a rear spoiler and a rear bumper skirt to give it a sporty touch. Interior Inside, the Prius is minimalist and mildly space-age, with a centrally positioned digital speedo and distinct lack of clutter. Otherwise there isn’t too much that sets it apart from other mid-range models in the Toyota line-up, with a tilt adjustable multi-function power steering wheel, power windows and mirrors and cruise control standard on the Prius. Map pockets, door pockets a decent centre console and cup and sunglass holders give it ample room to stow away travel nick knacks. Safety Earning itself a five-star ANCAP crash test rating, the Prius safety feature list is impressive and includes a comprehensive airbag package, ABS, electronic brakeforce distribution, brake assist and traction control. Pricing The second generation Toyota Prius is priced from $37,400. The Prius i-Tech which adds a six-stacker stereo, leather seats and wheel, Bluetooth, a satnav and vehicle stability control costs $46,900. Driving The Toyota Prius is an important car. It effectively kick started the whole hybrid/green sector for motor vehicles. Now 12 years old, the Prius was launched in 1997 in Japan and has effectively been the only mass-produced Hybrid up until last year. It is also possibly the only example of a significant technology that has not had its roots on the race track. It goes against the old adage that what you see on the tracks this year you will see on the streets next. This year sees the reverse with the introduction of KERS or Hybrid technology to formula One. Driving a Prius can be both fun and frustrating. The silent take-off is still novel. The Energy Monitor screen, if you leave it on, will make you either drive conservatively or annoy the hell out of you if you are accelerating up a hill. It just shows you how much you are draining the battery and the tank. The driving experience is not too different to any other medium size Japanese car. It is extremely competent and whines under acceleration. It is simply a good car with excellent packaging. It is just too expensive….. And very boring to look at. I can’t wait for the Tesla. Summary – good, ground-breaking, important. I just don’t want one