(continued from above)
The third-generation Prius was all-new for the 2010 model year, with even
better mileage ratings, enhanced performance, and more innovative design
features than the esteemed second-generation version. The 2011 Prius carries
over with such innovative features as a moonroof with solar panels, four driving
modes, Advanced Guidance Parking System and steering wheel touch controls that
display on the instrument panel.
Eco-Icon
The Toyota Prius
- now synonymous with "hybrid" - entered the market in 1997 as the world's first
mass-produced hybrid. The company's exclusive Hybrid Synergy Drive System was
introduced in 2004 on the second-generation Prius. The Prius helped boost public
awareness for the automobile's role in the environment, specifically putting a
focus on improving fuel efficiency and reducing carbon emissions.
The
current Prius extends its record of continuous improvement in fuel economy. The
first-generation Prius was estimated at 41 EPA combined MPG, and the
second-generation model achieved a 46 MPG EPA combined rating. Using a
combination of technologies, Toyota increased fuel efficiency for the new Prius
to an EPA estimated 51 MPG in city driving, 48 MPG highway and a combined 50
MPG. Mileage is especially improved in cold-start conditions and at higher
speeds.
Hybrid Synergy Drive
The 2011 Prius is built using
processes that reduce emissions in every stage of the vehicle lifecycle, from
production and driving, through to eventual disposal and dismantling years down
the road.
In the Prius, a 1.8-liter Atkinson-cycle, four-cylinder engine
produces 98 horsepower at 5,200 rpm. Together with its electric motor, the
hybrid system generates a combined 134 net horsepower, an improvement of 24
horsepower over the previous generation. Due the unique way that Toyota's Hybrid
Synergy Drive combines the power of the gasoline engine and electric motor, the
driver experiences a feeling of torque in the Prius that makes it feel even more
powerful than the output numbers suggest.
Toyota Prius: Review (2/2)
