2016 Toyota Prius review, test drive

Toyota says the new Prius is much better to drive. So just to prove a point, we let it loose on a handling circuit in Japan.

Published on Nov 10, 2016 12:15:00 PM

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Plenty of room in the rear; if you like to be driven.

The new Prius isn’t conventionally good-looking, but you certainly won’t mistake the new car for anything else.

So building confidence is a lengthy process. Strangely though, I find that the harder and smoother I drive it, the better it feels. I was expecting it to metaphorically fall apart when driven quicker, but the Prius – much to my surprise – has a decent balance to it. And though the ESP keeps cutting in and the nose keeps searching, often in vain, for grip, this new car does feel a bit more entertaining to drive. It’s no Tesla though, nowhere near, and though the American electric car isn’t focused on efficiency, I would have liked a bit more engagement from the new Prius.

What I enjoy a bit more, however, is driving back on part throttle, where the rubber-band effect is less, the petrol engine is in a more comfortable place in the powerband and refinement levels are much higher. So in the real world, the Prius should be much nicer to drive; I can’t wait to test the car back home.

Plenty of room in the rear; if you like to be driven.

When we tested the previous Prius, we’d hinted that the best place to be was in the back seat. This isn’t really the case with the new car, because it feels much nicer to drive. But what’s stayed the same is the very practical and usable rear bench, which actually makes the Prius a super car to be chauffeur-driven in. Although headroom is still limited for taller adults (due to the descending roofline above and the battery and fuel tank below), legroom in the rear is generous, and the seat feels nice and supportive.

And what will also get the attention of Indian car buyers, if only as a novelty, is the 40kpl claim. Imagine a full-sized car that can take on the Alto for fuel efficiency; that’s technology and progress for you. Expect the new Prius to be much more appealing when Toyota begins to import it as a built-up unit early next year.