The green brigade has further reason to rejoice as Toyota are all set to launch the fourth-generation Prius in India. We were the first to drive it.
The Toyota Prius is the poster car that graces the walls of nature-lovers, polar bear saviours and tree-huggers all over the world. It is a big hit with all those who consider it their duty to be responsible for a greener world and make a statement while they do so. With 3.5 million Prius cars on the road, it is a solid proof that when it comes to displaying your affection for nature, there is no better car than the Toyota Prius. Now in its fourth generation, this best-selling hybrid car in the world has evolved to become more stylish, efficient and greener as compared to the first-, second- and even third-gen Prius. Is it really that economical and green? Well, to find that out, we drove it before anyone else to see how green this eco-warrior really is.
Full of technology, the third-generation Prius was more like an average looking car rather than a vehicle that sets your pulse racing just with its aesthetics. That has changed dramatically with the fourth-gen car we drove. The whole stubby silhouette of the older car has given way to a sleeker and futuristic looking shape that is lower, wider and longer than before. The back end doesn’t really rise as sharply as before, giving the new Prius a more coupé-like look. Besides, the drag coefficient has gone down from 0.25 Cd to 0.24 Cd, which makes it one of the most aerodynamic cars that you can buy.
The cherry on the top are the headlamp and tail-lamp units. Instead of just sticking a pair of lights on either end, Toyota designers chose to integrate the lights within the design of the front and rear itself. Now, that is clever designing; something which might well become the norm in the future when aerodynamics will be as necessary for a car as its fuel-efficiency. The whole style quotient of the Prius has moved up, not by a notch or two but by a whole mile.
Inside, too, the old drab dashboard has given way to a sleeker and sassier looking unit that goes well with the whole futuristic theme that dominates the exterior. It was the quality of the interior that impressed us the most. It has moved up from being just average to quite good. The soft-touch plastics are great and the overall feel is pretty rich. Space is also quite good thanks to the new platform which has liberated more space inside the car; especially the boot, which is now almost 100 litres bigger than before.
