Local is not so lekker with hybrids

You see, as South Africans we haven’t really jumped onto the Eco bandwagon, mostly because there are very few regulations and taxes regarding vehicle emissions, locally. But another area where our government is letting us down, both as consumers and motor manufacturers is in incentives. Overseas countries offer large subsidies for those buying hybrid cars, as these models often cost more than traditional cars.

I’m in the same boat as many South Africans in asking why I should buy a tree-hugging car when I could buy something cheaper, with a small diesel or turbocharged petrol engine and be on my merry way. Hybrids are also seen as a compromise in the performance and drivability stakes; however, that has changed. The BMW X5 hybrid, Volvo’s XC90 T8 and even the Prius, offer a very pleasant driving experience - one that I could live with every day.

Back to Prius

The new Prius is very likely to divide opinion, especially in terms of its exterior and interior design. From the outside it does look rather awkward, with flares and odd surfacing along with very small wheels. All this design work has yielded some fantastic aerodynamics though, better in fact, than the sleek BMW i8.

Interior hybrid

In terms of the interior, expect something ultra-modern, with all the relevant information in the centre console and in the centre of the dashboard. It’s all very well put together and in very many ways it feels like a premium product. I’m perhaps not the biggest fan of the contrasting black and white theme inside, as to me, it looks more Star Wars Stormtrooper-like than an Eco-friendly cruising machine.

There’s also a very well-designed infotainment set-up with commendable graphics, while the information hub in the centre of the dash features things like an Eco display, drivetrain and battery use, speedometer and other vehicle information. I also enjoy the colour Head-Up Display, which meant that I didn’t have to take my eyes off the road to check how fast I was travelling.

What’s it like to drive?

The vehicle makes use of a hybrid system that includes a large battery pack and a 1.8-litre naturally aspirated engine for a combined output of 90kW. Sounds quite dull I know but, it isn’t. I drove the car for a few hundred kilometres and found it to be quite a bit easier to drive than a small turbocharged car. For one, there’s no lag; the electric motor takes care of acceleration off the line, while the petrol motor takes over afterwards. It’s all a very smooth affair and a frugal one at that! When I put some effort in I got consumption down to under 4.0 litres/100km. There are three driving modes, namely: Eco, Normal and Power. I feel that Eco would frustrate during daily use as it dulls throttle response but Normal model is perfectly acceptable, while Power makes the vehicle feel very eager to make progress.

Verdict

The new Prius is certainly a more appealing product; however, its design and interior are an acquired taste to say the least. The most important thing that I gathered from driving the vehicle though, I wasn’t inconvenienced by the fact that it was a hybrid. This bodes well for existing Toyota models that will likely receive a similar set-up and perhaps appeal to our more conservative market. A more in-depth review of the Prius will appear soon when we conduct a road test.

Warranty and service

The new Prius comes with a five-year/90 000km service plan, a three-year/100 000km warranty as well as an eight-year/195 000km hybrid battery warranty. R427 200

Pricing

R427 200