2016 Toyota Prius hybrid

The Toyota distills everything it learned about the hybrid system in the all-new Toyota Prius which has been completely redesigned for the 2016 model year. It is sensible, thriving, and has become refined over years. The Powertrain is quiet and refined as well. Coming to the exterior design, it still looks a bit controversial and the purists are skeptical about it, but they have improved in the overall exterior design over the years, but it turns out to be a perfect package for people who want to save the ecosystem by reducing pollution. Moreover, it challenges some other compact hybrid cars like Ford C-Max and Chevrolet Volt. 

The Toyota Prius is available in six different trim levels and the Two eco model is the best value for money trim among all those It uses a 1.8-liter inline 4 with electric motors that work underneath to enhance the acceleration in the initial stage. Although you do not get a choice of the manual transmission and have to make do with the CVT transmission, it is a compromise you can make if you need a more fuel-efficient car. The Toyota also puts all sorts of safety features one would need in a compact car and the Four touring trim is the one that does not lose out on any of the safety features, it also gets an intelligent infotainment system. 

We Recommend:

We recommend the two eco variants for their fuel efficiency and economical cost. It only costs you an additional $500. It is the right blend of practicality and fuel efficiency. If you are after something more than basic and more luxury and safety options, then opting for the Four touring unlocks some additional luxury interior and exterior features with more Safety that comes in handy. The top trim would cost you around $30,000 which is quite a bargain considering the fact it offers a lot more features than you’d expect.

The 2016 Toyota Prius comes equipped with a peppy 1.8-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine with electric motors across all the trims. The Electric motors boost up the initial acceleration. It comes paired with a standard CVT transmission, which keeps the engine in the right gear at all times and allows smooth gear shifts. The 1.8-liter engine is however tuned to deliver more fuel efficiency and therefore the compromised performance, it puts out 121 horsepower and 105 pound-feet of torque.

 Moving on to the performance figures, the 0-60MPH run in the Prius takes 9.7 seconds which is the slowest in its class. When it comes to quarter-mile time, it manages to do a quarter-mile run in 17.4 seconds and goes all the way to a top speed of 110 mph which isn’t adequate enough for people who seek engaging driving experience. The other drawback seems to be the lack of a manual gearbox for the inline 4 engine.

Albeit having a smaller inline 4 engine, the Chevrolet Volt makes more power than the Toyota Prius, it puts out 149 hp and 294 lb-ft of torque which is on par with the segment. However, the top speed is similar to the Toyota Prius which has a bigger 1.8-liter NA inline-4 engine. The most astonishing thing about the Ford C-Max is the power output. It is more powerful than the other two cars by a substantial margin and it produces 188 hp and 129 lb-ft and it clearly reflects in its performance as it turns out to be the fastest hybrid car in its class.

This is where the Toyota Prius comes into its own. Delivering World-class fuel efficiency is what it is built to do and it does it quite well. The 2016 Toyota Prius’s fuel economy standards are overwhelming and impressive. The Toyota Prius manages to return 54 miles per gallon in the city and puts down up to 50 miles to the gallon on the highway. As a result, it offers a combined fuel economy figure of 52 MPG, which, surprisingly, is a colossal figure. The Prius also comes with a modest 11.3-gallon fuel tank, this is where Mazda manages to edge over its rivals with the larger fuel tank in terms of range. The 11.3-liter fuel tank allows the car to traverse 560 miles in the city and 610 miles on the highway before the next fuel stop.

Among the competition, the Ford C-max and the Chevrolet Volt offer nearly the same fuel economy figures in the city and differ only when it comes to highway and combined mpg. However, the Toyota Prius smashes its rivals in the fuel economy test with a mileage of 54 mpg in the city and 50 mpg on the highway which is a lot more than the other cars. On the other hand, the Chevrolet Volt has the smallest tank of the lot. Hence, the Toyota Prius clearly stands as the winner when it comes to fuel efficiency.

Unlike the exterior, the Toyota has done a fantastic job inside the car. Everything inside the car looks neat and well-appointed. They have managed to bring the best out of a minimalistic and simple design. The instrument cluster is placed in the center of the dashboard so that the passenger can also see the speed and other information of the car. The AC vents are designed so elegantly and premium. On the downside, you can find a lot of hard plastics on the dashboard. 

The gear shift knob is placed in an absurd place but it’s a very clever move. It is so small which makes it look like another button in the center console. It is one of the coolest things you can find inside the cabin. The seats in base trim are made of cloth trim but the higher trims do offer leather bolstered seats that look absolutely premium. The Toyota Prius has a total seating capacity of 5 passengers, which is also the segment standard. While the front legroom has abundant space, the headroom does feel a bit cramped measuring only 39.4 inches when compared to its rivals. In terms of cargo capacity, the Prius sports the largest trunk in its segment measuring 24.6 cubic feet.

In comparison, the front row space of the Toyota Prius and Chevrolet Volt are nearly the same with microscopic differences. However, Impressively the Ford C-Max has the highest headroom, shoulder room, and legroom space overall measuring 41 inches, 55.9 inches, and 43.1 inches in the front, respectively. Some of the interior standout features are:

• Digital Display
• SofTex Seat Trim 
• Urethane Gear Shifter Material
• Front Center Armrest and Rear Center Armrest
• Day-Night Rearview Mirror

How intuitive is the 2016 Toyota Prius Hybrid’s infotainment system?

The Toyota Prius comes with a seven-inch touchscreen display which also features a navigation system. It also has an energy monitor feature for a versatile user experience. The system is quite user-friendly and would not take much time for the customers to get used to it. It gains a six-speaker sound system, a head-up display, wireless device charging, and the Entune app suite. Standout infotainment features are listed down

• Smart Device Integration
• Apple CarPlay
• Android Auto
• Navigation System
• CD Player
• Wireless Cell Phone Hookup

The 2016 Toyota Prius gets a complete makeover for 2016 and its looks and design cues of the car are polarizing, some would like it or some would not. The headlights are sharp and sleek with projector lights in the center. The front grille is so slender which reminds you that it’s a hybrid car. The Toyota logo on the front is surrounded by blue paint which adds to the looks. It uses the conventional body shape of the Prius with a few tweaks to it.

 The taillights however are not as good as the headlights. It doesn’t grab much attention. However, it has an upside, it weighs the lightest in its segment weighing over 3000 lbs. Furthermore, it has decent exterior proportions and dimensions. It measures 178.7 inches long, 69.3 inches wide, and 58. Inches tall. It also happens to have the highest wheelbase of 106.3 inches. Nevertheless, ground clearance is not available for the Prius.

Among the competition, the Toyota Prius and Chevrolet Volt have identical wheelbases, but the difference in the measurements and curb weight explains how the automakers have utilized the space and weight balance. The lightweight nature of the Prius gives us a hint as to why it has such good fuel efficiency figures. The Ford C-Max also has a ground clearance of 5.5 inches, whereas the ground clearance of the other two cars is unknown. Standout exterior features are

• Light Tinted Glass
• Variable Intermittent Wipers
• LED Brakelights
• Body-Colored Power Heated Side Mirrors

oyota never really compromises when it comes to the overall safety of the car. They have given equal thought to safety as well. The NHTSA gave the Toyota Prius a full five-star overall safety rating, and it also gained the title of ‘2016 Top Safety Pick+’ by IIHS. The safety scores of the car make sure that it is very strongly built and durable. Some of the outstanding safety features include:

• Side Impact Beams
• Low Tire Pressure Warning
• VSC Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
• ABS And Driveline Traction Control
• Back up camera

The new Toyota Prius definitely lives up to expectations in many aspects. It is the only car on the road to offer tremendous mileage figures. It is one of the most eco-friendly compact sedans on the market right now. The interior looks pretty amazing but there are negatives too. To start with, the engine is a bit lazy and doesn’t really want to go fast until the top end and the design of the car could have been better. It sure looks distinct but it isn’t so appealing to all. Otherwise, it is such a nice car and delivers oodles of range. With the Prius, long journeys are not a fuss anymore. If you want a compact car that delivers refined performance and unbelievable mileage figures, the 2016 Toyota Prius is definitely the one for you.