The 2010 Toyota Prius Reviewed
Deliveries of the all-new 2010 Toyota Prius started nationwide on May 27, and I got to take it on a spin tonight. The previous model (2004-09) had sold almost one million units in the US, and over one million in total worldwide.
Styling: Almost the same as before, but there’s not a single screw on the car that’s the same. The wheels on the base model aren’t as ugly anymore.
Seats: This is the biggest improvement. The seats are now a lot more comfortable. They adjust in more directions, and the steering wheel now telescopes. Headroom is at least one inch better. The result is that the seating position has gone from very bad to pretty good. It still isn’t a BMW, but the improvement compared to the 2004-09 model is dramatic.
Instrument panel: Completely different. Not sure it’s any better, but it’s different. I really liked the instrument panel in the 2004-09 model, so in my view this is at best equal.
Sound insulation: Big improvement. The 2010 model is more insulated from road and wind noise. The doors feel more solid, and there are fewer squeaks and rattles. The car simply feels heavier and better screwed together. It’s significantly quieter.
Driving experience: The gasoline/electric/transmission mechanics feel smoother, and are clearly more powerful. Technology is a wonderful thing, and five years worth of development clearly shows — this is like getting a new laptop or a new Blackberry. There is noticeably more torque, which means that it’s materially faster and will now yield better fuel economy when driven fast or on long uphill
stretches.
Performance: Despite being noticeably more powerful, fuel economy has been improved from 47 MPG to 50. When you drive faster than 65 MPH, the difference compared to the 2004-09 model should be even greater.
Major gimmick: This is the first car on the market where solar cells on the roof drive the air conditioning. This means the car is kept cool when it’s parked in the sun. Of all gimmicks I have seen, this one has some real utility!
Bottom line: This is a very significant upgrade over the outgoing 2004-09 model, especially for those who are tall and who are doing a lot of fast freeway driving. As much as I like diesels, for now I pronounce this my favorite modestly sized car available for sale in the market today.
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