The world’s first mass market hybrid car first went on sale in Europe in 2000. Three years later came the second-generation Prius, and 2009 sees the arrival of the third. During that time power has risen by 30%, while fuel consumption and CO2 emissions have dropped by 23% and 26% respectively. Are you ready for over 70mpg?
Toyota Prius lease prices
Toyota Prius new and nearly new car prices
72.4mpg too thirsty? Well, if you’re good enough you might match the 88.5mpg achieved on a variety of public roads by a journalist on the press launch I attended. More than half saw over 80mpg, although in the real world expect to see mpg in the mid 60s. Couple that with an 89g/km CO2 figure (£0 road tax for the foreseeable future) and the Prius becomes an even more tempting proposition. Furthermore, the new model is priced the same as the old – starting at £18,370 for the T3 rising to £21,210 for the T Spirit. That’s still far from cheap, but a plethora of innovative gadgetry and conveniences plus the prospect of owning the world’s most fuel-efficient family car, as well as one of the better looking, is tempting indeed.
Read the full Toyota Prius T Spirit 2009 road test
