Toyota Prius 3 Review

AutoMotoTV - Learn about the new hybrid car - Toyota Prius 3.

Toyota, the leader in hybrid drive vehicle now launches the third generation Prius while other car makers are still trying to come up with their first model with this environmentally friendly drive technology. We had the opportunity to test drive this hi-tech car from Japan. Toyota has set it's sights high in developing this new generation. Consumption has to be kept below 4 liters per 100 kilometers, the quality to be the same or even better than the former model. Its outfit has changed only slightly. The headlights are now a bit spiffier. The side profile looks more dynamic, the prominent rounded shape of the roof with a high tail end is the same as before. Inside, the new Prius boasts loads of cutting edge technology. The center console has been restyled. Important driving information is now projected onto the windshield. The 1.8 liter gasoline engine now produces 98 horsepower, the electric motor 80 horsepower. Most of the new drive components are more compact, weighing some 20% less than before. Toyota continues to use Nickel metal hybrid batteries. The stronger lithium ion battery pack is something Toyota plans to introduce to the market at a later date. A plug-in version of the hybrid is to follow in 2012. Pricing starts at just under 25,000 Euros.