Toyota Prius Review & Road Test
September 21, 2009 by Matt Brogan
Like all that is more than skin deep, so are the changes found in new Prius
Model Tested:
- 2009 Toyota ZVW30 Prius i-Tech; 1.8-litre four-cylinder, petrol-electric hybrid; CVT, five-door hatch – $53,500*
Options:
- Metallic Paint $350 (Fitted – Silver Pearl)
Improved dynamics, steering and brakes; intuitive features; better performance
Rear vision through split window; positioning of some switchgear; pricing
CarAdvice Rating: 
When deciding on a name for its original petrol-electric hybrid hatch way back in 1997, Toyota chose Prius (from the Latin) to convey its belief that this was the predecessor of all cars yet to come.
While I am sure those of us with a passion for motoring would rue the day our roads were full of Priora (the correct Latin plural for Prius), the humble consumer who values the car as little more than a form of A to B transport would surely celebrate the notion of a Prius lead panacea as being just what the four-wheeled world needs.
If the sales figures are anything to go by, this prophecy may well have come true.
Toyota filed more than 1000 patents during the development of its latest Prius, and though it may seem that these have not one iota of difference has been made to the car’s appearance – a move necessary to retain Prius’ slippery drag coefficient – closer inspection indeed reveals several small changes that, as subtle as they may well be, do distinguish the MY10 model from its less striking predecessor.
Those changes, in my opinion at least, have made this model the best looking Prius to date.
Like all that is more than skin deep, so too are the more highly valued contributions this improved model gains, which have gone a long way towards improving the car’s on-road dynamics, steering feel, braking modulation, and engine performance.
Specifically these changes can be attributed to the car’s newly acquired Corolla underpinnings, which have helped the Prius feel a little more involved and responsive on the road.
Starting at the most obvious facet of these improvements is the revision of the Prius’ electric power steering which has improved notably from the previous model in offering better on-centre feel and firmer weighting at speed to greatly assist in providing a more accurate and communicative feel to the driver.
The chassis too is more responsive to sudden changes in direction with less tendency to understeer, and although weight and a high centre of gravity are still evident, is better complimented by the car’s strut front/torsion-beam rear suspension to provide a sharper, more taut character than before, a move that has made a real difference to the car’s dynamics once out on the open road.
Revised braking sees Prius now house disc brakes on all four wheels (255mm front / 259mm rear) and in doing so has seen a much needed amelioration to the car’s braking capabilities.
Another positive upshot to this situation is an improved pedal feel that is now very direct, almost mechanical, but manages to retain a consistent feel regardless of braking mode or brake temperature, something the Prius’ direct rival couldn’t seem to manage when tested last fortnight.
An increase in engine displacement (from 1497 to 1797cc) has also helped the latest Prius become a little more capable in traffic, thanks primarily to more torque at lower engine speeds (now 142Nm, previously 110Nm), and while off the line the car still requires a little prodding, it is markedly improved from that of the previous model once up and running, say over 30km/h, to afford the little hybrid a level of performance equal to or better than that of conventionally powered rivals.
With the help of a smooth CVT (continuously variable transmission) fuel economy are respectable, but not quite as impressive as those touted in the brochure with a week’s driving (consisting of one or two passengers, 70:30 city/freeway kilometres) returning a combined figure of 4.9 L/100km.
Inside the Prius i-Tech adds quite a number of features over the base model – namely satellite navigation, radar cruise control, a solar-powered cabin cooler, automatic parking and LED headlamps – that in addition to extra rear legroom, and a little more cabin width, have made the five-seater hatch that little more enjoyable, as well as more comfortable.
In keeping with the green theme Prius’ cabin utilises a number of plant-derived ecological bioplastics made from the cellulose in wood or grass instead of petroleum. These natural fibres not only assist in the car’s environmental cred but also offer a more tactile feel while retaining the strength and density required for longevity.
On the freeway Prius is reasonably quiet achieving 71dB @ 100km/h and, with the possible exception of the horizontally split rear window, offers very good visibility all round so as to leave you to enjoy the tilt/slide electric sunroof, heated leather seats, single zone climate control, six CD tuner (with 3.5mm auxiliary input jack housed in the console), radar cruise control, steering wheel mounted audio and climate control switches, Bluetooth mobile phone integration and of course satellite navigation.
Layout and functionality too, for the most part, is simple and logical with Prius’ intuitive functionality making what it a high-tech modern vehicle one that is very easy to understand and use. I would however question the placement of the switches for the front heated seats, positioned under the console in the forward part of the oddments trays, as being awkward and out-of-the-way.
In view of offering all you’d expect of a modern and technologically innovative vehicle the Prius has not made any shortcuts with respect to safety and offers a full array of passive and active safety equipment that includes dual front, side, curtain and driver’s knee airbags as well as electronic aids including ABS with EBA and EBD; ESC and Traction Control as standard kit.
Up the back a covered cargo compartment offers a generous 446 litres of capacity, up 31 litres from the previous model, and also offers 60:40 split fold functionality from the rear seats to expand the availed load area almost threefold if so required.
In providing economical motoring the new Prius is a worthy consideration to the cause and a vast improvement over its replacement, but given the price tag of this particular model grade, noxious emissions aside, I just can’t help but think how many tanks of diesel you’d put through a similarly sized, same spec’ed oiler for half the money. Three-and-a-half out of five.
Ratings:
CarAdvice Overall Rating:
How does it Drive:
How does it Look:
How does it Go:
Road Test the Rivals:
*Pricing is a guide as recommended to us by the manufacturer.
Specifications:
- Engine: 1797cc DOHC four-cylinder
- Power: 100kW (petrol) / 73kW (electric)
- Torque: 142Nm (petrol) / 207Nm (electric)
- Induction: Multi-point / NiMH
- Transmission: Continuously Variable
- Driven Wheels: Front
- Brakes: Discs with ABS, EBA & EBD
- Top Speed: 180km/h (Claimed)
- 0-100km/h: 10.9 seconds (As Tested)
- CO2 Emissions: 89 grams per kilometre
- Fuel Consumption: 3.9 litres per 100km (ADR)
- Fuel Consumption: 4.9 litres per 100km (As Tested)
- Fuel Tank Capacity: 45 litres
- Fuel Type: 95-98 RON Unleaded Petrol
- Euro NCAP Rating: Five-Star (ANCAP Rating TBC)
- Airbags: Dual Front, Side, Curtain & Driver’s Knee
- Safety: ESC with Traction Control
- Spare Wheel: Space Saver
- Suspension: Strut (F) / Torsion Beam (R)
- Cargo Capacity: 446 / 1120 litres
- Tow Capacity: N/A
- Turning Circle: 10.4 metres
- Warranty: Three Year / 100,000km
- Weight: 1420kg (Tare)
- Wheels: Alloy 15 x 6.0-inch
Print it: 
With some good looking alloys, this thing would look much better!
look @ what the Japanese can get as assories for their Prius!!http://toyota.jp/customize/prius/index.html
(click it, I pomises you its good!)
An excellent example of technical engineering. Although a great way to allay environmental guilt, I’m sceptical of the sustainable credentials of this car. So with that in mind you end up with an average performing, average looking, very frugal but excessively priced hatchback.
They’ll probably sell bucket loads of them.
Nice to see they have all the bells and whistles but at that price they’d certainly want to.
$53000+ to feel like you have some enviro cred?
Buy a diesel, get similar efficiency and performance, ability to carry more load and cheaper servicing over the life of the vehicle. Also you will pocket some hefty change!
People are seeing the light and moving to diesel. This is why there are now so many diesel offerings in passenger cars and more in the pipeline.
Prius is an exercise in marketing done well.
The car is very expensive.Diesel cars STINK!.They are ok for the first year or so and then they start to emit black stinking smoke,yes even the premium brands like Audi and Mercedes Benz.
There should be a hefty environmental tax on all diesels!
As for hybrids,they still have a long way to go before I’m convinced,if ever!
Diesel yes stink and smoke here Australia. In Europe the sulfer is much lower no smoke no stink. Other options instead of diesel is from Audi VW and Skoda the TFSI engines. Very good torque at low rpm like Audi 1.4TFSI 92kW, 200Nm between 1500 and 4000 rpm, combine fuel economy 5.8L/100km.
Not sure why you think they stink. Perhaps you are sucking on the exhaust pipe?
My diesel is 2 years old and has a DPF or Diesel Particulate Filter.
This means not only does it not stink but it emits no smoke.
I’m sure people behind your car think differently!
A prejudiced view from the 50’s, not backed up by any factual information.
Diesels do not stink unless the person filling them spills diesel down the side of the car and doesn’t clean it. Kinda like the way petrol stinks in the same situation.
Many petrols puff out more soot than diesels when stomping on them.
Only people who have an irrational hatred for diesels and/or VWs.
The bit that gets my goat is that the diesel particulates blow holes in your lungs. So it’s a choice of that or the benzenes emitted by petrol…
Hmm, I’ll take hydrogen-on-demand. Now who will provide that? If a manufacturer can split hydrogen as it is needed by an ICE from water, the internal combustion engine has a future that will span CENTURIES…
The Prius does NOT cost more to service than a diesel. It actually costs LESS.
The Prius transmission is FAR simpler than a diesel’s. The Power Split Device transmission in the Prius has all of 22 moving parts– No hot-running torque converter, no clutch, just a single planetary gearset, no gear-shifting wear and tear. In comparison, a Jetta TDI’s transmission has 100+ moving parts with its DSG clutch system. How the Prius transmission works: http://www.eahart.com/prius/psd
The Prius uses regenerative braking (converts the car’s forward momentum into storable electricity), which saves brake pad wear tremendously. That is why a Prius does NOT require a brake pad change until after 100,000 miles.
The Prius does not have a timing belt, alternator, starter motor or solenoid to go bad and need replacement. Regular cars do.
Because the Prius gasoline engine is not running all the time the car is in operation, it experiences less heat stress, which means the engine coolant lasts 8 years. Try not changing the engine coolant in a turbocharged diesel for 8 years and see what happens.
Frankly, after being spoiled by all of the low-maintenance technologies in the Prius, I am NEVER going back to a regular car.
Yeah sure… Until you need to replace the battery pack or have a battery failure. Then see if you are still grinning!
Read Hagar’s story below.
Battery approx $4k fitted
Out of interest, how many battery packs have failed? Not many I am guessing and they are covered by an eight year warranty anyway.
This battery crap from hybrid haters is getting REAL old.
FYI, My Prius battery has a warranty of 10 YEARS / 150,000 MILES.
Replacement is FREE if anything goes wrong before then.
Anyone who says the battery needs to be replaced every few years for thousands obviously does not know how to read.
Impressive in its simplicity.
I’d like to add an ancient Ford 300 inline 6 (not the Aussie 6) had no timing chain either. Ah, simplicity = longevity.
That battery crap from hybrid haters is getting REAL old.
FYI, My Prius batter has a warranty of 10 YEARS / 150,000 MILES.
Replacement is FREE if anything goes wrong before then.
Anyone who says the battery needs to be replaced every few years for thousands obviously does not know how to read.
Diesel is more expensive to service, Prius is $150.00 per service and it has an 8year warranty on the battery, try the price for a particulate filter on a diesel
Some consolation when you get $12K for a 4 year old Prius!
My DPF is permanent and doesn’t need any servicing, it self-cleans.
I can carry and tow a lot more, go faster and it doesn’t use much more fuel.
Also its a lot cheaper to buy. Oh yeah, its also a bigger car with more room.
On top of all that – I’ll get excellent resale.
I can see the Toyota reps are very active on this site!
Matt Brogan says:
“…..given the price tag of this particular model grade, noxious emissions aside, I just can’t help but think how many tanks of diesel you’d put through a similarly sized, same spec’ed oiler for half the money”
maintenance maybe low for this toyo hybrid
but u have already paid upfront 30k , compared to a frugal diesel car. keep that cash in a high yield account, it beats low maintenance cost anytime… paid with the yield :) and money still in your pocket.
Great review Matt, I had a 2005 Prius and it had disk brakes all round so not sure if you mean they are now all ventilated or larger ? Also note that this new Prius requires 95RON or more, my old one drank 91 and loved it. ZX10 I did 130,000km and can tell you servicing from Toyota was only on the petrol engine and cost no more than a Corolla. Never had a breakdown or warranty issue. My disappointment was the $12k I got for a $50k car 4 years down the track. Felt very ripped off. Also living in the country (110k/h most of the time) the Prius got 7L/100km. As soon we went to the city and reset the trip meter we could easily get 5L/100km. Most people don’t know (including me back in 2005) that the Prius is the opposite of all the cars out there, these cars get better economy in urban driving then extra urban because of the regenerative braking and engine begin turned off when not needed. Go over 80km/h and the petrol engine is on all the time. So if Matt spent all the test drive milage in the city he would have got better economy. Back in 2005 the Toyota dealer told me the economy on the highway is even better, which is not true.
Also we found that the expensive $220 for each German made ECO tyres made no difference when driving mainly on highways. The $65 cheapo tyres gave the same economy.
Overall we found the 2005 Prius to be a great car. Back in 2005 there were not too many small Diesels so Prius was the only choice. It also had 6 airbags and stability control which was rare for a small car. Now days if we did not need the ground clearance and 4X4 we would go for an i30 diesel or similar car instead of the Prius.
Also Toyota wanted $450 for Satnav Whereis disk upgrade, RIPOFF. So we ended up buying a standalone GPS device that cost much less.
Base model of new Prius price starts under 2,000,000Yen (around AU$250K) in Japan.
Well, even standard equipments are great, most buyer add several options and end price would be additional 5K…
So I guess Toyota Australia’s price is very bullish !!!
I wonder when they release hybrid Camry, how much it would be?
I guess at the moment as a economical car, diesel is the best option for all round use.
However in the near future, it would be changed.
Look at recent motor show around the world.
Most car company show electric or hybrid concept cars.
MB released hybrid S-class this year, and other German company will follow it soon.
I guess we just buy a car which is matched (or fitted) trend time by time.
And this new Prius is already 4th generation.
I think if someone can afford, it is good buy.
At least this car gives better and clean image than other diesel cars for owner, even it’s not totally true.
Agree that it is pricy, the base model is 39K i think. But this car does have some std features that dont come std in some 100k vehicles. Radar cruise control, heads up display, LED headlamps etc, pretty good stuff. Btw, 4.9 L/100km real world is pretty impressive for a medium size vehicle.
$53K for this? The stupidity of some buyers obviously knows no bounds.
Ditto
Ditto Ditto ditto to the power of n
power of infinity…..
53k can buy me 2 i30 diesel and enuff change for fuel to drive around Australia couple of laps….
Ridiculously priced. 50K+ for a Toyota?
The Honda Insight should have a starting price of around 30K for anyone interested in Hybrids so it might be worth waiting for it.
Personally I would take a European Diesel any day of the week.
$50k for the top line prius is not ridiculous at all! check what the vehicle has as standard equipment before mouthing off again! the honda insight is not in the same league equipment wise!
It’s totally ridiculous.
You can buy a fully featured euro for less.
Skoda Octavia just for starters.
A skoda ha! ha! ha! ha! ha! you cut me up! drive it off the showroom floor and it’s worth about a 20th of the buying price, yeh great value!
So a 4 year old Prius selling for $12G is good value?
Seriously – go price a Skoda after four years. By Prius standards its a blue chip investment!
I can see your narrow mind is struggling so for your benefit:
You can also buy a fully optioned Jetta for under $50K
http://www.caradvice.com.au/13.....di-review/
ZX10, of all the cars you choose, you choose a Skoda Octavia and have a go at the Prius for its resale? The Octavia doesn’t have half of the features that this Prius does and the depreciation on one year old, or even very low km Octavia’s is horrendous.
I too think this Prius is overpriced, but there always is the cheaper model.
You can’t see beyond you precious VW can you?
How about naming other European brands,I’m sure VW isn’t the only car company that produces diesel cars.
You are right! So do some research yourself. I gave a couple of examples of better value diesels, try using your mind and you will find there are other suitable alternatives much cheaper than a Prius.
But if you insist by all means – buy a Prius. I don’t care, it’s not my money :)
prius needs to re-think it pricing. only if they inovate the pricing like the pretty useless features it offers….
perhaps only useful gig is the HUD….
The pruis is one of the cheapest cars around to service and maintain, also the battery has a 8 year warrrenty and there have only been about 2 replaced in the whole of australia since the gen1 came out! that’s impressive! Also that’s the reason taxi’s use them, cheap to run, low running costs and never break down, ask any taxi driver in darwin or cairns they have 100s of them and a lot of them have well over 300,000kms on the clock and there still going strong, great cars and cheap to run!
Hey Figjam, you’ve hit the nail right on the head. $130/service for 10K thru 60K, maintenance is no different to a Corolla – minor oil/filter every 10K, major every 40K would be oil/filter/plugs/air filter/brake fluid and that’s about it. Definitely would be very cheap to run over a large number of years. And Toyota Insurance are doing 20% off already impressively priced comprehensive insurance premiums for new Prius.
You should point out that the price you quote is for the luxury model with Lexus-level accessories. It is reasonable for someone in that market range. What $30K diesel has radar cruise control, for example?
For that matter – what $30K Prius has radar cruise? Get some perspective!
Oh I know – pick me, pick me!
A new $53K Prius – As soon as you drive it out of the dealer!
$53k PLUS on-roads. Thats like $57-60k! :S
Toyota don’t charge like wounded bulls (cough VW cough) for on-road costs. You’d easily get into an i-Tech (in metallic) for about $55K driveaway.
Just out of curiosity, what similarly sized, same specified oiler for half the price is there? That would have to be $27k for comparison to the version driven above.
You guys are affected by brandname bias. If it is a VW, you may think otherwise. I think it is a little bit over-priced but not much. Consider what you would get out of 53k: electric motor, sunroof, radar cruise, rear camera, park assist, leather, pre-crash system, heap of airbags, …. For the same money with nearly identical functions, you may want to consider the VW Tiguan.
Don’t let logic and reason get in the way of a good Toyota bash!
most of these are rubbish anyway. take solar self cooling air-con, just wind down the windows.
rear camera – that because it’s so poorly designed you can see behind your own ass.
park assist – unless u are that useless or too lazy.
pre-crash – required for recklessness
radar cruise – do u really need it?
maybe the headup speed display is the only cool and useful feature
The only car in Australia under $60K with an automatic hi-speed crash avoidance system.
That is better than what can be offered from Mercedes, Audi, Ford, Holden, BMW, Volkswagen & dare I say it, Volvo
So you only need to spend $55K (on road) & your life is more likely to be saved than from any of the aforementioned car manufacturers.
Prius wins!