Toyota Prius

The Toyota Prius needs no introduction. One of the highest selling hybrid cars in the world, the Prius has been endorsed by everyone from Greenpeace and Hollywood celebrities. Toyota has been selling the Prius in India for quite some time now and had unveiled the next generation Prius at the Auto Expo 2016. Toyota has now launched the fourth generation Prius in India and it is the the first car ever to be built on Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform.

The fourth-generation Toyota Prius gets all new looks. While we could best describe the looks as alien, the car looks striking. The boomerang-like headlamps, vertical LED fog lamps and a snout-like front bumper can best be called futuristic by all standards. Moving on to the side, it is a four-door coupe with a sloping roofline that blends into the notchback. The cabin seems spacious for four with enough headroom in the back. The rear also gets the boomerang-like lamps with LEDs flowing down from the top of the boot. The creases and cuts toe the alien-design line from the front. As for the dimensions, the new Prius is 60mm longer, 15mm wider and 20mm lower than the old Prius.

The dashboard is a geek paradise with its many buttons, screens and warning lights. The speedometer is digital and the infotainment system is touchscreen. The infotainment system can be connected to your phone via Bluetooth and gets the latest software like Apple Car Play, Android Auto and MirrorLink. Dual-zone automatic climate control, automatic headlamps, cruise control and automatic climate control are standard. It gets airbags, an electronic stability programme with emergency braking.

The Prius is a hybrid and has a 1.8-litre four cylinder petrol engine paired with electric motors to make up its powertrain. While the setup is same as before, the engine has been tuned for better efficiency. The batteries have a higher energy density and the motors are smaller. The efficiency has improved by almost 10 per cent and Toyota expects the Prius to deliver 40kmpl.

While the Camry Hybrid is a better VFM option if hybrid is the basic criteria for your car choice, the Prius offers a more exclusive option, just like the Honda Accord Hybrid.