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Toyota Prius "Comfort"

Practical test of the Toyota Prius "Comfort"

Toyota says it has already sold over 3,5 million copies of the Prius worldwide. Decisive purchase arguments are the low consumption and the high wear resistance. Opinions differ on the design: The wedge-shaped appearance with the striking geometric shapes is probably a matter of taste. The fourth generation has grown by 4 centimeters and offers more interior space and a larger trunk volume thanks to the battery placed under the rear seat bench. We test the equipment variant "Comfort".

When you get into the Prius at the latest, your gaze falls on the clinically white plastic center console and lots of built-in hard plastic. This sight is more reminiscent of the last hospital stay than of formally redefined driving. When you look into the rest of the interior, you get the impression of a good room layout, of individually configurable front seats and enough space on the rear bench. The infotainment is housed in a well-sized and positioned monitor in the center of the center console. The data that are important for the journey are placed on a display above.
In the last few years, the taxi industry in particular has been seen more frequently with the Toyota Prius in large cities. When asked, the high wear resistance is often mentioned as a decisive financial advantage. Emotional enthusiasm, on the other hand, is seldom revealed. Rather, the low consumption values ​​are mentioned and the sufficient spaciousness praised. When starting the traffic light, the short, purely electric routes or when it comes to consumption, it definitely prevails over the classic diesel taxi from Mercedes. And in the meantime, the price structure between 25.000 and 30.0000 euros with a hybrid premium of 3.000 euros included, a competition to Mercedes has arisen. In return for the money, the buyer receives a five-seater sedan with up to 1.633 liters of storage space.

 

Good values ​​in consumption and exhaust gas measurements

If you hold back on the list of options, you get modern equipment in the price segment mentioned. But what about the much-vaunted frugality? The standard consumption cannot, of course, be adhered to under practical conditions: At winter 0–5 ° C outside temperatures with air conditioning and heating functions, we average a good 5 liters
Super. A reasonable value for the Prius. In the summer he was satisfied with 4 liters of super for other test drives. The Prius also scores with the real test conditions of the Emissions Control Institute (EKI) of the German Environmental Aid. Here it performed well below the legally prescribed standards and can therefore be regarded as one of the few vehicles with a combustion engine that is environmentally compatible according to the official guidelines. Based on these findings, the model is primarily aimed at environmentally conscious drivers. With the economical consumption values, 700 to 900 kilometers can be covered with one tank of fuel, depending on the season.
The 4th generation of the Prius has been optimized again with regard to consumption and environmental values. Some details need to be considered in this context. The low tire cross-section to reduce rolling resistance in combination with the standard aluminum rims can easily damage the rims on curbs. The soundproofing of the engine noise has improved slightly; However, due to the lack of a multi-stage automatic, the combustion engine develops corresponding speeds and audible noises at high speeds, especially when driving on the motorway. Here it also regulates from 180 km / h. The energy saving levels can be regulated up to ECO mode. All-electric driving in urban areas is feasible if the battery has enough capacity. Here the driver can choose between fast or energy-saving driving according to his own credo.

Toyota Prius "Comfort"
Toyota Prius "Comfort"

Equipment and assistance systems

The instrument cluster is located centrally above the center console with a cornucopia of warning and indicator lights, a multi-information display, an energy monitor and a consumption screen. This is of course not enough in the multimedia age and is therefore complemented by a multimedia touchscreen - with the usual audio and radio services, navigation system, hands-free system and various menu items for the settings for the car. It's probably the same as with a smartphone: In principle, each user only needs a certain area to be active.
The topic of driver assistance systems to relieve the driver and to avoid accidents, on the other hand, directly serves the purpose of driving safety. Toyota offers a number of selectable assistance systems depending on the equipment variant. A radar sensor behind the nose of the radiator grille and a camera sensor behind the windshield in the mirror mounting record the information for driving. This supplies the following systems: A so-called pre-crash safety system records the vehicles and pedestrians moving in front of the car. To avoid collisions, it actively intervenes in predefined situations when braking. The cruise control - with or without distance control - regulates the speed. In addition, the options for traffic sign recognition and the high beam assistant can be integrated.

Prices and accessories

What should be considered when buying a new car? The base price for the Prius is currently 25.150 euros including the awarded premium. All of the driver assistance systems mentioned above are included. The competitors have to stretch a lot to offer a fully equipped five-seater for the same price. If you want to equip your car a little more comfortably with a reversing camera, leather steering wheel and blind spot assistant, you can use the “Comfort” version we tested. The sophisticated navigation system "Touch & Go" is unfortunately only available as standard in the "Executive equipment"; otherwise it has to be ordered at an additional cost of 790 euros. A detachable trailer hitch costs 675 euros.

 

Addendum: 

Source: green car magazine issue I / 2017

Test period winter 2016/2017

Supplement press release Toyota:

“The Toyota Prius 1.8 Hybrid Executive was able to convince in the most stringent ADAC EcoTest to date with low emissions and low consumption. Measured were: 1,7 l in urban areas, 3,9 l in rural areas and 5,4 l on the motorway, each per 100 km, CO2 emissions 113 g per km. "

Link to the test result ADAC ECO-Test

Link to the manufacturer's website Toyota Prius

 

N. Hawthorn
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