The radically reinvented, fifth-generation Toyota Prius is official, bringing a dramatic design and technology evolution while switching exclusively to plug-in hybrid power.
Revealed overnight in Japan, the new Toyota Prius represents an obvious departure from the outgoing car, which went off sale in the UK earlier this year. As yet, there is no confirmation the new model will be sold here.
It has been confirmed for wider European sales, however, and in that market will no longer be sold with Toyota’s long-running full-hybrid drivetrain, which made its debut in the original Prius and helped establish the brand as a frontrunner of the initial wave of electrification.
The new drivetrain – an upgraded version of that used by the previous Toyota Prius Plug-in – pairs a 147bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with a 158bhp EV motor on the front axle for a combined 221bhp – 100bhp up on its predecessor.
Official figures put the 0-62mph time at 6.7 seconds, making this the quickest Prius yet, and Toyota says the larger engine matches the fuel efficiency of the previous 1.8-litre unit, which in Autocar’s testing returned an MPG figure in the high 60s.
Toyota highlights that the battery’s improved energy density allowed for a tangible EV performance boost without a compromise to interior space; the battery is located entirely under the rear seat, which means the floor did not have to be raised and keeps the centre of gravity low.
EV power, meanwhile is supplied by a 13.6kWh battery said to boost EV range by 50%, which would suggest the new Prius can travel around 58 miles with the engine off, which would be one of the longest EV ranges of any PHEV on sale.
Full charging specs will be revealed at the Prius’s European debut on 5 December, but Toyota has confirmed that the standard-fit solar roof panel can generate enough energy for 777 miles of EV driving per year. As well as charging the battery when the car is parked, solar energy is also used to power the air conditioning and other internal systems.