I make it a point never to be drawn into a debate about the Toyota Prius — the world’s first mass-produced hybrid, introduced in 2000 — and other green vehicles.
It’s not that I don’t find the concept of combining a gasoline engine and an electric motor a fascinating way to power a car — either in a combined effort of the two power sources or individually depending on power needs — but it’s a no-win situation. I consider it akin to a Mac vs. PC debate. Everyone has his or her side, and no amount of debate will likely change it.
So when I test-drove a 2010 Toyota Prius prototype, which may or may not look like the model the automaker puts on the market, I considered myself as much of a neophyte as possible for an auto journalist whose family is fairly “Prius crazy,” launching into lengthy endorsements for the car whenever any unsuspecting person uses the words “car,” “drive,” “errand” or “trip.”
And don’t even mention a car technology — on any vehicle — or you’ll have the words “standard feature on a Prius” ringing in your ears for hours after.
So forgive me for not mentioning to them that I was assigned a test-drive in a car they consider automotive nirvana.
Except for a few minor driving adjustments, I was pleased to see the Prius really is an easy car to enjoy. As you may well know, a push of the starter button and the car starts silently. Only lights flickering across the dashboard monitors indicate it is ready for action. The gearshift takes a bit of adjustment; it’s one of those things you have to see to understand even though it is simple to use.
The bottom line: The power of the Prius is as impressive as everyone indicates. There’s no hesitation even when moving from those miserably slow on-ramps on Interstate 95 into the Indy 500-like traffic of the Capital Beltway.
If anything, the drive was a bit anti-climactic even though this new Prius is more powerful and nimble than its predecessors. Yes, it’s a green ride with an incredible fuel economy rating of 51 mpg highway and 48 mpg city, but if you’re looking for sporty, this isn’t it.
Here’s what Steven Siler of Car and Driver said about this third-generation Prius in a March article: “That model’s handling recalls that of the previous Prius: Rotating that oval-shaped steering wheel is rewarded with an agonizingly slow return on one’s investment (this nearly got us into trouble on our first hot corner). The body wallows about its roll center much like before, conspiring with the squealing tires and aggressive stability-control system to mute out any shred of fun.”
I don’t know if I’d go quite that far, but I do get Siler’s point. And Toyota might well argue that there’s plentiful fun in the cabin of the five-passenger Prius. In fact, it has a space age feel to it thanks to the aforementioned gearshift, colored dashboard monitors, high-tech connectivity and killer sound system with eight speakers.
Although exact specs for this prototype were sparse — remember, the prototype is a work in progress even though 2010s have hit some dealers’ showrooms by now — the car did offer plentiful leg- and headroom plus cargo space.
I found that the 2010 Toyota Prius offered a solid, comfortable ride with a futuristic appeal that will no doubt appeal to the drivers, including Hollywood types, who can afford luxury but want to make “green statements.”
Your views may differ, of course, but please, let’s not debate it.
