The Toyota RAV4 SUV is popular due to its customizable features and the feeling of owning a unique car

First Test Drive of the Hot New “Prius”! Toyota’s top level car! How good is it on public roads and circuits?

The new Prius…How powerful is the HEV?
　Since its world premiere in November 2022, the fifth-generation Prius has received a great response.

　The hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) was officially launched on January 10, 2023, and we hear that the 2023 slot has already been filled.

Is this the Prius…? It just got cooler! Look at the new Prius with a red body!

　What are the features of the new Prius, which is doing so well?

The much-talked-about new Prius…what are its capabilities?

　The Prius has slightly changed its standing with the 5th generation.

　With the 12th generation “Corolla series” becoming the standard for Toyota’s C-segment models, the Prius shifted toward a more advanced and specialized version of the Corolla series.

　This is a common concept among the latest Toyota models, which is to clarify the “individuality” of each model.

　We have previously test-driven the new Prius hybrid vehicle on a circuit, but this time we will test-drive it on public roads.

　On the race circuit, we were able to experience the basic qualities of the car in areas beyond the everyday, but how is it in everyday life?

　This time, we tested the 2-liter FF/E-Four model, which is said to be the “real deal” of the 5th generation.

　The powertrain was even more powerful than on the race circuit.

　On ordinary roads, the car is agile enough to start driving instantly after stepping on the accelerator pedal, and at high speeds, the acceleration is powerful enough to keep up its strength.

　It is different from the previous generation, which accelerated with a “yokelasho” in the daily range, but at high speeds, the engine roars only with a roar and acceleration is not linked to it.

　Fuel consumption is a simple measurement, but even if you drive it normally without being conscious of it, you can afford to exceed 20 km/L.

　Because of its dynamic performance, unnecessary gas pedal operation is reduced, so the practical fuel economy may be higher than that of the previous model.

　Quietness during driving has also been dramatically improved, not only in engine noise, but also in wind noise and vibrations from the floor, and the entire car has become quieter.

　Incidentally, there are some who disapprove of the engine sound, which emphasizes bass while suppressing mid- and high-frequency frequencies, but the author thinks it is less cloying than the muddy sound quality of dynamic-force engines, and is even willing to call it a sound.

　The footwork is natural and straightforward handling with continuity in a series of car movements as in the Corolla, but it is given a slightly sporty character.

　The nose of both the FF/E-Four and E-Four turn inward when the steering wheel is turned, and the low center of gravity and low overall height are utilized for line tracing that sticks to the road surface, and cornering with a high sense of security.

　At highway speeds, both the FF and E-Four models are equipped with a level of straight-line stability that is so robust that it is hard to believe that they are C-segment models.

　In addition to the low center of gravity and wide and low basic characteristics, this is supported by one of the PDA’s functions, “Constant Steering Assist when Driving in a Lane”.

　This function changes the reaction force of the steering wheel to suppress unnecessary maneuvers and prevent delays in maneuvering, thereby supporting smooth driving. I hope this device will be horizontally deployed in other models as well.

　Incidentally, the ride quality differs slightly depending on the drive system: the FF model takes advantage of the car’s lightness, and the car’s movement is agile, giving the impression of stepping into a sporty model, while the E-Four model’s movement is more gentle than the FF model and its weight creates a sense of room and security typical of a grand tourer.

　Incidentally, the E-Four utilizes the rear motor not only for traction but also for turning.

　Specifically, by controlling the driving force when turning, the E-Four allows for less steering angle and the sensation of turning with all four wheels, resulting in “more stable” and “easier” driving.

　Until now, Toyota’s E-Four system has supported traction on low-mileage roads, but the latest E-Four system is used for turning.

　In other words, the Prius E-Four is the 4WD you will want to actively choose on paved roads.
First Test Drive of the Hot New “Prius”! Toyota’s top level car! How good is it on public roads and circuits?

I test drove the new Prius hybrid on public roads.

　Comfort is up a level from its predecessor: it has a softness that makes you forget you’re wearing 19-inch wheels, but it’s not fluffy softness, it’s clicky softness.

　In addition, the car does not sway the occupants, which means that the flatness on the springs may be the top level among Toyota cars.

　Like the handling, the character of this car also differs slightly depending on the drive system, with the FF model having a taut ride like a sporty model and a little more knack.

　The E-Four has a stiffer ride that is reminiscent of a grand tourer and absorbs even the smallest inputs well.

　All in all, the FF is the snappy FF and the E-Four is the laid-back E-Four, but to be honest, it is hard to decide which one to choose.

This is… a next-generation performance model! How powerful is the PHEV?
This is…the next generation performance model! How powerful is the PHEV?

　One more car that will further annoy users is the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), which will be introduced later.

　This time, we were able to test drive a prototype for a short while.

　Since the car does not have a license plate number, it was driven at the Sodegaura Forest Raceway, but the driving pattern was designed for general driving at a maximum speed of 80 km/h. The exterior features specially designed aluminum wheels, and the interior has been designed to look like a car with a special design.

　The exterior is exclusively designed aluminum wheels, tail lamp color, and pumper color.

　The interior is almost the same as that of the HEV, with the only difference being the EV/HEV mode switch that is laid out around the gearshift.

　So the positioning of PHEV in the new model is from “special model” to “advanced grade of Prius”.

　Details on the mechanism have not yet been disclosed, but the powertrain is a 2-liter THSII, but the drive motor has been boosted from 113ps to 164ps, and the system output is 232ps, the strongest in the Prius lineup.

　Incidentally, the previous generation car used a “dual-motor drive” system, in which a generator motor is used in addition to the drive motor in EV mode to drive the car, as a desperate measure against low motor output, but the new model is equipped with a high output motor, so this system is not used.

　The battery is announced to be 13.8 kWh, up from the previous generation’s 8.8 kWh, and the cruising range is said to be more than 50% of the previous generation’s, but based on the previous generation’s EV cruising range (68.2 km), we can guess that it is definitely more than 100 km.

　In other words, it can be used almost exclusively as an EV for daily driving.
First Test Drive of the Hot New “Prius”! Toyota’s top level car! How good is it on public roads and circuits?

　The suspension set up is optimized for PHEVs in order for the footwork system to accommodate the approximate 100kg weight increase over HEVs.

　The test drive is just two laps, the first lap is driven in EV mode.

　The response when the driver presses the accelerator pedal is better than that of the HEV, and the torque rise and smooth feel that can only be achieved with electrification are really felt, but the “It’s different from the internal combustion engine, isn’t it! It has a gentle driving feel, rather than the doped-up power that is often seen in electric vehicles.

　The interior of the car is quieter than that of a typical electric car, thanks to its much quieter performance than the previous generation.

　For the second lap, we drove in HEV mode, which was sort of expected, but when we stepped on the gas pedal, the acceleration was so strong that we couldn’t help but exclaim, “Fast! I could not help but exclaim, “That’s so fast!

　The 0-100km/h acceleration time is 6.7 seconds, and when you hear that the GR86’s acceleration time is 6.3 seconds, you will understand the power of this car. Incidentally, the previous generation was said to accelerate in about 10 seconds.

　Incidentally, when the accelerator pedal is fully opened, a bass sound is heard, but it does not feel noisy when accompanied by acceleration power.

　The feeling of the car is so rich that it is almost easy to forget that it is a Prius power unit, and for the first time in my Prius experience, I felt “I’m glad the engine started! (laugh).

Different colors of tail lamps for PHEV (left) and HEV (right)

　The footwork was almost imperceptible with the +100kg weight increase in this driving pattern, but since the front-rear weight distribution is more appropriate than that of the HEV, the handling balance and grand tourer-like ride feel were similar to that of the HEV E-Four, even though it is a FWD vehicle.

　In general, the PHEV has an appeal that makes us want to call it a “next-generation performance model with EV skin.

　The price is undisclosed, but probably expected to be between 4 and 5 million yen.

　It is a reasonable price, but I think it is acceptable if you look at it comprehensively. It is certain that it will be a hotly contested race just like the HEV.