Judging from posts on car forums, there are two sorts of people: those who own a Prius, and those who hate the car and even everyone who owns one. It’s not hard to see why many people hate the Prius. It’s a foreign product, from the start it has challenged the status quo, and owners are perceived to be ecologically-minded liberals. Like the way cars have been? Or simply skeptical about innovations in general? (Many people are.) Then you’re virtually compelled to hate the Prius. Despite widespread skepticism and financial losses early on, Toyota has kept at it, and for the 2010 model year introduced a third-generation Prius. Has it improved enough over the second-generation car to perhaps win over some skeptics?

Toyota Prius Styling

The original generation Prius didn’t sell well, at least not in the United States. Part of the reason: it looked like a cheap econobox. The second generation introduced the car’s now iconic shape. People inherently want a car’s uniqueness to be expressed in how it looks. The original design and virtually all hybrids without unique sheetmetal have failed in this regard. In contrast, the second Prius succeeded spectacularly.

But the second-generation Prius was not an attractive car. The peak in the arched roofline was too far forward, throwing off the car’s proportions. And the wheels were too small. The 2010 redesign addresses these shortcomings. The peak in the roofline has been shifted rearward and the body is generally much better proportioned. Attractive five-spoke 17-inch alloys are part of the top option package. Overall, the car looks much less odd, while still clearly a Prius. 

Inside, the new Prius is mostly hard plastic, yet especially with the optional leather trim still looks and feels much more upscale than the new challenger from Honda. The design is perhaps a little too sci fi, but at least this theme is more warranted in the Prius than in other Toyotas so affected. One missed element from previous generations: the large, prominent, oh-so-entertaining multi-colored power generation and distribution display has been downsized and monochromed in the new car.

Toyota Prius Room and Comfort

The Prius remains about as roomy inside as a midsize car, and roomier than the Honda Insight, especially in the somewhat low but otherwise adult-worthy back seat. Perceived roominess in the front seat has taken a hit from a much more prominent center console, though. I personally like the sportier ambiance this console creates, but some, perhaps even most people would prefer the additional room provided by a less intrusive center console. 

Visibility from the driver’s seat is better than the swoopy styling suggests it will be. The header above the windshield isn’t too low, the pillars aren’t too thick, and you don’t feel like you’re gazing across acres of instrument panel. 

Toyota Prius Performance

The Prius's engine has grown from 1.5 to 1.8 liters, and together with the electric motor now kicks out 134 combined horsepower rather than 110.  But the new Prius is also 150 pounds heavier, so acceleration remains about the same. Three modes are available: eco, regular, and sport. In eco mode the Prius feels downright sluggish. Regular is a little better, but the car only feels energetic in sport. How much difference does this make in fuel economy? I don’t know, but anyone who enjoys driving will want to leave it in “sport.”
How good is the fuel economy? Participants in TrueDelta.com's real-world gas mileage survey have been averaging nearly 50 MPG.

A second reason the original Prius didn’t sell well: clunky transitions between the hybrid and conventional systems. These transitions were considerably smoother with the second-generation, and they’re almost undetectable in the latest iteration. 

Handling improved from the first to the second generation, and has improved again with the new car. The latest Prius feels more stable than earlier iterations, pretty much like a good conventional compact. Roll in turns has been reduced to the point where only driving enthusiasts will desire less of it. The steering is fairly numb, but this is typical of today’s cars. 

Ride quality has also improved. The new Prius is very quiet, with almost no wind noise an just a small amount of road noise. The Honda Insight rides much more noisily and bumpily. Between this and the interior appearance, it’s as if Honda set out to create a $20,000 car, while Toyota set out to create a $30,000 car. 

Toyota Prius Price Comparisons and Pricing

Honda positions the Insight as an "affordable hybrid." The problem for Honda: the Prius isn’t much more expensive than the new Insight. Base price to base price, the Toyota is $3,000 more, with a base price of $23,550. But The Prius also includes about $2,400 in additional standard equipment. Adjust for this, and the Prius is only about $700 more. And it's advantages are easily worth $700. As mentioned earlier, it looks and feels like a much more expensive car.

But maybe a hybrid doesn't make financial sense in the first place? The Volkswagen Golf TDI is another fuel efficient option. Compared to the Prius V with nav (MSRP: $30,620), a loaded Golf TDI lists for nearly $4,000 less. But it also doesn't include as many features. Adjust for these, and the VW's price advantage drops to $1,400. Compare invoice prices instead of MSRPs, and the difference is smaller still, $600. So if you adjust for features they're not that far apart. The TDI has been averaging nearly 42 MPG in TrueDelta.com's survey, about 8 short of the Prius, but still quite good. And the VW accelerates more effortlessly in day-to-day driving.

Prices change frequently, and differences will vary based on feature level. To quickly generate these and other comparisons with the specific features you want, visit my Web site, TrueDelta.com. (It's the only site that provides true "apples-to-apples" price comparisons.) 

TrueDelta's page for the Prius:

http://www.truedelta.com/models/Prius.php

Last Words

Some reviewers haven't been kind to the latest Prius, but I was generally impressed. It looks better and drives better than the second-generation car and Honda's cramped Insight. The main downside: unless set to "power" mode, the new Prius feels sluggish, and it never feels quick. But this isn't likely to be an issue with efficiency-minded drivers.

A Note on Toyota Prius Reliability

I cannot practically cover reliability within the context of this review. However, many people are interested in such information, so I've been collecting my own data. Results are posted to TrueDelta.com, with updates every three months. Unlike other sources, TrueDelta clearly identifies what difference it will make if you buy a Prius rather than another vehicle by providing "times in the shop" stats. 

To report results, TrueDelta needs reliability data on all cars--not just the Prius--from people like you. To encourage participation, those who help provide the data will receive free access to the site's reliability information. Non-participants pay an access fee.

Details here:

http://www.truedelta.com/reliability.php

Alphabetized links to my other vehicle reviews can be found on my profile page.
Amount Paid (US$): 30,620
Model and Options: Package V with nav