Think gas-electric hybrid cars and the first word popping to mind most likely is 'Prius.'
Toyota's Prius lift back has become synonymous with high-mileage hybrids since its U.S arrival in 2000. Many rivals have tried to emulate, but none have duplicated its phenomenal sales success.
Tapping into its off-the-chart brand recognition, Toyota 'expanded' Prius' reach. In 2012, Prius grew into a family of four vehicles. Each Prius brings distinct size, technology and price point.
This week's tester, the Prius V, (' V' as in the 22nd letter of the English alphabet, not the Roman numeral 5) debuted in the fall of 2011 as a five-door wagon. The "V" denotes 'versatile.' With updates minimal in 2013 and 2014, the 2015 model year sees a mild refresh for the biggest' and roomiest member of the Prius family.
When measured against the traditional Prius lift back, Prius V boasts a wheelbase (distance between front and rear axle) 3.1 inches longer resulting in an overall length gain of 5.9 inches. This stretched platform creates 34.3 cubic feet behind the second row; a generous number rivaling conventional compact crossovers. Second-row seats fold down with a 60/40 split for greater cargo access.
Under the hood, Prius V shares similar technology with the Prius lift back: the well regarded Hybrid Synergy Drive system.
Prius V locates the heavy nickel metal hydride hybrid battery behind and below second-row seats. Battery charging occurs via a generator driven by the gas engine and regenerative braking. Each time the brake pedal is summoned; energy gets diverted to and captured by the hybrid battery rather than being lost as heat. This battery then powers an electric motor. The large nickel metal hydride self-recharging battery has proven remarkably durable during the past decade-and-a-half.
Rounding out the family: Prius C (C denoting city, the smallest Prius available) and the Prius plug-in, the sole Prius requiring nightly charging. Availability of the Prius plug-in is tailored to coastal markets far flung from suburban Chicago.
Prius V qualifies as a 'full' hybrid, with the ability to propel forward solely in electric mode with no assistance from the conventional gas engine. The first arrivals at the millennial turn were full hybrids. As time marched forward, gas-electric hybrid technology branched out. Many vehicles outside the Prius family marketed as 'hybrid' actually qualified as 'mild' hybrids. Mild hybrids utilize electric motors for a gas engine assist, not a stand-alone propulsion. While technically a hybrid with an electric element, mild hybrids historically add fewer miles per gallon to fuel estimates.
Despite all-things hybrid underneath, Prius V excels with oodles of head room, both front and back. Rear side doors swing open extra wide, providing easy entry into the second row (the best Prius at comforting three adult riders). Manually sliding (forward and rear with the pull of an underbar) second-row seats add flexibility, tailoring comfort to individual tastes. Drivers enjoy good road perception in all directions.
Prius V employs rather unconventional trim level designations referred to as 'grades'. The lowest-priced available grade, a 2015 Prius V Two grade, starts at $26,675, more dough than a Prius C or conventional Prius lift back. A total of four grades (Two, Three, Four and Five) complete the 2015 V lineup. Posh and price increases as numbers grow.
Our tester's $29,695 starting price (Prius V grade four) ended at $30,745 after $895 destination fee and $225 dealer-installed floor mats. The 'four' includes comfortable, cleanable SofTex seating material and eight-way power driver's seat.
Driving a Prius V utilizes the same basic muscle memory as a conventional compact or mid-size crossover. The one notable difference is when starting the vehicle. The under-hood system remains eerily quiet with no audible internal combustion engine turn over.
When in reverse, audible 'beeping' is heard not dissimilar from large work-zone trucks. Since Prius starts out in a pure electric mode at very low speeds, the alert allows those around that Prius V is in motion despite the absence of an internal combustion sounds.
With the front engine compartment's sloping design, the hood disappears from view of the driver, so caution is needed when parking or pulling into a garage. This scheme plays into the front windshield's steep angle, providing an expansive depth to the dashboard's upper region.
This 'largest' Prius sports a traditional, hatchback rear window, a welcome upgrade from the Patriarch Prius lift back, whose unique back glass makes a near 90-degree turn along the lower confines; impairing rear-view mirror perception. Tail lights get a new look in 2015 while the front end's narrow grille arrives at a pointy, arrow-head like center with the Toyota logo prominently displayed.
Don't look for a conventional instrument panel planted directly ahead of the four-spoke manual tilt and telescope steering wheel. Prius goes high-tech with a long, wide, deep-set rectangular uni-brow atop the center dash housing three distinct sections. Far left, a digital speedometer readout, secondary gear-shift indicator and bar-type fuel gauge all sparkling with a bright green glow. Center bound is an animated info window (including electric flow and estimated miles per empty) scrollable via a steering wheel button. Far right is a digital clock and warning icons.
Another full-color 6.1-inch touch-sensitive screen below the uni-brow houses audio and pre-set terrestrial and satellite radio station presets along with an available navigations screen; flanked nicely by old-school dials for volume and tuning. Below is yet another smaller screen, long and rectangular, displaying ventilation information with an assortment of push-buttons and large, center dial for temperature and fan speed settings.
Located right of the steering column: electronic push-button start. Another hardware evolving from mechanical to electronic is the transmission gear shift, immediately below the push-start. A small, joy stick-like grab knob moves the continuously variable transmission (CVT) from reverse to neutral to drive through a "T' template, with a separate, dedicated 'park' button above the 'T'.
While smooth, the fuel-friendly CVT's not terribly brisk with its infinite number of forward gears rather than a set number (five or six) of planetary selections. In exchange for sub-par break-neck speed, drivers enjoy fuel estimates exceeding 40 miles per gallon. Prius V's combined 42 miles-per-gallon fuel estimate was actually surpassed (very slightly) during our time together; one of the few recently tested vehicles exceeding posted numbers.
Ahead of the shot-gun passenger are dual glove boxes with the rather narrow top port and its upward-opening door. The lower, more traditional bin structure pulls down, revealing large, bin-like storage.
Between front bucket seats sits a single-beverage cup holder flanked on the left by an inline selection of three drive modes: EV, Eco and Power. Directly behind: a deep arm rest/storage box hinged at the right and opening from the left with removable inside tray.
Also new for 2015, a lane-departure alert is now part of an optional technology package (available solely in the top grade). This system senses and emits an audible alert if straying from one highway lane to the next. Regular, 87-octane fuel fills the relatively small 11.9-gallon tank.
2015 Prius V
As tested: $30,745
Wheelbase: 69.6 inches
Length: 182.3 inches
Width: 69.9 inches
Gas engine: 1.8-liter four cylinder
Battery: Nickel Metal Hydride
Total combined horsepower: 134
Curb weight: 3,340 pounds
Hybrid-related component coverage: Eight years/100,000 miles
City/Highway economy: 44 mpg city, 40 mpg highway
Assembly: Tsutsumi, Japan
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