2010 Toyota Prius

2010 Toyota Prius
2010 Toyota Prius
Toyota launched the third generation of its "halo" vehicle, the 2010 Prius gas/electric hybrid at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show. With a claimed combined city/highway fuel economy rating of 50 mpg, Toyota officials hope to build on the wild success of the current Prius.

The 2010 Toyota Prius doesn't look much different from the current model, which was introduced in 2004. It retains the same 4-door hatchback body style and is largely unchanged in most exterior dimensions. A reworked roofline and smaller hybrid components provide for an increase in interior volume of five cubic feet.

CG Says...
When you have a good thing, you tend to stick with it. That's exactly what the 2010 Prius is for Toyota. Its owners are among the most loyal in the industry, and this revamped version won't give them cause to jump ship. As we see it, Prius might face only two major hurdles on the path to a U.S. sales goal of 180,000 units in its first calendar year. The first is a lofty sticker price that might keep new buyers out of the fold. The second is the recent drop in gasoline prices. If oil prices don't spike like they did in 2008, shoppers might not be as tempted by the Prius' 50-mpg siren song.
The big news lies beneath the 2010 Prius' sheetmetal. Toyota's "Hybrid Synergy Drive" system is 90 percent new and features a lighter transmission, a new regenerative braking system, as well as many smaller, lighter electrical components. Supplementing the electric system is a new 1.8-liter 4-cylinder gasoline engine. Combined gas/electric horsepower increases to 134 from the current model's 110.

Like all Toyota hybrids, Prius can run on one or both of its power sources in order to balance acceleration and fuel economy. The 2010 Prius will offer three selectable driving modes. EV-Drive allows the car to run on battery power alone for about a mile. Eco Mode is probably where most owners will run, and it's designed to offer maximum fuel economy. The Power Mode allows for more sensitive throttle response for better acceleration.

Some new features available on the 2010 Prius include radar-based adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, and Toyota's Pre-Collision System, which readies the seatbelts and maximum braking force when sensors detect an unavoidable collision. Pre-Collision has been available only on products by Toyota's premium brand, Lexus.

The 2010 Toyota Prius officially launches in late spring. It will go on sale immediately in the United States and Japan. Toyota plans to sell Prius in 80 countries, about twice as many as the current model. The company hopes to sell 180,000 units in the U.S. alone. Pricing will be announced closer to the launch, but figure on a mid-$20,000 base with loaded versions commanding well above $30,000.

Also on display at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show was the Toyota FT-EV concept. Introduced at the late-2008 Los Angeles Auto Show, the FT-EV is a pure-electric subcompact car that shares its basic design with the Toyota iQ. FT-EV seats four and is designed to run 50 miles on a single charge.

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