The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

www.oakvillebeaver.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, December 2, 2009 · 28 2010 Prius blends comfort, style and stellar fuel economy By Neil Moore Metroland Newspapers Carguide Magazine Fuel economy rocks! As an autojournalist, I've had the privilege to drive powerful sports cars, luxurious flagship sedans and brawny SUVs. And at the end of each week, on gassing up to return the vehicle, my response has been the same ouch! Even subcompact and compact cars, many of which post stellar fuel economy ratings, often deliver little better than 8L/100 km in the real world. So when, after nearly a week behind the The 2010 Toyota Prius has seen improvements in exterior styling, aerodynamics, power, fuel efficiency wheel of the 2010 Toyota Prius hybrid, which and interior comfort. Even the base model is extremely well equipped. included a drive from the city, several return trips from Newmarket to Lake Simcoe and my. My base tester at $27,500 was fitted out ing adjustments to your audio and climate an excursion to Muskoka cottage country - with an airy and stylish two-tone interior of controls. Standard safety includes seven airbags: and was still left with a third of a gas tank - I beige and charcoal, with subtle brushed metallic trim throughout the dash, steering dual-stage driver and front passenger was understandably enthusiastic. My standard-equipped, multi information wheel and door handles. The floating centre airbags, driver knee airbag, front seat mountdisplay said I had averaged 4.8 litres per 100 stack (reminiscent of Volvo), creates a mod- ed side airbags, and front and rear side curern, cockpit-like environment for driver and tain airbags. You also get active control headkilometres. rests, which in the event of a rear collision, That's a full litre less than its 3.8 L/100km front passenger. And at this level, the Prius comes stan- help protect against whiplash. (74 mpg) combined city/hwy rating, but pheAnd to help avoid trouble, Prius models nomenal by any standard, considering the dard with power locks and windows (all with auto up/down); a six-speaker, satellite-ready come with disc brakes on all four wheels with Prius is a five-passenger liftback that tips the scales at 1,380 kg (3,042 lbs), which is mid- AM/FM/CD/MP3/WMA, audio system; auto- ABS, brake assist, electronic brake force dismatic climate control; energy absorbing tribution, vehicle stability control and tracsize in heft. For a car that is slightly smaller in length glass with UV protection; and Toyota's smart tion control. There's also a tire-pressure and width than the compact Corolla and key system with keyless push-button start monitoring system. All in all, not bad for any vehicle in this Honda Civic, the third-generation Prius feels and a driver's door handle touch sensor for locking and unlocking. The Eco-Driver mon- prices range, let alone a hybrid. mid-size in roominess. There are four additional trim levels, each Getting three adults shoulder-to-shoulder itor (part of the multi-info display) gives you real-time feedback on your fuel efficiency, with a long list of amenities. You can visit in the back seat may be a squeeze, there's no www.toyota.ca for details, but here are a few shortage of head and leg room, allowing four helping to curb any leadfoot tendencies. Standard steering wheel-mounted but- highlights: occupants to travel in comfort, surrounded · Premium Package starts at $29,745 and by surprisingly Lexus-like fit, finish and tons include a system called Touch Tracer, which displays a matching image on the includes an upgraded JBL audio system and materials. Indeed, the Prius is not about compro- instrument panel to help keep you looking more. · Premium Package with Solar Panel, mise, despite its penny-pinching fuel econo- forward, not down at the wheel, when makstarting at $31,335 includes a power moon roof with embedded solar cells that power a fan (helps cool the cabin when parked), along with remote air conditioning that can also be used for pre cooling. · Touring Package (starts at $31,565), includes a premium audio system, additional door handle touch sensor, auto leveling headlamps, 17-inch alloys and more. The Technology Package, which starts at $37,095, provides features that not long ago would only be found at the entry-luxury level. This package includes much of the above options as well as a voice-activated navigation system with backup camera; leather seat surfaces (heated in front); Intelligent Parking Assist (a self-parking feature, which I've used with some success in the Lexus flagship); dynamic radar cruise control (senses the vehicle ahead and adjusts speed to maintain a safe distance); and a pre-collision system which recognizes and anticipates unavoidable frontal collisions, automatically applying brakes and retracting the front seatbelts. No matter the trim level, all Prius models are powered by Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive that delivers up to 134 net horsepower and 105 lb/ft of torque from its 1.8 litre, four cylinder gas engine and electric motor. Last year's Prius used a 1.5 litre inline four. This full-hybrid system will operate in gas-only and electric-only modes as well as gas-electric combination. And as before, the system captures and stores energy through a regenerative braking system. For 2010, this hybrid system is 90 per cent newly-developed, improving power by 22 per cent while and improving fuel economy by 7% over the last generation. It is currently the only model on the road that beats Continued on page 29