Toyota test drives

By Katie Tait on March 16th 2011

Previous 1 of 5 Next

They say you never forget your first time; so when I was offered the chance to take out not one but two of Toyota’s state-of-the-art petrol – electric hybrids I naturally jumped at it…

After being introduced to Toyota’s latest Hybrid Prius and Auris, models at Ron Brooks Toyota, I felt a sort of nervous anticipation. I had already christened them Pru and Iris and was looking forward to getting to know them better. Being hybrids, both use a conventional engine and an electric motor to drive the car. At low speeds, for short distances, the electric motor provides the power. Emissions are therefore reduced and a better mpg achieved.

Pru was first out. She’s apparently been around for over 10 years, with over two million sold, but this third generation model felt thoroughly modern. The interior is futuristic, the seats comfortable and the sculptured dash simply beautiful. There are so many modern features, including blue tooth, a hand controlled engine brake on the gear knob, and a sat nav screen that doubles as a reversing camera, that anyone interested could sit down with the manual and read for hours. A spacious boot and large under-floor storage add to the family car’s stunning overall package. There are currently three Prius models, starting at £20,265.

Performance from the Prius’s 1798cc 4 cylinder and 80bph electric motor is respectable; with an 11 seconds 0 to 60 time and a top speed of 112mph. Typical winter weather precludes too much spirited driving, but the perfectly weighted steering and suspension set up are spot on. Roy said that the car’s weight distribution of engine front and batteries back offered extra traction to the tyres in recent snowy conditions. The power plant drives through a CVT automatic gearbox.

Averaging 72 mpg and boasting impressive emissions of 89g/km, the class leading Prius is capable of over 700miles from a single 45 litre tank. When its driving days are over, more than 85 per cent of new Prius’s can be recycled. If human, she would probably wear fair trade clothes, eat her five a day, and talk constantly about saving the planet.
Iris uses the same engine, but has more conventional looks both inside and out. Instantly more user-friendly, with a conventional handbrake, she’s effortless to drive both around town and on dual carriageways. I loved the feel of her chunky steering wheel. Slightly shorter, the Auris is easier to park and manoeuvre in tight spaces and has slightly better mpg. She also handles in a slightly more spirited way. But the icing on the cake for me is that she’s built just down the road at Toyota’s world class Burnaston plant near Derby. To date, over 2.5 million vehicles have been produced there.

The hybrid Auris costs slightly less than her older, slightly taller sibling. Both have excellent residual value forecasts when you feel the need for a newer model.

I’m told that by 2020, Toyota plan to produce a hybrid version of every car in its range. Their popular little Yaris will apparently be next, expected to be on the forecourts sometime in 2012. At the end of the day, I have to admit that both Pru and Iris are a class act.

Anyone wishing to know more can contact: Ron Brooks (Mansfield) Ltd 01623 656568 or Ron Brooks Limited 0115 930 2885.

Members Comments

There are no comments for this article.

Add a Comment

Please log in to post a comment.