Motorcycles and Indy cars seared through the Fuji Speedway's straightaway on the same day that test drives had been arranged for the redesigned Prius – a car reviewed in 2015 by Car & Driver magazine with this headline: "Maximum economy, minimum fun." While the marketing department's collective cringe could be heard all the way from Tokyo, the magazine only confirmed what Toyota's brain trust had recognized years ago.
Time had come for change.
Even as consumers and critics bayed, Toyota stayed patient with the remodelled 2016 Prius in order to outfit the sedan with the company's "new global architecture." A redesigned chassis lowers the centre of gravity and combines with a double-wishbone rear suspension to stiffen handling and boost agility.
On a side track at the speedway, the Prius made crisp turns through a set of orange cones, navigated an elevated S-curve with a relatively pleasing giddy-up, and had enough pickup on a short straightaway to convince that it'll handle Canada's major-city traffic just fine.
When entering power mode – a new feature – an adaptive system measures acceleration and lateral G-force to help the driver into a more enthusiastic pace. A new hydraulic booster also enhances brake feel and control.
In contrast, the heavier, sportier Mirai, a hydrogen fuel cell car, felt closer to the Indy car's performance with better grip and pickup, but Toyota isn't making the Prius to handle speedways. It remains an economical, fuel-efficient machine, albeit with sleeker design inside and out.
Why make changes to a proven winner?
More than nine million gasoline/electric hybrids have been sold worldwide, Toyota models making up eight million of those, and the Prius accounting for half Toyota's total. When introduced to the world in 1998 – and Canada 15 years ago – the Prius was embraced by the environmentally concerned. But that was then. Now, most major makers are diving into the space with hybrid, electric or hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
Superior fuel economy? ZZZZZzzzzz. As a lone attribute, it won't sell cars any more.
"Prius is always famous for environment, but we made changes to make it more emotional, more fun, compared with the present model," says Shunsaku Kodama, chief designer. "We wanted to rejuvenate the car. The design is quite different. With the lower centre of gravity, the agility of driving has improved. We hope to appeal to customers who want a more emotional experience."
Key to success is whether buyers will see it as a jazzier drive.
"It's not about trying to appeal to consumers on the basis of the Prius being the most environmentally advanced vehicle," Toyota Canada vice-president Stephen Beatty says. "Rather, to be one that of course delivers that, while being much more compelling to look at, more engaging to drive, with an interior that hits all those emotional hot buttons."
You'll like this car if ... The driving experience factors significantly in the buying decision even though environmental concerns and economics are top of mind.
TECH SPECS
- Base price: Unavailable; vehicle to be in showrooms early in 2016
- Engine: 1.8-litre four-cylinder, paired with electric motors
- Transmission: Continuously variable automatic
- Fuel economy, combined (litres/100 km): 4.3
- Alternatives: Hyundai Sonata, Kia Optima, Chevrolet Volt, Ford Fusion, Ford C-Max, Toyota Camry, Honda Accord
RATINGS
- Looks: Front and rear ends have a clean, aerodynamic design. Lighting treatments are bolder, the tail lights in particular are a striking feature.
- Interior: Seats are more comfortable with a new ergonomic design. A white porcelain treatment inside the cockpit adds a dash of flare.
- Performance: The lower front-end pitch improves responsiveness and acceleration. Double-wishbone rear suspension for smoother driving and better traction control.
- Technology: Thermal efficiency of the engine is boosted into diesel territory. Choice of newly developed nickel-metal hydrate and lithium-ion batteries. Front bumper is reinforced to distribute crash impact. A collision avoidance/mitigation package uses a camera and wave radar in tandem for lane departure alert, automatic high beam and cruise control.
- Cargo: Designer Shusaku Kodama said that while the roof line was lowered by 20 mm, the base of the front seats dropped by 55 mm for more headroom and head clearance in the back. Moving the battery under the rear seat created an additional room for 56 litres of your favourite Okanagan wine.
The Verdict
8.0
Long-awaited front, rear and door restyling upgrades and improved driving performance dare loyalists to stay true, as Toyota battles competition.
The writer was a guest of the auto maker. Content was not subject to approval.
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Instagram
Add us to your circles
Sign up for our weekly newsletter