2011 Toyota Prius Reviews

Toyota Prius

Toyota Prius Reviews-The combination puts out 134 horsepower, but the 1.8-liter's better torque helps the Prius run at slower engine speeds on the highway.

Safety options include radar cruise control, a lane-departure warning system, a rearview camera, a Safety Connect system that alerts emergency crews after a crash, and the stunt technology of the day—Intelligent Parking Assist, which helps you parallel-park the Prius via the car's cameras, albeit with your foot on the brake to control speed. For 2011, the former Toyota Prius II, II, IV, and V models have been replaced by Toyota Prius Two, Prius Three, etc. A Toyota Prius One model is expected to bow later in the model year. Although base 2011 Toyota Prius One and Two models are priced in the low-to-mid twenties, and power windows, cruise control, and an AM/FM/XM/CD player are standard, but there are plenty of features meant to woo affluent buyers into spending more on the expensively engineered Prius.

The question then becomes: Can the Toyota Prius keep its major going?
Under the hood, a larger gas engine and stronger electric motor combine for more power and better fuel economy -- the Toyota Prius has a combined EPA fuel economy estimate of 50 mpg, the best of any conventional hybrid vehicle. There's even an automated parallel-parking system to help you squeeze into tight downtown parking spaces.

There are some downsides to this latest Toyota Prius, however. It doesn't have the top fuel economy of the Prius, but it looks like a normal sedan and drives with more vigor. Toyota is also set to offer a plug-in version of the Toyota Prius to counter the Volt. With strong fuel economy, hatchback utility, a reasonable price and a feature list that can range from economy to luxury, the Toyota Prius earns its painted bulls-eye.

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options
The 2011 Toyota Prius is available in five trim levels: Prius One, Prius Two, Prius Three, Prius Four and Prius Five. Standard equipment on Prius One includes 15-inch steel wheels, full power accessories, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, a height-adjustable driver seat and a 60/40-split-folding rear seat. The Toyota Prius Two adds 15-inch alloy wheels, heated side mirrors, automatic headlights, keyless ignition/entry, cruise control and a six-speaker stereo with CD player and auxiliary audio jack.

The Advanced Technology package available for Prius V includes all components of the Navigation package plus adaptive cruise control, pre-collision alert system, a lane departure warning system and automated self-parking.

The 2011 Toyota Prius is powered by a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine combined with a pair of electric motor/generators; they send their power through a specialized continuously variable transmission (CVT). The EPA estimates the 2011 Toyota Prius will return a very impressive 51 mpg city/48 highway and 50 mpg combined.

Safety
Every 2011 Toyota Prius comes standard with antilock disc brakes, stability and traction control, front side airbags, side curtain airbags and a driver knee airbag. Optional equipment includes a pre-collision warning system and a lane-departure warning system. In brake testing, the Prius stopped from 60 mph in a short 118 feet.

According to 2010 ratings (which aren't comparable to 2011 ratings) the Toyota Prius earned four stars rating in frontal impact protection for both driver and passenger. In side impact testing, the Prius scored five stars for front passengers and four stars for the rear. The 2011 Prius features straightforward climate and audio controls that jut out toward the driver in a "floating console" that provides a storage tray underneath. Materials quality in the Prius is disappointing, with harder and cheaper plastics than other cars in its price range. In terms of versatility, though, the Prius is still a champ.

Driving Impressions
The 2011 Toyota Prius features a hyper-quiet cabin, made possible by its part-time electric motivation and extensive use of sound-deadening materials.

The 2011 Toyota Prius is an exceptionally efficient car at a relatively low price for people who care more about conservation than the act of driving. The 2011 Honda Insight hybrid starts at $18,200, yet its estimated 41 mpg trails even the previous-generation Prius' 46 mpg.

Prius owners love their hybrids with a freakish passion, but whatever it is they enjoy about the cars, it can't be the actual driving. All hybrids and electrics employ regenerative braking, which uses the drive motors as generators to recharge their battery packs.