[Taboleo] "The Hybrid Original is Back" Toyota Prius

Toyota Prius, World's First Mass-Produced Hybrid Car
Full Model Change After 8 Years... New 5th Generation Model Released
Sleek Sports Car Silhouette with Excellent Driving Performance
20 km per Liter Fuel Efficiency... Two Lineups: HEV and PHEV
Imported Compact Hybrid Car Priced in the 30 Million KRW Range

Recently, hybrid vehicles have been gaining attention again. The inconvenience of charging electric vehicles and the price burden due to reduced electric vehicle subsidies have caused the popularity of electric cars to slow down. Hybrid cars, which combine the advantages of electric vehicles and internal combustion engine cars, have filled this gap. A hybrid is an eco-friendly car that combines an internal combustion engine and an electric motor. At low speeds, it runs solely on the electric motor like an electric vehicle, and when the speed increases to high levels, it runs on the internal combustion engine. Thanks to this, it offers fuel efficiency exceeding 20 km/l while eliminating the worry of charging like an electric vehicle. It is a vehicle that captures both eco-friendliness and convenience.

The Toyota Prius is the world's first mass-produced hybrid car. Toyota is called the 'originator of hybrids,' largely due to the contribution of the compact hatchback Prius. Since Toyota launched the first-generation Prius in 1997, over 5 million units have been sold worldwide. This demonstrates Toyota's hybrid technology being recognized globally.

Recently, the Prius returned with a new 5th-generation model. It is a full-change model released after a long 8 years. I test-drove the Prius, which boasts Toyota's hybrid technology along with a striking design and excellent driving performance, on the 14th of last month. I alternated between driving the hybrid (HEV) and the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) models. The test course was a round trip of 166 km between Children's Grand Park in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, and Gapyeong in Gyeonggi Province.

- What was your first impression of the new Prius?

▲ When I first saw the Prius, the impression was 'sleek.' The sleek silhouette emphasized since the first generation was applied to the new 5th-generation model as well. True to Japanese cars, it emphasized a clean and simple design without missing practical details. The most eye-catching part of the overall design is the side. From the side, the slope of the front windshield is quite low. To improve aerodynamics, the windshield slope was lowered from the previous 26.3 degrees to 21.6 degrees. Lowering the windshield slope also lowered the roof. The roof's highest point (peak point) moved backward compared to the previous generation. This lowered the center of gravity and created a sports car-like silhouette.

- How did it feel to sit in the driver's seat?

▲ First of all, despite being a compact car, it felt spacious and open. The front glass is very low and extends long, and with the panoramic glass roof installed, it hardly felt cramped. Also, the 7-inch top-mounted instrument panel visible beyond the small, compact steering wheel is unique. Usually, other cars show vehicle status information on the instrument panel and use the head-up display (HUD) for navigation and route guidance. The new Prius combines these two functions into one. Toyota arranged the instrument panel so that it can be seen beyond the steering wheel, allowing the driver's gaze to naturally face forward. A 12.3-inch full HD touchscreen is placed in the center of the dashboard, and below it, various buttons controlling the air conditioning and other functions are designed like piano keys for intuitive use.

- How about driving performance and fuel efficiency?

▲ First, the 2.0ℓ hybrid model I test-drove first impressed me with its seamless motor-engine transition. Other companies' hybrid systems usually show a noticeable difference when switching from electric mode to gasoline engine intervention. Toyota's hybrid system transitions between the electric motor and gasoline engine so naturally that you can't tell. The compact and sleek body also provided good handling. However, it was somewhat disappointing that the sound of the gasoline engine during rapid acceleration entered the cabin directly. On the other hand, the plug-in hybrid model offered a much smoother and quieter driving experience. Even during rapid acceleration, it provided quiet and smooth acceleration. The PHEV model is equipped with a 13.6 kWh lithium-ion battery, allowing it to run 64 km on electric mode alone.

Additionally, Toyota significantly increased engine performance compared to the previous 4th-generation model. The Prius had been criticized for 'good fuel efficiency but boring driving' with a zero-to-100 km/h acceleration time in the 10-second range. The new 5th-generation model raised the system's total output to 196 horsepower for the 2.0ℓ hybrid engine and 223 horsepower for the 2.0ℓ plug-in hybrid engine. These figures represent increases of 60% and 80%, respectively, compared to the previous generation. The zero-to-100 km/h acceleration time also improved from the 10-second range to 7.5 seconds and 6.7 seconds, respectively. Many people likely add this car to their purchase list because of its fuel efficiency. In actual driving, even without careful fuel-efficient driving, achieving 20 km per liter was easy. The hybrid model's official combined fuel efficiency is 20.9 km/l, and the plug-in hybrid's is 19.4 km/l.

- How about convenience features and space utilization?

▲ The new Prius features safety equipment that can help novice or elderly drivers who may find driving difficult. The emergency braking assist system detects unexpected obstacles ahead and issues warnings. When the driver presses the brake, the pre-collision brake assist (PBA) activates, applying stronger braking force than the driver’s input. Also, using the dynamic radar cruise control function, the car automatically maintains distance from the vehicle ahead within the speed range set by the driver. The car even slows down automatically when entering curves. Regarding space utilization, there are certainly limitations as a compact car. The body is low and sleek, so the rear seat space is inevitably narrow. However, this car is designed more as a 1-2 person vehicle or a second car rather than a family car. It would be suitable as a first car for young adults or for retired seniors.

- How does the price compare, which is the most important factor?

▲ The starting price of the 5th-generation Prius is 39.9 million KRW. The high price in the high 30 million KRW range might be somewhat burdensome for buyers looking for a compact car. It is over 15 million KRW more expensive than the domestic compact hybrid model, the Avante Hybrid (starting at 24.66 million KRW). It is priced similarly to the two classes higher large sedan, the Grandeur Hybrid (starting at 42.66 million KRW).

However, if you think of it not as buying a compact car but as purchasing Toyota's high-level hybrid system, this pricing is understandable. It reflects the recent market preference for hybrids and confidence in Toyota's hybrid system. The new Prius prices are: Hybrid LE at 39.9 million KRW, higher trim Hybrid XLE at 43.7 million KRW, Plug-in Hybrid SE at 46.3 million KRW, and XSE at 49.9 million KRW.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.