New Prius offers better mileage and zip

By Al Haas

For The Inquirer

In the car-building business, the terms redesigned and all-new are frequently subjected to considerable abuse. Too often, these new models aren't really all-new, and the redesign work doesn't get much beyond cosmetics and engine tweaks.

That is certainly not an accusation that can be leveled at the new-for-2010 Toyota Prius.

A team of 200 Toyota engineers was assigned to dramatically improve the Prius, and they obviously didn't spend too much time standing around the watercooler. This new model is a quantum leap past the old car. The 2010 Prius is not only more economical than its Scroogish predecessor, it is more powerful and more comfortable. And, perhaps most interesting, it is a lot more fun to drive, especially the sportier model I tested. Imagine that: a Prius that doesn't rhyme with Nytol.

Even though it is considerably peppier than the 2009 car (total horsepower is up from 110 to 134), the new Prius' EPA overall mileage of 50 m.p.g. is 4 m.p.g. better than that of the previous model.

That marvelous mileage puts the Prius at the top of the hybrid heap, beating out the Honda Civic Hybrid (42 m.p.g.), the Honda Insight (41), the Ford Fusion Hybrid (39), and the Mercury Milan Hybrid (39).

Interestingly enough, Prius sales, like those of other hybrids, have remained relatively strong in a wretchedly weak U.S. auto market. Prius sales were down only 3 percent in September, less than those of any other Toyota product.

The Prius, a midsize five-door hatchback, starts in the low $20s. The top-of-the-line Prius V that I drove opened at $27,270. Its total price with options and delivery came to $35,008. Given the premium paid for a hybrid such as the Prius, and the greatly diminished cost of gasoline, one could ask why analysts believe hybrid market share will rise from 2.6 percent in 2008 to 4.1 percent this year.

The answer to that question is in several parts. First of all, the Prius has incredible resale value. According to the Kelley Blue Book, a six-year-old Prius is worth close to $3,500 more at retail than a Toyota Camry that cost about the same new. There is also the reasonable apprehension among motorists over fuel-price volatility. And let's not forget the folks who want to do something for the environment - or at least appear as such to their friends and coworkers.

And let's also not overlook the star power afforded by the fact that the Prius is such a darling among the Hollywood glitterati.

The new Prius is virtually the same length as its ancestor and bears a strong resemblance, but there has been some revision. The roof has been flattened a bit to increase rear headroom, and the back end is higher and heftier. New front-seat contours increase rear legroom, and the cargo area is bigger. Rear visibility is still lousy.

The driving-fun quotient gets a boost from a more powerful engine and electric motor, and slick switching gear. The combination gets the new Prius from 0 to 60 in less than 10 seconds, which means the car can now be timed with a stopwatch instead of a calendar.

The Prius has three drive modes - EV, ECO, and Power. Almost every time I tried to use EV, which economically employs the electric motor only, I was rebuffed. I usually was denied because of a low battery. Sometimes, I'd slip past 24 m.p.h. and be dismissed for "excessive speed." After a while, I began to believe that EV was sort of like ED - or a bedmate who always has a headache.

Seriously, if you accelerate slowly and stay under 25, EV can give you up to a half-mile of gas-free driving in creepy-crawly traffic.

While handling in the base car remains forgettable, the cornering ability of the upscale V model I drove was quite refreshing. The more performance-minded tires, steering, and suspension conspired to produce surprisingly athletic results.

I also was impressed by the degree to which Toyota's designers have rigged this car for silent running. With its superslippery 0.25 coefficient of drag, a tad of wind noise from the mirrors is about all you hear at highway speeds.