1 Mar 2016
Toyota launched its all-new fourth-generation Prius in March 2016 almost 20 years after the first version sparked a new future and set the car-maker on a hybrid course that it remained on ever since.
The 2016 Prius was more efficient than its predecessor, with fuel consumption at 3.4 litres per 100 kilometres on the official combined cycle, down 12.8 per cent from 3.9L/100km, marking the biggest fall in consumption in Prius history.
The petrol engine remained a 1.8-litre Atkinson-cycle unit driving two electric motors through a continuously variable transmission (CVT) to the front wheels. Combined output was 90kW with the motors offering up to 163Nm of torque.
Updates included an electrically operated water pump, low-friction engine and motor components, a new transaxle with more compact and lighter motors, and a smaller engine management unit.
All components have been lightened, shrunken, made more efficient and tuned for performance, according to Toyota.
Both variants featured high levels of safety equipment as standard, including autonomous collision mitigation, active cruise control with auto braking, lane-departure warning with a subtle steering wheel intervention and an automatic high-beam function.
This was on top of a reversing camera, seven airbags, emergency brake signal, auto-levelling LED headlights and LED daytime running lights.
Other standard comfort and connectivity features in the base variant included a colour head-up display, a 7.0-inch touchscreen wireless smartphone charger, 10-speaker JBL audio system, twin TFT display panels and 15-inch alloy wheels.
The i-Tech added 17-inch alloys, leather-accented upholstery, sat-nav, blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert, heated front seats, eight-way power adjustment for the driver’s seat and a digital radio.
