New Prius: Engineered for total economy

With its full hybrid powertrain, the new Toyota Prius is one of the most technically advanced cars on the market. Toyota’s extensive use of sophisticated technology is central not only to Prius’s market-leading environmental performance, but also to reduced running costs that shape the new model’s “total economy” profile.

Toyota’s new generation Hybrid Synergy Drive system has been substantially re-engineered to be more compact and much lighter than before, contributing an improvement in fuel economy of up to 10 per cent in combined cycle driving compared to the previous Prius model. That means more miles for every pound spent at the pumps, plus an extended range – 714 miles from a full 45-litre tank. The official figure of 72.4mpg achieved by the T3 Prius is the best in the world for any production petrol engine.

With the benefit of the full hybrid powertrain, owners can make further gains by switching to EV mode, for example in slow moving city traffic. The ability to run purely on electric power for certain distances is a unique feature of the Hybrid Synergy Drive system in new Prius, reducing both fuel consumption and tailpipe CO₂ emissions to zero. There is perhaps no better place to put that performance into practice than in the heart of London, where Prius remains exempt from the congestion charge.

The sizeable reduction in CO₂ emissions – by 14 per cent to 89g/km for the T3 Prius – brings with it further cost benefits, not least in a zero annual road tax (VED) bill. There is added appeal for company car users with Prius qualifying for the lowest, 10 per cent Benefit-in-Kind tax rate, and fleet operators can take advantage of a first year 100 per cent write-down allowance against Corporation Tax.

The table below provides at-a-glance comparisons with new Prius’s closest market competitors, and also the smaller, lower powered Honda Insight, to demonstrate the approximate cost savings company car drivers can realise over a three-year period. The figures reveal that even the most frugal D-segment diesel models remain considerably more costly to run in terms of combined tax and fuel costs.

	TOYOTA PRIUS 1.8 T3	FORD MONDEO 1.8 TDCI ECONETIC	VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT 2.0 TDI BLUEMOTION	BMW 318d EFFICIENT DYNAMICS	HONDA INSIGHT 1.3 IMA SE
Power (bhp)	134bhp	125hp	110PS	143hp	102hp
CO₂ (g/km)	89	139	128	123	101
Insurance group	6	8	8	12	6
OTR price	£18,370	£20,295	£18,095	£25,530	£15,490
3yr VED	0	£340	£300	£300	£45
BIK (%)	10	18	18	18	10
3yr BIK liability	£2,198	£4,346	£3,871	£5,477	£1,850
3yr total fuel cost	£2,212	£3,189	£2,951	£2,828	£2,495
3yr total cost	£4,410	£7,535	£6,822	£8,305	£4,345
Cost position vs Prius	-	+£3,125	+£2,412	+£3,895	-£65

Costings based on three years/60,000 miles, average petrol price 98p per litre, diesel 104p per litre.