Toyota Prius V Review

Toyota Prius V

Toyota Prius V

Toyota Prius V

Toyota Prius V is really just a thinly disguised minivan. But the plain fact is, some people need minivans and some of those desperate souls will want that minivan to be a hybrid. The Prius V offers 50 per cent more space behind the front seats than the hatch (a solid gain) and it comes close in terms of fuel efficiency — 4.6L/100 km in combined driving compared to 3.8L/100 km for the original. (These are US fuel cycle figures; Australian figures have yet to be confirmed ahead of its local launch in Q2 of this year.)

The strength of the vehicle, as expected, is the hybrid powertrain (shared with the regular Prius), which pairs a 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with a 60kW electric motor to produce a combined 100kW. This pairing is linked to a continuously variable transmission and managed via four different drive modes ranging from the extra-mild to the slightly spicy. In EV mode, the vehicle can run on electricity alone at urban speeds for about 2km, while power mode brings (a bit of) added punch.

Toyota Prius V