Toyota Prius Hatchback (04-09) - Review

Review by Dan Harrison on
Last Updated: 23 February 2011
This is Toyota's latest stab at the 'Hybrid' market - a car that's both petrol and electric. In fact the Prius was good enough to beat more conventional models and win Car of the Year 2005. Hybrid vehicles work by using a petrol engine to charge a battery. At low speeds, the engine will switch to electric mode. The larger car firms expect the use of this fuel technology to grow in years to come, so expect to see more around.
3.5 out of 5

Other Toyota reviews

4 out of 5

Running costs

Over 50mpg is achievable in everyday driving and this figure increases the gentler you are with the throttle. Insurance groups are quite low (7 and 8), because of relatively cheap crash/repair costs. Depreciation is slower than average. Toyota servicing tends to be quite pricey.

Summary Running Costs

Servicing period

Every 10,000 miles

Warranty

Mechanical 3 years; bodywork 6 years; Hybrid systems 8 years 100,000 miles

Road tax (12 months)

£10.00 - £10.00

Vehicle excise duty (VED) varies according to the CO2 emissions and the fuel type of the vehicle. For cars registered after March 1st 2001 VED or road tax is based on the car's CO2 emissions. For cars registered before March 1st 2001 it is based on engine size.

Full running costs data

5 out of 5

Green credentials

  • A
  • B
    104
  • C
  • D
  • E
  • F
  • G
  • H
  • I
  • J
  • K
  • L
  • M

CO2 emission figure (g/km)

Fuel economy rating

The arrows indicate the best and worst CO2 bands for this model.

Emissions summary

Prius performs remarkably well on the eco front. It does feature a hybrid engine, which is essentially a petrol engine linked to an electric motor, which, when you brake or coast, captures energy to charge the battery for the electric motor. That means you get power without the added fuel bills. With an average of 104 g/km CO2 across the range, its emissions are refreshingly low for an executive hatchback. It's worth noting that the line-up does not feature any diesel models, which typically produce less carbon dioxide than petrol engines with similar power outputs. Eco-conscious buyers should consider the 1.5-litre hybrid, which is one of the greenest models in the range. The range is impressively economical, averaging 65 mpg.

Find the exact engine and CO2