Insurance Group: 11
MPG: 68.9
CO2: 96
0-62 Mph: 11.8 secs
BHP: 98 BHP
Range: 682 miles
PROS: The Prius+ is a practical, economical family car and comes with plenty of equipment included as standard.
CONS: It's very expensive for what it is and the interior feels very low-rent. Don't believe the fuel economy figures either.
The Prius+ is fairly underwhelming to drive. Like the standard Prius, it comes with a 1.8-litre petrol engine and an electric motor; however, unlike the Prius, it is fitted with more efficient lithium-ion batteries. 0-62mph is taken care of in 11.8 seconds and you'll run out of puff at just 105mph. However, the figures only tell half of the story and, on the road, the Prius+ feels slow and sluggish.
The Prius+ is incredibly easy to drive and handles safely and securely, with very little body roll through corners despite its high centre of gravity. The ride, however, is too firm and bumps can easily be felt in the cabin.
At low speeds, refinement is impressive, largely due to the fact that the engine is not running; however, at motorway speeds there is plenty of wind and road noise and the CVT automatic gearbox makes for a strange and off-putting engine note.
The Prius+ is hardly a stunner but it's a relatively handsome people carrier, if a little bland and anodyne. It's a pity we can't say the same thing about the interior. Toyota really don't get quality and although the interior looks smart and feels well screwed together, there are some horrendously iffy plastics on show which is unacceptable in a car as expensive as this.
On the plus side, you do get a lot of equipment for your money. Alloys, climate control, electric mirrors and windows, cruise control, a rear parking camera, and iPod and Bluetooth connectivity are all included as standard; however, you'll have to reach into your pockets if you want sat-nav (£850), leather seats (£1,700) or metallic paint (£450).
You can't fault the Prius+'s practicality. There is plenty of space in the cabin for seven people (providing that two of them are children) and the middle row seats fold, slide and recline individually, making it a comfortable place to sit for rear-seat passengers. On top of this, the Prius+ has a large boot, although not quite as large as some as its similarly-priced rivals.
The Prius+ should also be a very safe car and, although it has yet to be tested by the boffins from Euro NCAP, the standard Prius achieved the full five stars for passenger safety.
Toyota has an enviable record for reliability and the Prius+ should prove itself to be dependable. Toyota also offers a five-year/100,000 mile warranty which should put your mind at rest.
Oh dear. This is where the Prius+ slips up, I'm afraid. Although this is the cheaper of the two models on offer, it will still set you back the wrong side of £26,000. When you consider that the cheapest Ford Grand C-Max or Vauxhall Zafira Tourer will relieve you of less than £20,000, it becomes difficult to square the Prius+'s price.
Toyota would argue, however, that the savings you'll make in fuel will offset the higher purchase price of the car. They claim that the Prius+ will achieve a combined 68.9mpg -- it won't, we only averaged 55mpg -- and that because of this, the Prius+ will eventually pay for itself. However, you'll have to be racking up an astronomical annual mileage for this to be true.
On the plus side, the Prius+ emits just 96g/km of CO2, so not only is road tax free but the car is also congestion charge exempt.
Hmm... we're a bit stumped by the Prius+ T4 Hybrid. On the one hand, it's a good family car, which offers space, practicality and low running costs. However, on the other hand, it is simply too exp...
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