Toyota Prius+ Engineered for an Even Better Driving Experience
- Full hybrid MPV benefits from revised CVT performance for quieter and more linear acceleration
- Significant reduction in engine noise under acceleration
- Introduction of 2016 Toyota Touch 2 multimedia features
- Toyota Touch 2 with Go delivered with three years’ map and connectivity updates
- New Black Blue exterior paint option
Toyota has introduced changes to Prius+ that take the quality of the driving experience to a higher level. The ground-breaking C-segment MPV – the world’s first to provide seven seats with full hybrid power – has undergone strategic revisions to its continuously variable transmission that secure quieter and more linear acceleration, more closely linking the driver’s use of the throttle to the increase in speed and the rise in the engine note.
Toyota’s engineers have been able to maintain acceleration performance while reducing engine revs by around 1,000rpm, by using more electric power to support the performance of the 1.8-litre VVT-i Atkinson cycle petrol engine. The result is a more relaxed, smoother and quieter drive, reinforcing the hallmark quiet, responsive and intuitive drive quality of Toyota’s full hybrid technology.
The characteristically quiet cabin environment has been further improved through a series of additional sound insulation and absorption measures introduced in the door frames, the lower sections of the side and rear doors, the dashboard and the vehicle platform. A tunnel silencer has also been added.
Using a compact, lithium-ion hybrid battery located neatly between the front seats, Prius+ is able to provide generous space for up to seven on board and deliver the exceptional fuel and emissions efficiency associated with Toyota’s full hybrid technology, with official combined cycle CO2 output from as low as 96g/km and fuel consumption of 68.9mpg. Prius+ is among eight hybrid and plug-in hybrid Toyota models available in the UK, meeting the requirements of a wide range of customers.
True to Toyota’s commitment to continuous improvement, the Toyota Touch 2 multimedia system in Prius+ has been upgraded to the latest 2016 iteration, unveiled at this year’s Geneva motor show. Using the same, centrally mounted touchscreen, it has been made even simpler and more intuitive to use with new menu designs for both the overall system and (where fitted) its satellite navigation functions. Connection to the My Toyota on-line customer portal has also been made easier.
The Toyota Touch 2 with Go package has been enriched with the inclusion of three years of map and connectivity updates (and the customer option of a further two years’ extension). This ensures accurate routes can be planned, together with support from a wide range of apps providing up-to-the-minute information on traffic flow, parking availability, weather and fuel prices. Toyota’s system allows users to link to a number of on-line resources, including Google Search, Google Streetview, Aupeo!, Aha and Twitter.
The 4.2-inch colour TFT multi-information display in the instrument binnacle is designed for clear communication of vehicle status data to the driver with least distraction. This now includes an initial key lock image that indicates the vehicle is ready to be turned on and a warning when the steering lock is engaged.
The range of seven exterior paint options for Prius+ includes a new shade for 2016, Phantom Blue.
