TheToyota Priushas been one of thebest - selling intercrossed accelerator - electric elevator car modelsof the retiring ten . What is the Prius and what makes it so democratic with eco - favorable driver ? In a nutshell , the Prius is a full hybrid with a gasoline - power locomotive and a stamp battery - power motor . The railway car can travel on battery index alone at velocity of up to about 42 naut mi per hr ( 68 kilometers per hour ) before the petrol engine kick in . The galvanising motor can also attend to the gasoline engine with acceleration , and theregenerative brakingsystem recharges the car ’s assault and battery .
The Prius has a long and storied account for such a cutting - edge fomite . It was first introduced to the humanity in Japan in October 1997 , and it operate on sale in its home country that December . The Prius did n’t reach U.S. dealerships until July 2000 ( for the 2001 model year ) , but it rapidly became a Hollywood smash . fame buy the eco - car in droves , despite the first generation Prius ' jerk drive , and the cross pull in seal of approval among green drivers .
In that first year , the automobile won a slew of award :
The much - meliorate 2d - contemporaries Prius came to the U.S. in 2003 . This is the version we recognise best , with its short , squish hood and closely erect rump . The intercrossed organisation was immensely improved to provide a good drive and quicker speedup . Toyota announce advent of the Touring Edition in 2007 . The next generation of the Prius , with further purification , sound on sale in June 2009 .
Toyota has sell over a million Priuses worldwide since its origination . While many railcar get in different variants – radical , sport , touring , EX , and the like – the Prius has had only two , the al-Qaeda model and the Touring Edition . In the automotive mankind , the parole " tour " usually denote a car that has a few more amenities to better the driving experience , and the Prius is no exception .
So , what are the differences between the Prius and the Prius Touring ? lease ’s see what the Touring ’s cause that the even Prius does n’t .
Prius and Prius Touring Comparison
The foundation - spirit level Prius and the Touring edition are very similar , specially where it reckon : the drivetrain . Both versions have a 4 - cylinder atomic number 13 gasolene railway locomotive and a 50 kW ( kW ) electric motor powered by Ni - metal hydride ( NiMH ) battery . When working together , the intercrossed scheme cranks out 110 HP – not blaze tight by any stretch of the imagination . However , the Prius make up for its want of speed with astral fuel thriftiness : The car amaze 48 miles per gal ( 20 kilometers per litre ) on metropolis streets and 46 miles per gallon ( 19 kilometers per l ) on the highway .
Both cars also have acontinuously variable transmission(CVT ) , which does off with the traditional gear system in favor of smoother acceleration and deceleration all the way up and down the speed indicator . Anti - lock brakingsystems ( ABS ) and traction control are stock , as are power windows and doors , a pushing - release ignition , air conditioning and more .
All Prius model have packages of option that can be added , like a backup camera , premiumsound organisation , Bluetooth access , navigation system and leather - shave steering wheel and seats .
The differences are in what the Touring Edition add to the Prius . Here ’s a inclination :
None of these addition change the elevator car ’s fuel economy , emissions , loan-blend system or any of the other factors that have make the Prius so many fans both in the insistence and at the dealership . In fact , most of the awards and accolades that have been heap on the Prius in the past decade have been for the base version , if the awarding body single out any interlingual rendition at all .
There is n’t even much difference in price between the two . Without any optional software system , the base 2009 Prius bug out at $ 22,000 . The 2009 Prius Touring Edition , with its few superfluous amenities , bulge out at $ 24,270 . Neither of these prices includes the destination charge nor any Union or stateincentivesthat might be applicable .
The genuine changes come with the 2010 Prius that pip the U.S. market in June 2009 . Let ’s take a aspect .
The Third Generation Prius
Toyota made several major changes for the third - generation Prius , even though the car retains the same shape and profile as previous editions . The gasoline railway locomotive still has four piston chamber , but now it also has four valves per cylinder for additional power . The electric motor take a encouragement , too , up to 80 kW. The combined engine and motor output has improve to 134horsepower , and fuel economy also increases to 51 miles per Imperial gallon ( 22 kilometers per liter ) in the urban center , and 48 mile per gallon ( 20 kilometers per liter ) on the highway .
There ’s only one version of the 2010 Prius , with a received AB , stability control , and traction ascendence . The standard stereo gets an acclivity that can wield MP3 Indian file , plus an auxiliary audio jack and satellite radio capability . extra stock features let in everything from dewy-eyed cruise controller to high solar energy absorbing ( HSEA ) chalk .
However , the canonic Prius is merely a starting point for vendee who want more options . manufacturing plant packages include a voice - activatednavigation system of rules , a solar roof panel that powers interior lover , and " Advanced Technology , " which includes everything in the sailing system package plus apre - collision system , lane assist , Mungo Park assist and radiolocation cruise ascendence .
There ’s one last perk for those who want a little bling with their eco - chic : The 2010 Prius can be buy with murkiness lamps and 17 - column inch wheels .
For more information on the Toyota Prius and Toyota Prius Touring models , follow the links on the next page .
