We take a first look at the people mover version of the Prius hybrid that's now available overseas, as well as some of the cool tech that we're missing out on.
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(Credit: Wayne Cunningham/CNET)
Of names and capacities
Toyota, capitalising on the success of the Prius hybrid, plans to offer multiple models carrying the Prius name. The first of these to hit the market is a people mover, a slightly larger car using the same hybrid drive system as the standard Prius.
In the US, it will be dubbed the Prius V (above) and have seating for five. Europeans will get a version named the Prius+ that's almost the same, but have seating for seven. In Japan, both versions will be sold under the Prius Alpha badge. These more versatile Prii have yet to be confirmed for Australia.
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(Credit: Wayne Cunningham/CNET)
Same, but taller
From the front, the Prius V looks very similar to the hatchback Prius. As the V is a little taller, the fascia underneath the grille gains a little height. Toyota America will offer LED headlights as an option, which should improve fuel economy slightly.
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(Credit: Toyota)
Lithium available
Similar to the hatchback Prius, the V relies on a 1.8-litre petrol engine coupled with an electric drive system. Together, the petrol engine and electric motor have a combined output of 100kW.
The American Prius V comes with the same nickel metal hydride battery pack found in the regular Prius hatchback, as well as other Toyota hybrids, like the Camry. Japanese and European Prius Alpha and Prius+ buyers will have the option of buying a car fitted with a lithium ion battery pack.
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(Credit: Wayne Cunningham/CNET)
Not so slippery
The Prius V's height difference is most apparent from the side, where the roofline retains its height all the way towards the back of the car. This allows for more cargo space, but hinders aerodynamics. The V has a 0.29 coefficient of drag versus the standard hatchback's 0.25.
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(Credit: Wayne Cunningham/CNET)
It's bigger
The Prius V is some 15cm longer than the Prius hatchback and has a 7cm longer wheelbase; it also has a higher roofline by almost 3cm.
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(Credit: Wayne Cunningham/CNET)
V for versatile
The cargo area is 50 per cent greater than that of the standard Prius. The rear seats fold down in a 60/40 split. The rear seats also slide forward and back and recline, offering a variety of space and comfort configurations.
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(Credit: Wayne Cunningham/CNET)
It's a bird, it's a plane!
The optional dual sunroof is made from a polycarbonate material that is 50 per cent lighter than glass and offers better thermal insulation.
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(Credit: Wayne Cunningham/CNET)
Big and roomy
Greater width means that passengers in the front seats have vast amounts of personal space.
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(Credit: Wayne Cunningham/CNET)
For big boys and girls
The rear seats recline and slide, allowing increased comfort for larger passengers.
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(Credit: Toyota)
Vegan-friendly
Toyota uses new synthetic materials in the cabin that replicate the feeling of leather, but eliminate the guilt factor.
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(Credit: Toyota)
Nav upgrade
The Prius V retains the centrally located all-digital instrument cluster of the Prius hatchback. In the US, navigation is standard and there's a 6.1-inch touchscreen, with maps stored in flash memory.
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(Credit: Wayne Cunningham/CNET)
Power to the people
The power animation, showing when the petrol engine and electric motor are turning the wheels, gets an updated graphic treatment in the Prius V.
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(Credit: Wayne Cunningham/CNET)
Email
One intriguing feature is integrated email. The system will read aloud the contents of new email and allow the driver to choose from a few canned responses. This system only works with a few phones that support the standard, such as BlackBerrys.
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(Credit: Wayne Cunningham/CNET)
More nav
In the US, the Premium Navigation option brings in a larger 7-inch touchscreen and uses maps stored on a hard drive.
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(Credit: Wayne Cunningham/CNET)
Oh, that's sad
This Premium Navigation option offers similar data services as the basic system, but the interface is different. The optional navigation system gets data for traffic, weather and a few other services through satellite radio. So, basically, it's not coming to Australia any time soon.
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(Credit: Wayne Cunningham/CNET)
Data
To run any of Toyota's new Entune services, you must have the Entune app installed on a smartphone. The data for the apps comes from the smartphone's data plan.
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(Credit: Wayne Cunningham/CNET)
Bing search
The Entune Bing app sends search terms to Microsoft's servers and returns results based on locations near the car. Users can either use the touchscreen or a voice input system to enter search terms.
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(Credit: Wayne Cunningham/CNET)
Pandora
The Pandora interface offers a list of stations and the ability to give the currently playing song a thumbs up or thumbs down. When parked, users can also create new stations. Again, if and when we get Entune, this won't be available.
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(Credit: Wayne Cunningham/CNET)
OpenTable
The OpenTable Entune app lets you make reservations at nearby restaurants and loads a restaurant's address into the navigation system.
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(Credit: Wayne Cunningham/CNET)
Movie time
The MovieTickets.com app lets you view movie times and purchase tickets on the car's LCD.
Via CNET
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