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- Looks like the Mini isn't the only one with a bulldog snout. This hybrid puppy is supposed to average mid-50s for fuel economy while delivering performance on par with a Corolla.
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- With a larger body that has the wheels pushed out to the corners, the Prius is moving on up from compact to midsize status, promising Camrylike passenger accommodations for the tree huggers within.
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- A symmetrical dash with a futuristic look highlights the cabin of the cutting-edge hybrid.
2004 Toyota Prius
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What Is It?
2004 Toyota Prius
What's Special About It?
Toyota introduced the Prius in Japan a few years before it brought it to U.S.
shores. That was in 1997, so the carmaker can lay claim to being the first to
bring a modern hybrid to market. Now comes the second generation of that ever
so green car, that, like the Six Million Dollar Man (or should I say, the AOL
man?) is bigger, stronger and faster than before.
A teardrop-shaped, five-door body gives the new Prius an extremely low (0.26)
coefficient of drag, promising better fuel efficiency and a quieter ride. It's
also more efficient with space, with the larger cabin vaulting the car from compact
to midsize status. A six-inch-longer wheelbase provides more legroom, and a "smart
entry" option allows the driver (with key fob in pocket) to get in, start (via
a starter button) and drive the Prius away without touching a key.
Under that snub-nosed body is a revamped Hybrid propulsion system. The electric
motor boasts 50 percent more power, that, according to Toyota officials, drops
the 0-to-60-mph time from the mid-12-second range to the mid-10s. And average
fuel economy is expected to rise from the high-40-mpg range to the mid-50s. With
90 percent fewer emissions than a standard gasoline engine, the 2004 Prius will
be SULEV (Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle) rated.
With nearly 400 new patents, there is a number of intriguing technologies aboard
the Prius, such as air conditioning that is entirely electric (which reduces power
loss for the engine) as well as drive-by-wire throttle and gear selector controls.
One might expect a healthy price jump in light of all the money invested in the
new Prius, but Toyota executives promised it wouldn't sticker for much more than
the current gas sipper.
Why Should You Care?
Now with Honda having a Civic Hybrid
sedan, Toyota responds with this much improved Prius. Looks like a gas sipper
shoot-out is on the Edmunds horizon. —John DiPietro
