Given its extraordinary success with the Toyota Prius, the 2.6m sold since 1997 making it the planet’s most popular hybrid, it’s surprising that Toyota’s taken so long to exploit the name’s shiny reputation. But it is now, first with this bigger MPV called Prius+, then with its impressive fourth generation car, it will introduce a plug-in version.
The Prius+ provides three rows of seats and more load capacity within a longer, reshaped body and uses the familiar 1.8VVTi hybrid drivetrain, but with the vital difference that the battery is now lithium-ion rather than nickel-metal hydride. This more energy-dense pack lives between the front seats, freeing space for the third row.
Low emissions are the aim, the forecast best-selling Icon achieving an impressive 95g/km of CO2 to make it the only sub-100g/km MPV. Frustratingly, the bigger-wheeled Excel Plus slips to 101g/km, though.
Room in the middle row, whose three seats recline and fold individually, is decent, while row three will be comfortable enough for kids. Folding the seats is one-handed and produces an almost flat (but high) floor, though with all seats erected there’s only 232 litres of load bay.
