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Easy on the wallet and the economy

Introduction

The last Toyota Prius flipped the automotive world on its head, changing the purchasing priorities of American car buyers seemingly overnight. Attracted to its sky-high fuel economy, practical body style and green image, consumers came to the Prius for many new car searches. Now there is the all-new 2010 Toyota Prius. It's poised to keep the hybrid revolution going, but with key changes to make it more appealing to an even wider audience. A quick look at the 2010 Prius will reveal a familiar shape, but it's a little sleeker and sportier than its predecessor. Visually, it looks smaller, but it's an optical illusion that creates a more streamlined appearance. Indeed, the 2010 Prius is less than an inch longer and wider than last year's model. Under the hood resides a revised version of Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive. There's a larger and more powerful gasoline engine now, but instead of providing quicker off-the-line acceleration, it allows more effortless highway cruising. A smaller electric motor contributes less torque to the overall powertrain dance, but it improves efficiency. There are other mechanical changes, too, but the end result is a jump in fuel economy, from last year's EPA-estimated 48 mpg city/45 mpg highway to this year's 51/48 mpg. The latest Prius might even seem like a small, ultra-efficient luxury sedan depending on how you equip it. Luxury-themed items like heated leather seats, a solar-powered sunroof (cools the interior when parked), a navigation system, radar-based adaptive cruise control (matches your speed to the car ahead), a pre-collision system (retracts seatbelts and applies the brakes if a crash is unavoidable) and a lane-departure warning system for inattentive drivers are all available. Also, the automated self-parking system you've seen in Lexus commercials makes its way onto the Prius' options sheet. The Prius has been a huge success, and with such success comes added competition. The all-new Honda Insight looks similar to the Prius, but is smaller and less sophisticated. When it comes to an ultra-practical, ultra-efficient automotive choice that can be anything from an economy car to a luxury car, the 2010 Toyota Prius cannot be beat.

Introducing the Prius II, III, IV and V

	Standard equipment on Prius II includes 15-inch alloy wheels, full power accessories, keyless ignition/entry, auto on/off headlights, cruise control, a height-adjustable driver seat, a tilt-telescoping steering column, a hybrid system display and a six-speaker stereo with CD player and auxiliary audio jack.
The Prius III offers the same 15-inch alloy wheels and power options but adds Bluetooth and an eight-speaker upgraded JBL stereo with six-CD changer. See text in bold below the Prius V for more options.
	The Prius IV has this equipment plus additional exterior locking buttons for keyless entry, leather upholstery, heated front seats, driver lumbar adjustment and an auto-dimming mirror. See text in bold below the Prius V for more options.
The loaded-up Prius V comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, foglamps and LED headlamps with auto-leveling and washers. Detailed in bold below are other options that make the Prius V a standout in this segment.

The Navigation package available on all but the Prius II includes a voice-activated touch screen navigation system with real-time traffic, a back-up camera, a four-disc CD changer (replacing the six-slot) and Bluetooth music streaming. The Solar Roof package can be added to the Navigation package and includes a sunroof with a solar-powered ventilation system that cools the car when it's parked. The Advanced Technology package when added to the Navigation package includes adaptive cruise control, pre-collision alert system, a lane departure warning system and automated self parking.

Powertrain and Performance

The 2010 Toyota Prius is powered by Toyota's advanced gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain. A 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine combines with a pair of electric motors (one for propulsion, the other an electrical systems generator) through a planetary-type continuously variable transmission (CVT). The result is a total system output of 134 horsepower. In track testing, we clocked the Prius going from zero to 60 mph in 10.1 seconds, which is roughly the same as the old car and quicker than the Honda Insight. The most important number, however, is fuel economy. The EPA estimates the 2010 Prius will return 51 mpg city/48 highway and 50 mpg combined. That's the best fuel efficiency of any mass-market vehicle sold with an internal combustion engine.

Base Number of Cylinders: 4
Base Engine Type: Inline
Max Horsepower: 5200 RPM
Max Tourque: 4000 RPM
Turning Circle: 34.2 FT.

Base Engine Size: 1.8L
Horsepower: 134 HP
Torque: 105 FT-LBS
Drivetype: FWD

Fuel Tank Capacity: 11.9 Gallons
EPA Mileage Estimates: 51 MPG City, 48 MPG Highway, 50 MPG Combined
Range(in miles): 607 City, 571 Highway, 595 Combined

Interior Design and Special Features

Exterior Color Choices

Barcelona Red
Metallic

Black

Blizzard Pearl

Blue Ribbon Metallic

Classic Silver Metallic

Sandy Beach Metallic

Winter Gray Metallic

Interior

Bisque
Cloth/Leather

Dark Gray
Cloth/Leather

Misty Gray
Cloth/Leather

The 2010 Prius features climate and audio controls that jut out toward the driver in a "floating console" that provides a storage area underneath. In terms of versatility the Prius is still a champ. The hatchback body style provides more cargo capacity than a typical midsize sedan, while its backseat provides lots of space. As for the front seats, the addition of driver height adjustment is a benefit for both short and tall drivers.

Safety

Every 2010 Toyota Prius comes standard with antilock disc brakes (the old car had rear drums), stability and traction control, front side airbags, side curtain airbags and a driver knee airbag. Optional equipment includes a pre-collision warning system and a lane-departure warning system. In brake testing, the Prius stopped from 60 mph in a short 118 feet, with less fade than the previous rear-drum-equipped car.

Toyota of Keene

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