Performance and Handling- Toyota Prius

Performance and Handling

2007 Toyota Prius' Hybrid Synergy Drive

While performance is much better than the previous generation of Prius, performance isn't anything remotely 'sporty'. It ranks 3rd in performance in the compact class on Autos.com (albeit in a many-way tie). The Prius does ride smoothly though and handles well at low speeds.

Driving the prius can be both annoying and pleasant. Pressing the accelerator pedal to the floorboard from a dead stop produces a pleasant surprise. Doing the same on the highway will just induce a big sigh. The Prius launches without hesitation thanks to the electric motor's 295 pound-feet of torque from almost a dead standstill. Accelerating onto freeways isn't much of a fuss, but things go downhill quickly from there, as speed builds. Frequent highway travellers should look elsewhere. A top speed of around 100 miles per hour, takes what seems to be an eternity to get there. Speeding requires horsepower in addition to torque, and the prius doesn't have much of the former. As the Prius approaches normal freeway speeds, it relies increasingly on its gasoline engine. Toyota says the Prius can accelerate from 0-60 mph in about 10 seconds. The gasoline engine is supplemented by an electric motor which, together, Toyota calls Hybrid Synergy Drive™. Hybrid yes, 'synergistic' no. Not according to the definition of the word, anyway.

Toyota claims the Prius produces only one-tenth as much pollution as the average new car. By complementing the gasoline engine's horsepower with the electric motor's torque, the Prius makes better use of the energy stored in each gallon of gasoline, while leaving fewer nasty chemical compounds in its wake. The electric motor, which begins cranking out its maximum torque virtually the moment it starts spinning, gets the car moving and helps it accelerate while it's underway. The gasoline engine steps to the fore at more constant speeds, especially during highway driving, where horsepower is more critical for maintaining a car's momentum.

The hybrid system improves fuel economy further by turning off the gasoline engine when it's not needed, like when you are waiting at a stop light or even when puttering around town at low speeds. Any time the driver's right foot requests more motivation than the electric motor alone can provide, the gasoline engine fires up and joins in.

The transmission is non-traditional, too. Prius uses an electronically controlled, planetary gear transmission that functions much like a continuously variable transmission. This system constantly and automatically selects the most efficient drive ratio to get the car moving and to keep it moving.

 

Gas Mileage

According to 692 drivers at GreenHybrid, the current generation of Prius averages 47.6 MPG. The official EPA numbers are 51 MPG Highway and 60 MPG in the city. Most people can't achieve the EPA numbers due to the Testing Methodology which doesn't use real world conditions to test fuel economy.