The Toyota Prius came out in 1997 as a hybrid compact sedan. The Prius is currently on its third generation and Toyota has created a Prius family. There is the standard Prius, the plug-in Prius, the extended hatchback Prius V, and the subcompact hatchback Prius C. The Prius C is known as the Toyota Aqua in Japan, which was first revealed at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show. The U.S. got its first look at the Prius C in January 2012 in Detroit at the 2012 North American International Auto Show. The Prius C is a five-door. front-engine, front-wheel drive subcompact hatchback.
I first saw the Prius C at the 2012 Houston Auto Show. I am not impressed. The car is ugly. I prefer cars with an aggressive profile or sleek body lines. The Prius C lacks in both departments. The front grill and bumper extends too far forward, making the car look awkward.
The Prius C is powered by a 1.5L I4 engine that produces 73 hp and 84 lb-ft of torque and permanent magnet AC synchronous electric motor that produces 60 hp and 125 lb-ft of torque. The combined power output is 99 hp.The Prius C also comes with a 0.9 kWh nickel-metal hydride battery pack and a continuously variable timing automatic transmission. The Prius C can go from 0 to 60 mph in a range from 10.6 seconds to11.0 seconds and reaches a top speed of 105 hp. The estimated EPA fuel economy is 53 mph city and 46 mph highway. Prices for the Prius C start at $19,710. That is a quite a bit of money for a car with horrendous performance.
The Prius C has been featured on Motorweek, Go On, and Auto Esporte.
Final Thoughts: I know Toyota wants to expand the Prius family due to the popularity of the Prius. But the Prius is seen as a family sedan. The problem with creating a subcompact car is that subcompacts are not known for being very spacious. The Prius C is ugly, slow, underpowered, and overpriced. I really do not like to buy a car based on EPA estimated mpg ratings because mpg is affected by driving habits and driving conditions. The Prius C may be ideal for short distance city driving, but that is about it. It is not for highway or long distance driving, especially with 0 to 60 mph time over 10.5 seconds. That is just too slow. There are better cars out there for under $19,000. While they do not have the estimated EPA mpg stats, which can be misleading, that the Prius C has, they are quicker and are better suited for everyday driving. Pass on the Prius C.
CarJunkie
Photo was taken by a digital camera.
Photo was taken by a digital camera.
To see more car related articles, check out http://carjunkie713.blogspot.com/.
Like me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/CarJunkies-Car-Review/120292601386720.
Follow me on Twitter @CarJunkie713.
No comments:
Post a Comment