2012-15 Toyota Prius C (Hybrid) Review

Prius's smaller sibling is the most fuel efficient car ( non plug-in) on the roads.

It may not exactly be "budget" but the fuel efficiency may make up for it...

The hybrid Prius family grew in the last few years to include the larger Prius V, the Prius Plug-In, and also the smaller ( and less expensive) Prius C. The Prius C was added to the Prii ( Toyota's plural form of Prius) family in 2012 for North America. It offers better fuel efficiency than the regular Prius in the city and is actually less expensive than it. It also offers much less technology and features than the Prius to keep the price down, to some, this may be a good thing, to others a huge drawback. Take a look:

Different Styles:

The Toyota Prius C only comes as a 5 door hybrid hatchback. It is based off the Yaris platform so it is quite a bit smaller than the regular Prius. It comes with a 1.5L 4 cylinder engine mated to an electric motor. Even thought the gas engine produces about 73 hp and the electric about 60 hp, total power is rated at 99 hp. This is about 1/3 less power than the regular Prius. It only has a CVT transmission.

Styling and Comfort Impressions:

It tries to copy the overall styling of the regular Prius in the front and back and does a pretty good job. However, due to the shorter length of the car it doesn't have the same sloping rear hatch as the Prius. This to me is a good thing. I have never really liked the look of the Prius. Yes, it did get better with its 2010 update but the overall design on the outside looked too long. The Prius C however, looks like a normal hatchback at first glance. With closer inspection you can tell the differences that make it a hybrid, such as skinnier tires, more of a sloped rear roof than other hatchbacks, and a front windshield that is almost perfectly in line with the slope of the hood. The windows seem decently large except for the back hatch which has a tiny strip for a window and a wiper that clears no more area than a small dinner plate. Overall though, for a small city looking car, its not that bad at all, and you can get it in a bunch of fun colours including orange, a golden yellow and a cool blueish- grey / green called "summer rain".

So, it looks good on the outside, what about the inside? Well, its not that bad actually. Is it as futuristic and high tech like the Prius? No, but that's ok, as it has a more logical layout of controls. The materials used are a bit boring and cheap looking, including the seats, but they use different shades and tones that make it look modern. Remember, Toyota was essentially trying to make it's hybrid technology more accessible to the masses, so to bring the price down, quality and quantity would have to drop somewhere. But to me, for a subcompact car it looks pretty good inside. However, for a subcompact it is still pretty expensive, so do you get what you pay for or not? That's for you to decide. Obviously if you go up the trim levels it starts to look better. Take a look for yourself:

The seats are relatively comfortable, maybe a bit on the hard side. This may be one of the only times where I think the white / grey / black interior looks better than what a beige or tan colour scheme could. The front console is logically laid out and the shifter is set up like a normal one instead of the Prius's ridiculous knob with odd positions. For those of you who know how the Prius drives you will be happy to know that the Prius C does not have the annoying back up beep. There are available options that get you heated seats and an upgraded media unit. One thing that I have never really liked about the Prius line up and the Yaris as well is the only digital, and center mounted dash layout. I like the more traditional 2 dial layout or at least make the screen in front of the driver rather than making them look to the side. The back seat has adequate space for 2 adults in terms of head and leg room. One major complaint I have is the rear seat head restraints, they are huge! Combined with the ridiculously small rear window and you get extremely poor rear view visibility. Apparently in the higher trim levels you can get head restraints that lay more level with the seat back, but come on, its just pitiful.

Finally, as you can see, the cargo space for a vehicle this small is actually not that bad. And when you fold down the seats it is quite large. The opening is also very wide, low, and square allowing large objects to easily be put in.

Driving Impressions:

If you have driven the recent Toyota Yaris, then this is very similar. It actually uses the same gas engine but of course it has the electrical engine as well. Lets get Toyota's complicated hybrid power train explained first:

• its called "Hybrid Synergy Drive"
• its considered a Full Hybrid System. This means that it can run in electric only, both, or gas engine only.
• it is a much more complicated system than the comparable Honda hybrids ( meaning more things that could break)

So, how does it drive? Well it is very quiet when you turn it on. If you have a full battery (indicated on the multi-info screen on the dash) you can press the EV button and put it into electric only mode. With this on, you can drive around your neighborhood without using a drop of fuel, but only under certain circumstances. Normally you cant go any faster than about 20 mph so about 35 km/h. So even around the neighborhood to stay in electric only mode using the button, you cant go any faster than a creep. If you press the Eco button, this controls all the acceleration, transmission, power and even the climate control to make everything more efficient. It also has the surprising ability to let the car run in electric only mode at slightly higher speeds and for slightly farther than the EV button. Its odd but it just seems to work that way. No matter what the specs say, the EV button and mode just doesn't really work well in most circumstances. But keep it in the Eco mode and you can benefit from the electric functionality of this small car. While driving in Eco mode the car is quite sluggish from a stop and the regenerative braking is quite grippy. Ah, that reminds me, who needs a brake pedal anymore when you can just shift the car into the "B" slot on the shifter. This essentially means the regenerative braking is boosted so much that the car will slow down significantly without even touching the pedal. This also fills up the battery much faster. 

And finally the normal driving mode. Well that's just what it is normal. If you drive it in Eco mode a lot and then put it into normal, it may seen "sporty" but its not. Its not that bad around the city as it is quiet and small so it can fit just about anywhere. The suspension is somewhat "sporty" meaning that it is a bit on the rough side.  Get it on the highway and you start to feel the lack of power, and the skinny tires means it gets pushed around by changes in road surface easily and should not be taken around corners fast. The engine also starts to sound a bit rough when accelerating. 

Its actually very similar to a normal subcompact in how it drives.

Overall:

While the Prius C may not exactly be a "budget car" it is definitely less expensive than most other super fuel efficient cars ( like hybrids) and a lot more practical (and better looking). It has nice subcompact looks on the outside and an interior that fits well in the subcompact class. It drives well, is decently comfortable on well kept roads  and it will make sure you are seeing less money being wasted at the gas pump. I would recommend this car to small families that already have a larger sedan, van, or SUV but need another car, or to someone who lives in the city and wont be seeing much highway travel as its small engine and size actually make its city fuel economy better than on the wide open highways. 

Facts/ Figures:

Price ( for mid trim level): $23,000+

FWD

MPG (approx*): 53 city, 46 highway

Cargo room (approx*): 17/50 CuFt

Length: 157"

Width: 67''

Tank Size (gal): 9.5

Miles on one tank (using combined MPG figures): 475

Average used price with 60,000KM or less: $19,000+ 

* when I say "approx" I usually am using the numbers given by the actual manufacturer or Consumer Reports, minus 1 to be a bit more realistic. 

Links:
Toyota Canada

Toyota USA

Enjoy!

J.K.