Toyota launches luxo version of Prius v

Toyota’s hybrid onslaught has yielded a significant milestone, with 10,000 petrol-electric vehicles (including Lexus models) sold so far this year. The previous best combined result was 9422 vehicles in 2010, including 8444 for Toyota and 978 for Lexus.

The milestone coincides with the launch of a better-equipped version of the Prius v hybrid people-mover, which scores dynamic radar cruise control, a pre-crash safety system for the brakes and seatbelts, and a satellite-navigation system with digital radio.

Toyota claims the new Prius v i-Tech, priced from $46,490, is “designed to extend the car’s appeal, making it an alternative to luxury small and mid-size sedans, SUVs and crossover vehicles”.

The vehicle’s comprehensive mod-con list includes a head-up display with navigation prompts, an eight-speaker JBL sound system, premium seat coverings and a self-parking system – ‘Intelligent Park Assist’ in Toyota-speak.

Other new features include auto-leveling LED projector headlights with washers, an electro-chromatic rear-view mirror, front-seat heaters, water-repellent front-door windows and a panoramic roof with electric sunshade.

The existing base-model Prius v launched in May remains on sale (priced at $35,990), but Toyota claims the i-Tech’s $10K-plus premium is justified by its added kit levels.

The seven-seat Prius v has a 2-3-2 seating configuration, a set-up made possible by housing the compact lithium-ion battery pack under the centre console between the front seats.

Propulsion comes from the latest generation of Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive powertrain, which employs a 1.8-litre Atkinson cycle petrol engine and a 60kW electric motor for a combined system output of 100kW.

The Prius is now in its third generation, with the ‘v’ (for versatile) people-mover also supplemented from this year by the compact ‘c’ city-car. The latter has found 1516 Australian buyers until the end of October, while the v has earned just 594 sales.

Last month, Toyota globally passed one million hybrid sales in a year for the first time, and its cumulative hybrid sales have now topped 4.6 million.

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