New Prius vs. Old Toyota Prius '“ What's New for 2010
The 2010 model year brings a new Prius to market that is redesigned from the ground up. From the freshened exterior and improved cabin dimensions to a more powerful engine and even better fuel efficiency, Toyota has taken their top-selling hybrid and improved on it in virtually every way. Keep reading for a breakdown of all the changes made to the 2010 Toyota Prius:
New Prius Exterior Styling
The 2010 Toyota Prius looks rather similar to the old model, however slight changes have been made in the shape to improve aerodynamics. Overall dimensions have also changed slightly, with the new Prius growing by nearly an inch in both length and width.
In terms of cosmetics, the 2010 model year brings four new exterior colors to the Toyota Prius hybrid - Winter Gray Metallic, Blue Ribbon Metallic, Sandy Beach Metallic and Blizzard Pearl. These new options join three favorite colors from last year - Classic Silver Metallic, Barcelona Red Metallic and Black (which sounds completely boring compared to the rest of the color names).
The exterior also receives a boost in crispness thanks to the new blue-tinted halogen headlights. LED lights are standard on the taillights and brake lights. LED headlights are optional.
New Prius Interior Design
The added centimeters brought to the exterior of the Prius result in a roomier cabin, with headroom and hiproom both benefiting from the new design. However, new dimensions and interior layout also result in a slight loss of rear legroom (about one inch). In response to this, Toyota installed a skinnier front seat back to diminish the amount of lost space.
Comfort and convenience features have been bolstered for the year, with the 2010 Prius receiving enhanced cabin materials. Steps have also been taken to dampen engine noise and vibration, creating a more sumptuous and relaxed interior environment.
Toyota has also improved the ergonomics of the Prius dashboard. The main vehicle meters have been brought closer to the driver to minimize the time needed to refocus from glances to and from the road. Steering wheel controls for fuel-usage data also serve to improve safety.
New Prius Engine Performance
The old 1.5-liter gasoline engine for the Toyota Prius is replaced with a larger 1.8-liter four-cylinder. Combined with the vehicle's electric motor power (which also gains a performance boost), the result is a total of 134 horsepower. In comparison, the 2009 Toyota Prius mustered 110 horsepower. The result of these upgrades is a noticeably quicker vehicle.
Fuel efficiency of the engine has also been improved to 51 mpg in the city and 48 mpg on the highway (50 mpg combined). Weight reductions were accomplished on 90 percent of the components present in the hybrid system to aid in this boost of efficiency. The battery pack has also been put on a diet, dropping weight while managing to maintain similar performance as the old power source.
Other upgrades in performance for the 2010 Prius include beefier 4-wheel disc brakes and the availability of hill-assist technology.
New Prius Features
A number of new optional features are available for the 2010 Toyota Prius. Most intriguingly, is the availability of a solar-powered roof panel that assists in powering the vehicle's interior cooling fan. Other new sophisticated options include intelligent parking assist, dynamic radar cruise control and "Lane Keep Assist," a feature that alerts you if you start to meander from your car lane.
A few other notable options for the new Prius include leather seating, voice-activated DVD navigation system, Bluetooth audio streaming and SafetyConnect (Toyota's version of OnStar).
New Prius Prices
Despite all the upgrades, Toyota manages to undercut the price of the 2009 Prius. Base MSRP for the new model comes in at $21,000 - a full $1,000 cheaper than the already-affordable 2009 price. Add this in with the fact that the Toyota Prius receives improvements in virtually every vehicle category, and it's safe to say that the 2010 model is an even better version of the already-acclaimed 2009 model.