With so many people in Denver concerned about the environment, the Toyota Prius has enjoyed strong sales here in the Mile High City. If Toyota is going to keep up that strong following of buyers in Denver, they will not be able to rely on past success. The Prius has been highly successful, but with more new hybrid competition, can the Prius keep the momentum going?
The Prius got some much needed improvements for the 2010 model year. Like so many of us as we get older, the 2010 Prius put on 110 pounds overall with a stiffer body structure, but the hybrid mechanics were lightened 65 pounds and made stronger. The Prius also got a new 1.8-liter gas engine that is more powerful and efficient. Aerodynamic improvements resulted in a sleeker design and increased fuel efficiency.
Front and rear design changes included a smaller upper grille opening to more efficiently move air over the hood, and a new lip over the rear deck also improves air flow. Underneath, the underbody covers with splitters are also a part of the aerodynamic scheme, to achieve that 0.25 Cd. And changes to the LED blue-tinted headlights consume 17-percent less battery power, and the taillights are standard LED, reducing power draw by 88 percent.
The 2011 Prius cabin is certainly not the hybrid’s strong point, but the interior is satisfying with a nice cozy cockpit feeling in the driver's seat. The previous generation complaints about the front seats have been addressed with all-new front seats that are comfortable with increased bolstering and adjustability.
Where the Prius cabin excels is in its versatility. The hatchback body style provides more cargo capacity than a typical midsize sedan, and the backseat offers good legroom. There's 20 mm (0.8 inches) more rear legroom, partly due to thinner front seatbacks. And the 60/40 split rear seats have a folding center armrest with two cupholders; when the seats are dropped flat, there's nearly 39.6 cubic feet of cargo volume, easily accessible through the big liftgate.
Click here to check out the new features and options on the new Prius and see what other improvements have been made.
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