2008 Toyota Prius Base

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Engine
Cylinders	4
Horse Power	76
Fuel Type	Gasoline hybrid
Max RPM	5,000
Torque	111 lb.-ft.
Max Torque RPM	4,200
Compression Ratio	13.00 : 1
Engine Size	1.5 L
Valve Gear	DOHC
Total Valves	16
Engine Configuration	Inline
Displacement	91
Vehicle Emissions	SULEV II
Electric Motor Battery Type	Nickel metal hydride
Electric Motor	67
Electric Motor HP @ RPM	1,200
Electric Motor Torque	295
Hybrid Gas Engine	110
Automatic type	CVT
City (L/100KM)	4.0
Highway (L/100KM)	4.2
Transmission	Continuously variable Speed Automatic

Chassis & Suspension
Independent	Front
Stabilizer Bar	Front and rear
Front Suspension Type	Strut
Rear Suspension Type	Torsion beam
Front Suspension Classification	Independent
Front Suspension Type	Strut
Front Spring Type	Coil
Front Stabilizer Bar	Regular
Rear Suspension Classification	Semi-independent
Rear Spring Type	Coil
Rear Stabilizer Bar	Regular
Class	Regular
Rear Suspension Type	Torsion beam

Brakes
Braking assist
Front brakes	Ventilated disc
ABS	4-wheel

Wheels & Tires
Width	195
Profile	55
Speed Rating	S
Diameter	16.0
Type	AS
Prefix	P
Tire Pressure Monitoring System	Yes
Rim Type	Steel
Spare Tire Mount Location	Inside under cargo
Spare Tire Size	Compact

Exterior Dimensions
Overall Width	1,725 mm
Overall height	1,475 mm
Overall Length	4,445 mm
Wheelbase	2,700 mm
Front track	1,505 mm
Rear track	1,480 mm
Aerodynamic Drag (CD)	.26

Interior Dimensions
Front Head Room	994 mm
Rear Head Room	942 mm
Front Leg Room	1,065 mm
Rear Leg Room	980 mm
Front Shoulder Room	1,405 mm
Rear Shoulder Room	1,345 mm
Front Hip Room	1,295 mm
Rear Hip Room	1,311 mm

Capacities
Total Seating Capacity	5
Upholstery	Cloth
Front seat type	Bucket
Max seating capacity	5
Curb weight	1,335 lbs.
Cargo capacity, all seats in place	456 L
Max cargo capacity	456 L
Fuel Capacity	45 L
Gross vehicle weight	1,721 lbs.
Ground clearance	125 mm
Turning radius	5 ft.
EPA interior volume	2,724 L

2008 Toyota Prius Review

Assembled In: Tsutsumi (Toyota City), Japan.

Model Line Up: Toyota Prius ($22,475); Touring Edition ($23,370).

Model Tested: Toyota Prius ($22,475).

Options Tested: Package 5 ($3,280) includes VSC electronic stability control, Smart Key entry system, security alarm, reversing camera, Homelink programmable remote opener system, navigation system with steering-wheel controls, JBL AM/FM/6CD/MP3 audio with Bluetooth, fog lamps, HID headlamps.

The Toyota Prius is an impressive technological feat. It offers much better fuel economy than conventional cars and radically less environmental impact. We wouldn't have expected the pairing a small gas engine with a battery-powered motor to create a social phenomenon, but that's what the Prius has done, and it continues to be in demand.

The Prius is the best-selling gas-electric hybrid in the United States and in the world. Toyota sold just 5,600 in 2001, but annual sales expanded to 54,000 in 2004 and 108,000 in 2005. Sales for the first quarter of 2008 were up from the same period in 2007.

Introduced as a 2001 model, the Prius was redesigned for 2004 and updated for 2006. The 2008 Prius gets some new options, notably leather upholstery and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.

We find the Prius to be a comfortable car that's easy to like and live with. It's roomy, with adult-size back seats and lots of cargo space. It's pleasant to look at, with sleek, futuristic styling, easy to spot in a parking lot. In short, we like the Prius.

The EPA ratings for the 2008 Prius are 48 mpg City, 45 mpg Highway, and we're guessing everyday fuel economy for most owners should fall somewhere between 40 and 50 mpg. The test procedure used until recently by the Federal Environmental Protection Agency exaggerated the fuel efficiency of all hybrids, but the EPA has revised its test procedures to more closely simulate modern driving habits.

While the Prius excels at fuel economy, its performance in terms of emissions is even better. Prius is certified as an Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (AT-PZEV); meaning that it meets the Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle (SULEV) exhaust standard; plus a zero evaporative emissions standard, a 150,000-mile durability demonstration, and an extended emissions system warranty. That makes the Prius an excellent choice for buyers who want to reduce air pollution and America's dependence on oil. The Prius isn't cheap, but it costs less than a lot of other vehicles that are commonly promoted as family transportation.

It's important to understand that the Prius is not an electric car. You never plug it in. And there's no worry about driving beyond the range of the battery. A small, highly efficient four-cylinder gasoline engine charges the battery as you drive. No special knowledge is needed to drive the Prius. It works just like a regular car: You get in, you twist the key, you put the lever in Drive and you go. When it gets low on gas, you fill it up.

The Toyota Prius is available in base ($22,475) and Touring Edition ($23,370) trim. A wide range of option packages allow for additional personalization.

Standard features include fabric upholstery; electric air conditioning with a micron filter; power windows, door locks and heated outside mirrors; remote keyless entry; cruise control; a tilting steering wheel with redundant climate and audio controls; intermittent front and rear wipers; a six-speaker AM/FM/CD stereo; and P185/65 all-season tires on 15-inch aluminum wheels.

The Touring Edition rides on a more tautly tuned suspension and P195/55R16 wheels and tires. Visually, it's distinguished by HID headlamps with integrated fog lamps, and a larger rear spoiler.

Options are bundled into packages, with each succeedingly numbered package building on the contents of the previous packages. Package 1 comes standard. Package 2 ($575) includes vehicle stability control (VSC), a reversing camera to help you see what's behind you, Smart Key access, and MP3 capability for the stereo. Package 3 ($2,105) adds a premium nine-speaker JBL stereo with CD changer and Bluetooth; and Homelink. Package 4 ($2,580) adds HID headlamps with foglamps and a security alarm. Package 5 ($3,280) adds navigation. Package 6 ($4,550) tops it all off with leather seats and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.

Safety equipment that comes standard includes antilock brakes (ABS), Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist, and traction control. Standard passive safety features include advanced multi-stage, dual front airbags; side-curtain airbags designed to offer head protection for front and rear passengers; seat-mounted side-impact airbags for torso protection for driver and front-seat passenger; three-point seatbelts and head restraints at all five seating positions; and rear seat head restraints that are adjustable. A tire pressure monitoring system comes standard.

The Toyota Prius is beautiful in its simplicity, with graceful, fluid lines that make it look futuristic.

The pinched-down nose is helpful for knifing through the air with little resistance. The quarter panels and doors are sleek and clean. The sole character line is a tasteful indentation in the lower region of the doors, visually connecting the creases marking the lower limits of the working area of the front and rear bumpers.

The side view makes clear its devotion to aerodynamics. A steeply raked windshield carries the hood's acute angle rearward. An even more steeply raked backlight (rear windscreen) ends in a high spoiler that trips the air stream as it leaves the car, maximizing the aero advantage of the car's almost-vertical back end. Sleek rear quarter windows do more to visually enhance the aerodynamic look than they do for outward visibility.

The 106-inch wheelbase contributes to a stable ride and interior room. But the Prius looks under-tired, almost as if the tires were left out when the rest of the car was made larger. The narrow tires help fuel ecnomy, but they clash visually with our current sense of proportion.

The headlights are compound units that house the running lights, side marker lights, turn indicators and, when ordered, fog lights. Vertically stacked compound taillights wear modish clear lenses and bookend the lower section of the liftgate. Integrated into the liftgate, and running its width beneath the rear spoiler, is a strip of glass adding critical rearward visibility for the driver.

The Toyota Prius sets the standard for environmentally friendly transportation. It delivers extremely good fuel efficiency for a four-seat car with an automatic transmission. EPA numbers peg combined city/highway fuel economy at 46 mpg, which is about what you can expect. Toyota is clearly the leader in hybrid technology. The Prius is an amazing piece of engineering, yet driving one and owning one is not much different from a conventional car. That's impressive.

NewCarTestDrive.com correspondent Tom Lankard filed this report from Northern California, with John F. Katz in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

What reviewers liked most
"The basic driving position is excellent." (Source: New Car Test Drive)


"The new Prius' skin turns in a coefficient of drag of 0.26, about the lowest ever for a production car." (Source: AutoWeek)


"All that adds up to 60 mpg city, 50 highway, not to mention Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle and Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle classifications." (Source: AutoWeek)


"Lighter, lower-friction pistons, a revised combustion-chamber design, and remapped variable valve timing help increase engine power by six ponies, to 76." (Source: Car and Driver)


"A dashboard monitor allows you to see which engine is doing the work, and how much energy is being used at any given time, among other things." (Source: Edmunds.com)


"The all-new Prius is a legitimate family sedan that offers everything you would expect -- like solid build quality and refinement -- and a few things you don't -- like a base price of just $20,000." (Source: Edmunds.com)


"It's roomy, with back seats that seat two adults and lots of cargo space. The fabric upholstery is as good as it gets." (Source: New Car Test Drive)