Why the new Prius need in this world more than the world to him

We traveled on one of the most unusual and controversial machines that have come on the Russian market, the hybrid Toyota Prius fourth generation. Complain that all cars are similar to each other? Well, get a car which has very little in common even with other "Toyota". At least, outwardly.

 





 

Because really, the new "Prius" something in common with other Toyota models still there. That's just it quietly. The new hybrid is the first car built on the new global architecture TNGA, which will soon move almost all of the passenger "Toyotas".

The automaker insists that TNGA — this is architecture, not modular platform. That is, a kind of designer in which the same parts to assemble chassis for different cars. Reducing the number of required components, the Japanese have reduced the number of platforms from seven more than a dozen... five!

One of them is the basis of the Prius fourth generation. In the front there are MacPherson (as before), and ago the Japanese have made independent suspension instead of torsion beam. The wheelbase has not changed and is still the same 2700 mm.

The hybrid became longer, wider and lower than its predecessor, but will never pay attention to it. Because the new Prius is indescribable combination of angles, shapes and flowing into each other surfaces. Abstraction is such that even the work of Jackson Pollock can suddenly seem quite sensible and rational.

In the "Toyota" all of this is called Yu-Bi Shin — engineering beauty. Little lights, narrow lattices, small wheels, lots of Windows and deliberate bruises — all for the sake of content, not form. In short, the Prius is not Ryan Gosling. At all. Never. Not from any angle. But ugly it won't be called.

Prius first generation, which appeared twenty years ago was revolutionary. How else can one describe the first mass car with a petrol-electric powertrain?! That's only in appearance he differed little from the huge boom box. But now, with sophisticated optics and there are countless a number of angles and lines he looks appropriately to its status as a revolutionary. One "but": according to the technique in the current Prius revolution is not.





Powertrain of the Toyota Prius, the fourth generation differs little from the unit's predecessor. The main here is still a 1.8-liter gasoline "Quartet", working on the Atkinson cycle and coupled with the continuously variable electro-mechanical CVT with a planetary gearbox and an integrated starter-generator and a traction motor. All this powered by frost-resistant, Nickel-metal hydride battery hidden under the rear sofa.

Yes, the engine has increased thermoeffective, yeah, the drivetrain and battery become smaller, but the total return units decreased from 136 to 122 horsepower. And it is felt.

The "Prius" of the fourth generation has all-wheel drive modification. It involves the use of another electric motor for the rotation of the rear axle. Its appearance in Russia is not planned yet.

Not that old "Prius" were a Sprinter, but in direct comparison (and we had the chance) pyatidverka new generation to achieve a mark at a hundred miles an hour took a little more space and time than the predecessor. What, in General, is not surprising when the impact of the power plant 10 percent of losses — a significant difference, although the bare figures, the dynamics have not changed.

 

Not athletic, not handsome, not a revolutionary — who are you, the new Prius?Actually, the fourth-generation Prius — just a good car. Its dynamics is enough to not be depressed even outside the city. Because the electric motor helps the internal combustion engine of up to 110 kilometers per hour, whereas the petrol engine has remained in splendid isolation much earlier. To control the thrust in a Prius now easier and even more enjoyable.

Almost as good as watching on the testimony of the onboard computer. Because there is very rare to see figures approaching five liters per hundred kilometers. Five gallons! During the test, the consumption was four cents a litre, but they say that if you want it to drop below three.

Obviously, this should be experienced plusbottom and work right foot as neatly as a surgeon with a scalpel, not forgetting to control the flow of energy in the power unit. Because the battery of the Prius is not very hardy. In truth, it is so nevynosimo that TTX is nowhere specified the supply of the electric range. That is, without rattling petrol "Quartet" of course you can ride, but not for long.





Toyota Prius fourth generation already has a version with the ability to charge the batteries from a household outlet. It differs from the basic version, and even design. The appearance of this modification in Russia is not planned due to the poor infrastructure of charging stations.

Finally, this is the Quartet plus recovery is the main way to charge the battery. Therefore, to maximize the ride on this "Toyota" only for drivers who know Zen. But this "maximum" will allow to pass on one 43 litre tank 1300-1400 miles. A good excuse to relax, right?

And yet the Toyota Prius is now much better on bad roads. On very bad roads. Memorycache back, coupled with the adaptation of suspension under the complicated Russian reality done on the five plus. Most of the road defects in the Prius works like them and no.

The hybrid almost no heels, almost swinging and well managed. Good — by the standards of a family car. At low speeds the steering is light and weightless, and filled with high stress as much as you need. No excessive sharpness or reverie. In General, the average a wheel. Yes, as the whole machine.

The warranty on powertrain is five years or one hundred thousand kilometers. In the us the documentation to the "Prius" indicated that the estimated battery life of 240 thousand kilometers.





It turns out that now only "Prius" has become what was supposed to be from the beginning: uyigue bright, but not very difficult alternative to vehicles that are buying all around. Its design is now able to underline its singularity, but for a normal life with this hybrid still does not have a Ph. D. in physics or pull a thick cable from a nearby substation.

In Russia, the Toyota Prius will be sold in the only the richest set. The hatch was estimated at 2.1 million rubles. For the same money you can buy, for example, the Nissan X-Trail or Hyundai Tucson. And, of course, most of you will choose one of those two, and then will complain that the new cars are almost indistinguishable from each other. Classic.

Actually, this is not machines are the same, and our expectations from them. So Toyota expects to sell the new Prius in Russia in large quantities — a few hundred, no more. After all, most already have a million reasons why they would never buy the Prius. And among them very few truly objective. published

 

P. S. And remember, only by changing their consumption — together we change the world! ©

Source: motor.ru/articles/2017/04/02/prius/

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