Toyota began to produce its third generation Prius Hybrid Sedan in 2009, as a version of this best selling family saloon, which first went into production in 1997. Since then The 3rd Generation Prius Hybrid Sedan has earned the distinction of being the World's first ever mass production hybrid vehicle.
Toyota's Prius, in its various formats, has been a world best seller since it went international at the beginning of the Noughties, with three million units sold worldwide to date. To give an indication of the popularity of the Toyota 3rd Generation Prius Hybrid Sedan, more than one million units have been sold in the two years since 2009.
The 3rd Generation Prius Hybrid Sedan is powered by a conventional 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine producing 98 horsepower at 5,200 rpm backed up by Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive. When solely in hybrid mode, the Synergy Drive provides electric power that will either move the Prius forward at speeds of up to 30 miles per hour, or supply sufficient torque to supplement engine power when in dual mode. Combining the output of the engine and hybrid system will generate 134 horsepower for the hybrid engine. The Prius Plug-in can be fully recharged in less than 1.5 hours.
As the saying goes, the 3rd Generation Toyota Prius Hybrid Saloon, as was the case with its predecessors, is built for fuel economy and not for speed, reaching from 0-to-60-mph in around 10 seconds. One of the factors slowing it down might be its weight, although that might be considered unfair, when you discover that the Toyota Prius Hybrid Saloon weighs in at just over fourteen hundred kilos, only fifty more than its petrol powered counterpart.
The Toyota Prius Hybrid Saloon is roomy with loads of space for four large size adults, or five if they are really good friends and prepared to crush in a little. Since Toyota moved on to fitting a lithium-ion battery which is considerably more compact, the Prius's luggage capacity has risen to of 443 liters with a further of 40.5 liters under floor, ideal for storing and providing easy access to the Prius's charging cable.
to round off the exterior view, the 3rd Generation Toyota Prius Hybrid Saloon comes with custom offset seventeen-inch forged alloy wheels fitted with low profile 215/45R17 tires.