There is no question the 2010 Toyota Prius is a comfortable compact with enviable fuel economy – we got a smidgen over 50 mpg in a week of driving.

But can you call a $30,000 hybrid an economy car?

2010 Prius

The iconic gasoline-electric hybrid favored by movie stars is all-new for this model year and the third-generation Prius offers more room, more power and more miles per gallon than its predecessors. It’s a pretty neat trick.

George Jetson would feel right at home slipping behind the wheel of the Prius, even if it doesn’t fly. Yet.

A push-button start replaces the old-fashioned key-in-the-ignition system. Another push-button puts the car in park. The tiny gearshift is mounted high on the center console, which arches between the front seats.

The Prius is powered by a larger and more powerful 1.8-liter Atkinson-cycle, four-cylinder engine that produces 98 horsepower. Combined with the electric motor, the hybrid system generates a combined 134 net horsepower, 24 horsepower more than the previous generation.

The Prius still won’t snap your head back – the 0-60 mph time nudges 10 seconds – but there is enough power to safely merge onto freeway traffic. And folks don’t buy this car to drag race, anyway.

A feature that allows you to drive on battery power only, although not far and not fast, is pretty cool for driving around the neighborhood.

The cabin is quieter than you typically experience in a compact car, the product of improved sound insulation and improved vibration damping. The interior is classier than most compacts, too. Leather seating. Nicely done fit and finish.

2010 Prius

You can load the Prius with enough electronics to stock a Best Buy. The moonroof package includes solar panels, located over the rear seating area, that power a ventilation system that helps keep the interior air temperature close to the outside ambient temperature to shorten cool-down time when your start driving.

The solar system is part of a $3,600 option package that includes a voice-activated touch-screen DVD navigation system, a JBL sound system with eight speakers and XM satellite radio capability, USB port with iPod connectivity and a surprisingly handy integrated backup camera.

Other options include dynamic radar cruise control, which adjusts your speed to keep a safe distance from the car in front of you.

Anyone still concerned about the longevity of hybrid technology can find some comfort in the warranty coverage. Toyota’s powertrain warranty is five years or 60,000 miles but the hybrid-related components, including the HV battery, battery control module, hybrid control module and inverter with converter, are covered for eight years/100,000 miles. In some states – California and New York among them – hybrid-related components are covered for 15 years/150,000 miles with the exception of the hybrid battery, which is warranted for 10 years/150,000 miles.

Copyright © 2009 Green Right Now | Distributed by Noofangle Media

Related Video from Toyota:

With the 2010 models hitting the showrooms, we wanted to take a look at the most anticipated and intriguing hybrids available. With the first plug-in hybrids and all-electric vehicles just around the corner, this will be the last year that conventional hybrids will have the “alternative” market to themselves. So let’s look at the 2010 hybrids that really stand out:

2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid

For the 2010 model year, the Ford Fusion lineup has expanded to include an all-new hybrid model that offers class-leading fuel economy. At 41 miles per gallon, the Fusion Hybrid is the most fuel-efficient mid-size sedan in America – 8 mpg better than the Toyota Camry Hybrid. This car is winning over many auto critics, with several calling it the best hybrid available today.

A survey of eco-friendly vehicles released today from IntelliChoice.com shows that most 2009 hybrid and clean diesel cars, trucks and SUVs deliver a lower cost of ownership compared to standard versions of the same vehicles.

The 2009 IntelliChoice.com Hybrid and Diesel Car survey examined the value of all 2009 model year hybrids and vehicles with clean diesel engines. The company evaluated the major factors that determine a vehicle’s cost of ownership over a five year period or 70,000 miles, including fuel, maintenance and repair, retained value, insurance costs and taxes and fees.

Among the top-line findings from the survey:

• Clean diesel has the potential to be a game changer. “Clean diesel cars like the VW Jetta TDI and Mercedes Benz E320 perform even better than hybrids in saving thousands of dollars in costs and recouping their purchase premium,” James Bell, editor of IntelliChoice.com, said in a statement. “Make no mistake that clean diesel cars are now mainstream. The Obama Administration needs to reexamine the legacy of higher tax rates on diesel fuel, which were set long before the switch to the low sulfur formulation required for general consumer use. The time has come to put diesel on a level playing field with gasoline. The Administration could even promote it with lower taxation as is done in Europe.”
• Small cars, sedans and crossovers perform better than large trucks and SUVs. “No surprise here. The Toyota Prius, Honda Civic Hybrid and even small SUVs like the Ford Escape Hybrid save their owners thousands of dollars over five years. When you begin to move into the larger vehicles, especially big SUVs, you may pay a few thousand dollars more in ownership costs for hybrid cars and clean diesel versions,” said Bell.
• The higher fuel prices go, the greater value hybrids and clean diesels deliver. “The survey uses a six-month running average of $3.20 per gallon in factoring fuel costs. We expect that gas prices will eventually go up, which increases the savings for hybrid car owners.”

IntelliChoice.com’s 2009 Hybrid and Diesel Car Survey pits hybrid and clean diesel vehicles against their gas-powered counterparts in the five most important cost of ownership categories. For instance, the Ford Escape Hybrid is compared against the “regular” or gas-only Ford Escape. The list below is a sample of findings from the survey that demonstrates how cost of ownership can offset higher sticker prices.

Whatever you drive (or don’t) at home, traveling to a city with poor public transport can put you at the mercy of either taxis whose efficiency may not have been state-of-the-art since the ’80s or rental cars chosen for popularity and price instead of their MPG rating.

The rental firm Enterprise, mindful of current trends, has just announced it is adding about 5,000 hybrid autos to its rental fleet — cars customers can have set aside for them in advance either online or over the phone.

According to an official statement, the company “already was home to the world’s largest fleet of fuel-efficient vehicles” and had hybrids already available, though not as many as 5,000. But it’s clearly making those cars more visible, by establishing around 80 of its locations as “hybrid branches” that are particularly well stocked. See a list of participating locations here. (Many branches are clustered within a single city, so don’t expect to see 80 cities listed.)

Prices will vary around the country, just as they do for regular autos, but checking the one-day rate for a Prius in Austin yielded a quote just under $50. (Versus about $28 for the cheapest offering, a Chevy Aveo.)

Four makes of gas/electric hybrid are listed in Enterprise’s materials: the Toyota Prius, Nissan Altima, Ford Escape and Toyota Camry. Enterprise also has eight branches with high concentrations of E85 FlexFuel vehicles, and offers customers the option of paying $1.25 per rental for carbon offsets provided by TerraPass.

Copyright © 2009 Green Right Now | Distributed by Noofangle Media

From Green Right Now reports

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., today unveiled the 2010 edition of the Prius at the 2009 North American International Auto show in Detroit. The car, which has become synonymous with hybrid technology, will get larger even as it retains its high-mileage roots.

In fact, Toyota says the third-generation Prius will deliver even better mileage ratings, enhanced performance, along with innovative new design features; and the new model will be quieter and roomier than its predecessors. It will come equipped with new technology such as a moon roof with solar panels, four driving modes, Intelligent Parking Assist (IPA) and steering wheel touch controls that display on the instrument panel.

The new Prius will offer three driving modes: EV-Drive Mode allows driving on battery power alone at low speeds for about a mile; Power Mode will increase sensitivity to throttle input for a sportier feel; and Eco Mode will deliver the best mileage.

The promise of the 10-year-old Prius has always been excellent fuel economy, and Toyota says the new Prius will get 50 miles per gallon, up from 46 mpg in the current model.

The fuel economy will continue to come with ultra-low emissions. Toyota says the Prius will be built using processes that reduce pollution in every stage of vehicle life, from production and driving, through to disposal.

The first-generation Prius entered the market in 1997 as the world’s first mass-produced hybrid. Honda’s Insight was a limited-production vehicle. The Prius went on to become the virtual status symbol of the environmental movement and Toyota has sold more than a million worldwide in that decade.

In designing the new, third-generation Prius, Toyota said its engineers combined a careful refinement of existing systems with an aggressive measure of new technology necessary for the future of automobiles. A larger and more powerful 1.8-liter Atkinson-cycle, four-cylinder engine will power the new Prius. Toyota says the larger engine actually helps improve highway mileage my making more torque and allowing the engine to run at lower average rpm (revolutions per minute) on the highway.

The company says the new engine uses less fuel at lower rpms, and mileage is especially improved in cold-start conditions and at higher speeds.

The 1.8-liter Prius engine also will be the first from Toyota that requires no belts under the hood, which should help fuel economy and lower maintenance.

Unlike most other hybrid vehicles available, Prius has been a “full” hybrid since introduction. This allows it to run on engine alone, battery alone, or a combination of both. The system blends the best of parallel hybrid and series hybrid designs to achieve the ability to operate on the electric mode alone, and to charge the batteries while the car is running.

Toyota says the patented Hybrid Synergy Drive system in the 2010 Prius is 90 percent newly-developed with significant improvements over previous models:

• The transaxle is lighter in weight and reduces torque losses by as much as 20 percent compared to the previous model.
• The inverter, which converts direct current to alternating current, has a new direct cooling system to reduce size and weight.
• Taken together, the inverter, motor and transaxle are smaller and 20 percent lighter.
• A newly developed electronically controlled regenerative braking system has been adopted, with control logic optimized to enhance regeneration.

Even though the 2010 Prius grows larger, it retains much of its signature aerodynamic look. The overall height is the same, but the roof profile was altered to move the top of the roof 3.9 inches to the rear. This emphasizes the wedge shape, and Toyota says the change improves rear headroom and overall aerodynamics.

The new car also will add new technology flourishes. An optional sliding glass moon-roof will include solar panels that power a new ventilation system. The system prevents the interior air temperature from rising while the vehicle is parked, making the cool-down time shorter when the driver returns to the vehicle, reducing the use of air conditioning.

Further reducing the vehicle’s power consumption are optional LED (light emitting diode) lamps in the low beam headlights and in the tail and stop lamps. Toyota says the air conditioning system, a major energy drain, has been re-engineered to increase efficiency and cool-down performance.

In pursuit of “sustainable mobility”, Toyota says it will use plant-derived, carbon-neutral plastics in the 2010 Prius. The newly-developed plastics, known as “ecological plastic,” will be used in the seat cushion foam, cowl side trim, inner and outer scuff plates, and deck trim cover. Ecological plastic emits less CO2 during a product lifecycle (from manufacturing to disposal) than plastic made from petroleum.

Related stories:

• Detroit auto show promises to be an ‘electric’ event, highlighting hybrids and electric infrastructure
• Slideshow: Detroit’s green cars for 2009
• Big Three kick off Detroit auto show
• Slideshow: 30 (cars) over 30 (mpg)
• The downside of cheap gas

See all Cars/Trucks stories

By Clint Williams

Imagine a day of running errands – grocery shopping, dropping off the dry cleaning, hauling the kids to T-ball practice – that doesn’t include a stop for gas. Now imagine a week. A month. Three months. Six months. A year. Five years.

That’s the promise of the Chevrolet Volt, a plug-in electric car expected in dealer showrooms November 2010. Powered by a T-shaped lithium-ion battery pack, the four-passenger Volt will be able to travel 40 miles on a charge.

MORE FROM GRN

Video: Watch an overview of the Chevy Volt

That’s enough range for the bulk of daily driving, GM officials say, citing a U.S. Department of Transportation survey that found 76 percent of drivers commute 40 miles or less daily.

Drive a Volt and the only reasons for stopping at a QT are Slurpees and microwave breakfast burritos.

But those driving a Volt won’t be limited to in-town driving. A 1.4-liter, four-cylinder engine to be built in Flint, Michigan serves as an onboard generator, kicking in to charge the battery after 40 miles and giving the Volt the range of a conventional automobile.

The Volt isn’t a gasoline-electric hybrid, GM’s Cristi Landy points out repeatedly during a day-long introduction of the car last week at the Texas Motor Speedway near Dallas. The Volt, she says, “is an extended-range electric vehicle.”

Electricity powers the front-wheel-drive Volt all the time and at all speeds. Hybrid cars on the road now such as the Toyota Prius or Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid use a combination of an electric motor and gas-powered internal combustion engine to make them go. The electric motor is used at low speeds or to boost acceleration. Once you’re up to freeway speeds, however, it’s the gasoline engine that is doing all the work. That explains why the EPA mileage estimates of the Prius are higher for city driving than for highway driving, the flip-flop of what you might expect.