Toyota Prius Overview

The Prius debuted in 1997 as the world's first mass-produced hybrid-only vehicle. Equipped with a large-capacity battery, it boasts the powerful driving performance and high fuel economy that only a hybrid car can offer.

In 2012, the Prius V and C (5-door compact hatchback) derivatives debuted.

Beside its popular models and colors, white, black and silver, there are many remarkable characteristics.

Popular Keywords and specifications for Toyota Prius

The Prius is the world's first mass-produced hybrid-only vehicle, and is popular around the world because it is a hybrid vehicle and therefore very fuel-efficient. Also, in recent years, global warming has become an issue of concern, and the Prius is an attractive earth-friendly car because of its low emissions.

Engine & models

Toyota Prius NHW20

NHW20 is the model of the second generation of Toyota Prius from 2003 to 2011.

The second generation featured a 3-number wide body that is approximately 140 kg lighter, and a five-door hatchback gate with an aerodynamic form (aerodynamic CD value of 0.26) and luggage space utility. The motor output was increased by approximately 1.5 times, and combined with the 1.5L engine with increased output, the system output and torque were significantly improved.

While the first generation was a compact 4-door sedan, the second generation is a slightly larger mid-size 5-door hatchback with a larger interior space and improved usability in consideration of overseas markets.

The second generation, a slightly larger mid-size 5-door hatchback designed with overseas markets in mind, had a larger interior and improved usability. The evolved THS II system increased power while achieving 35.5 km /L (10 - 15 mode) of fuel economy, making it a hit not only in Japan, but also in the North American and Europe markets.

Toyota Prius ZVW30

ZVW30 0 is the model of the third generation of Toyota Prius from 2009 to 2015.

The third-generation Prius is characterized by an aggressive move toward higher output for the hybrid system. In the past, hybrid cars had the image of being forced to endure a certain amount of restraint in terms of power and driving performance in order to achieve low fuel consumption and eco-friendliness, but the third-generation Prius has improved the power of the entire system.

1NZ engine

The Toyota NZ engine is a family of Toyota's water-cooled, inline four-cylinder, die-cast aluminum gasoline engines.The 1NZ engine is a long stroke type engine with a bore (inside diameter) of 75.0 mm, stroke (stroke) of 84.7 mm, and bore stroke ratio of 1.13.

The Prius' straight-four + motor 1496cc, naturally aspirated engine with a compression ratio of 13.0 and regular gasoline specifications produces a maximum output of 77 hp at 5000 rpm and a maximum torque of 11.7 kg at 5000 rpm.

2ZR engine

The 1.8L (2ZR-FXE) engine improves high-speed fuel economy by reducing engine speed at high speeds, and delivers a high quality ride with generous power (maximum output 73 kW at 5200 rpm) and torque (maximum torque 142 Nm at 4000 rpm).

Prius C and Prius V

Beside some famous models of Prius such as NHW20 and ZVW30, there are Prius and Prius V, and these are variants of Prius.

Prius C is a "5-number size" compact hatchback hybrid car. This car is said to be one of the most fuel-efficient in the world, achieving catalog fuel economy of 33.6 km/L to 35.8 km/L.

Prius V is a hybrid-only station wagon. The biggest difference between Prius and Prius α is the size of the vehicle, as can be seen from its appearance. While the Prius measures 4,575 mm (length) x 1,760 mm (width) x 1,470 mm (height), the Prius α measures 4,630 to 4,645 mm (length) x 1,775 mm (width) x 1,575 mm (height), making it one size larger than the Prius. The wheelbase of the Prius α is 2,700 mm, while that of the Prius is 2,780 mm, giving it a longer and more spacious interior.

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Toyota Prius average FOB price

NHW20 US$ 2,800 - 5,000
ZVW30 US$ 3,500 - 5,500

Common Issues With Used Toyota Prius

Some problems with a vehicle only become apparent after many years of use. However, others are technical problems where manufacturers are forced to issue a recall.

Fortunately, manufacturers provide needed maintenance for defects for an unlimited amount of time. Accordingly, you'll want to have your mechanic check if any recall fixes were missed if you purchase a used Toyota Prius. You can start by having the mechanic check your vehicle history with the VIN number.

Toyota Prius is a quite reliable car and there are much fewer reports of potential problems compared with other cars.

Popular Usage

The Prius is a pioneer of hybrid cars and has continued as a dedicated hybrid brand to the present day.

The Prius is popular as a family car because of its low fuel consumption and its full range of preventive safety and driving support equipment, which has rapidly become standard equipment in recent years.

Rivals of Toyota Prius

For some common points, Toyota Prius and Honda Insight are often compared.

Honda Insight is also a famous hybrid car which is a four-door sedan that shares basic parts with the Civic sedan.

Focusing on the Insight hybrid, the 1.5-liter engine primarily operates the generator, while the motor takes care of driving. Only during high-speed cruising, the engine directly drives the wheels, which is also controlled to improve fuel efficiency. So Honda Insight also has a good engine system, however, Toyota Prius has the better one. The Prius has high motor power and smooth acceleration; the 1.8-liter engine and motor drive are used together for complex control. When the driver presses the accelerator pedal more during cruising, the acceleration power is equivalent to that of a 2.2-liter engine in a normal-type gasoline engine. The motor is quick to react, so it is powerful from the bottom up.

In addition, the Prius' JC08 mode fuel economy is 37.2 km/L for the best-selling S and A model. The Insight gets 34.2km/L for the basic LX and 31.4km/L for the EX. The Prius wins in fuel economy figures.

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