2014 Toyota Prius C Reviews

Toyota launched its bite-sized Prius c in 2012, and it's now updating it for 2018, changing its design, tech offering and interior. So, is the Japanese giant still head of the hybrid class?

Honda Jazz Hybrid and Toyota Prius C go head-to-head in this comparative review. 

No longer is the Prius an only child, now part of a family that includes the Camry and two new Prius siblings - the "v" and the "c".  The "c" is the "city" car hybrid version of the Yaris, which is at least a $2000 price rise over the top spec petrol powered light car from Toyota but there's 30-odd more

We turn the spotlight on the car world's newest and brightest stars as we ask the questions to which you want the answers. But there's only one question that really needs answering -- would you buy one?What is it?Toyota needed to make a more affordable Prius and this is the result - a Yaris-based Prius. It uses the same hybrid technology, refined and lightened as well as featuring a cleverly designed body that has Tardis-like qualities.How much?The base is $23,990, the i-Tech is $26,990. We drove the latter and would recommend it for the extra dosh because it looks better and scores more kit.What are competitors?Possibly premium light cars such as the new Peugeot 208, Polo, Fabia, none of which can match the Prius C for fuel economy, possibly performance.What's under the bonnet?There's a version of the Prius powertrain with a 1.5-litre twin cam petrol engine and an electric assist motor. The petrol donk is good for 74kW so with the extra boost, Prius C is quite handy in the get go stakes. Transmission is by CVT but there's a paddle shift to stir things up when needed. Battery is still a nickel metal hydride jobbie and not the newer lithium ion.How does it go?Surprisingly well, better than we thought that's for sure. Even out on the freeway there's no need for concern as Prius C has strong roll on acceleration and blasts up hills without a hiccup. All while sipping fuel lightly.Is it economical?Toyota claims 3.0 litres/100km on the combined cycle, a bit better around town, yes, better around town thanks to engine stop/start and other technology that comes into its own in traffic.Is it green?Yes, five starsIs it safe?Yes, five stars.Is it comfortable?Yes, the higher grade i-Tech has better upholstery than the other car plus a host of comfort-related goodies such as automatic air conditioning, power operated ancillaries, keyless entry and start, large touch screen controller, SUNA traffic bulletin satnav, Bluetooth phone and audio, reverse camera and other stuff. It's well equipped for the money.What's it like to drive?Really good. We have a somewhat prejudiced view of hybrid cars but this one is impressive. It is zippy and nippy, easy to park and well specified. Add frugal into the equation and it's all good. The ride is comfort/sporty and it is practical as well as cute.Is it value for money?Yes, big tick and much better buying than a "real" Prius.Would we buy one?As a second car you bet. 

We turn the spotlight on the car world's newest and brightest stars as we ask the questions to which you want the answers.But there's only one question that really needs answering -- would you buy one?What is it?Most people know what a Prius is, but few know the hybrid now comes in three different sizes. Prius C is the smallest and cheapest of them and by virtue of that fact the most accessible.How much?The base model is priced from $23,990 plus on-road costs. Another $3000 buys you the up market i-Tech, which adds leather, satnav and alloys.What are competitors?Nothing really in this size. The nearest is the Honda Insight. As the target is fuel economy however you could look at something with a diesel engine like the VW Polo or perhaps Suzuki's little Alto which is also very economical.What's under the bonnet?A 1.5-litre petrol engine teamed with an electric motor that delivers a combined 74kW of power.How does it go?Surprisingly well. Cruises easily on the freeway and has enough punch for the cut and thrust of city driving. In fact, it thrives on city driving where braking regenerates power for later use.Is it economical?Claimed fuel consumption is 3.9 litres/100km. We were getting 4.4 after 570km with 140 to go according to the trip computer. Not bad for a car with a 36-litre fuel tank.Is it green?Gets a full five stars from the Govt's Green Guide as does its siblings, producing just 90g/km of CO2Is it safe?It's been designed to get five stars but hasn't been crash tested yet. Comes with seven airbags, as well as a reversing camera, vehicle stability and traction control, anti-skid brakes with brake assist and electronic brakeforce distribution, and hill-start assist.Is it comfortable?Surprisingly comfortable too. It's one of the first things we noticed when we got into the car.What's it like to drive?Grows on you. The CVT transmission is annoying, but you get used to it.Is it value for money?As a cut price hybrid yes. As a high priced Yaris no. Though based on the Yaris it has a longer interior and more leg and hiproom front and back.Standard kit includes keyless entry and start, cruise, automatic airconditioning and a 6.1-inch touchscreen display.Bluetooth with audio streaming is also standard along with USB port with iPod connectivity. Packs a full-size spare too.Would we buy one?If we lived in the city yes. It's small, manoeuvrable and easily parked and uses very little fuel. Would also be very appealing as a commuter.

With hybrid sales continuing to spark little more than a fleeting interest, you've got to hand it to Toyota despite the obstacles its commitment to hybrids is unswerving.This year it has tripled its Prius model line-up by adding the Yaris-sized Prius C in late March and seven-seat Prius V a month ago. The Prius C appears to have hit a sweet spot, chalking up 652 sales in two months. Toyota is confident the Prius C will advance the cause by aiming it at Gen Y singles, couples and, at a stretch, young families, who it believes will be more prepared to pay for the technology.VALUEAnd the interest has rubbed off. Mainstream Prius sales are up almost 70 per cent so far this year to 443, no doubt helped by a $1000 price cut in late March and a return to full supply out of Japan.There are two models, the base model at $23,990 and the i-Tech at $26,990. This makes them the cheapest hybrids available at up to $6000 less than the larger Honda Insight. Within the Toyota ranks, the Prius C automatic costs about $4600 more than a 1.5-litre Yaris automatic five-door hatch with comparable power output.Standard features include seven airbags, stability and traction control, brake assist, a reversing camera, keyless entry and start, automatic air-conditioning, 6.1-inch touch-screen display audio, CD player, Bluetooth, USB and iPod connection, a 3.5-inch information display, cruise control, fog lights and power windows and mirrors.The i-Tech adds satellite navigation with live traffic updates. The hybrid has some more features than the Yaris but is burdened by a lower retained value, partly due to the cost of replacing the battery pack.TECHNOLOGYThe C's hybrid system is similar to the Prius, and delivers a peak output of 74kW from the combination of a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and electric motor driving through a constantly variable transmission. It will travel for short distances (up to 2km) in electric mode and comes with a clever trip computer that encourages economical driving.Fuel use is a frugal 3.9l/100km on the combined cycle or 2.4l/100km less than the Yaris. But at a petrol price average of $1.50 a litre, that's about the price of a cup of coffee for every 100km travelled. At that rate it would take more than eight years to recover the price premium if you drive 15,000km a year.DESIGNThe C is shorter, lower and narrower than Prius but has more leg room and hip room than a Yaris. It will seat five at a squeeze and has the battery pack and fuel tank under the rear seat, so the boot is a decent size and accommodates a full-sized spare wheel.The interior is disappointing. The cabin has a budget car feel with a cheap finish and hard plastics. The main instruments are poorly placed in the centre of the dash like the old Yaris, not in front of the driver like the new Yaris.DRIVINGPerformance is brisk and linear under full throttle but like most hybrids, the driving experience is far from involving, due mainly to shudder when the petrol engine cuts in and the drone of the CVT under load. It also requires constant throttle adjustment to maintain cruising speeds on the open road.Handling is competent and secure at normal speeds and the ride is comfortable enough on smooth surfaces, but there is some suspension thump over rough edges and the tyres react to coarse chip surfaces. The electric power steering is light but remote and the disc/drum brakes are confident if a touch aggressive in pedal feel.VERDICTUnless you're motivated by the environmental benefits, there is still no great incentive to switch to a hybrid.

Toyota has turned the game around with its new fuel efficient Prius C. Aiming at keeping prices down, it also costs up to $6000 less than its nearest rival.VALUEFor $23,990 the buyer receives the base model that the maker claims returns fuel consumption of 3.9 litres per 100 kilometres on the combined urban / highway cycle. The Prius C comes in two versions of the five-door hatch; the entry-level at $23,990 and the i-Tech top dog for an extra $3000.Standard features include keyless entry and start, automatic air-conditioning, 6.1-inch touch-screen display audio, CD player, Bluetooth audio streaming and phone connectivity, USB port with iPod connectivity, a 3.5-inch colour-screen multi-information display, 15-inch wheels with a full-size spare, cruise control, foglamps, power windows and mirrors, and 60/40 split-fold rear seat.The Prius C i-Tech also gets satellite navigation with live traffic updates, alloy wheels, self-levelling LED headlamps with washers, power retractable exterior mirrors, a larger rear spoiler, premium seat coverings and interior trim.TECHNOLOGYNot surprisingly, performance of the Prius C takes a back seat to fuel economy, the efficient 1.5-litre petrol engine and a 45 kW electric motor combining to put out a combined 74 kW of power. The petrol engine delivers 54 kW of power at 4800 rpm and 111 Nm of torque at 4000 revs.The maker puts fuel consumption of just 3.9 litres/100 km in the combined city / country cycle. Best we managed was 3.3 litres/100 km on the highway and worst was almost twice that around town. A big help is stop/start technology which has the petrol engine switched off when the vehicle is stationary, coasting or braking, and when it is reversing.DESIGNToyota has brought the Prius into line in the form of a standard hatchback. The Prius C maintains the look of its Yaris sibling up front, but beyond that the ‘C’ is pretty much on its own until it gets to the rear lamp display which harks back to Prius origins. Aerodynamic performance is enhanced by stabilising fins on the tail-lights and side mirror fittings, while front and rear underside covers further boost aerodynamic performance. The windscreen wiper blades are also aerodynamically crafted.SAFETYWith active and passive safety features standard in both model grades, the Prius C is designed to achieve a five-star ANCAP safety rating. Active safety includes an electronically controlled braking system to blend regenerative and friction braking. It also has ABS anti-skid braking with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist, vehicle stability control, traction control and hill-start assist.The Prius C passive safety package has seven airbags, force-limiting and pre-tensioning front seatbelts, outboard rear seatbelts, and seatbelt reminders for the front seats.HYBRID SYSTEMTo say the Toyota Prius C has a multi-information display with a range of features designed to encourage and make fuel-efficient driving easy is like calling a modern computer a plug-in abacus. Standard on both grades, Toyota says this grab-bag of functions is designed to help those who are new to hybrid cars get better acquainted with the technology and allows the driver to interact with the car as much or as little as he or she likes.Encyclopedic, its contents include a Hybrid System Indicator, Energy Monitor, Eco Score, Eco Savings, Eco Savings Record and Five-Minute Consumption all presented on a 3.5-inch thin film transistor display flanked by the speedo and warning light array. Each can be accessed in turn by means of a touch-button on the steering-wheel hub.The Hybrid System Indicator, for example, shows how the driver's foot is treating the accelerator pedal. In three zones, ‘Charge’ is when the battery is being recharged from regenerative braking; ‘Eco’ when the vehicle is driven in a fuel-efficient manner; and ‘Power’ when the car is not being driven economically, such as in hard acceleration.The Energy Monitor shows the flow of power between the petrol engine, electric motor, hybrid battery and front wheels. This function also includes the time, a trip meter and average fuel economy. Eco Score compares the driver's fuel-efficiency with the past 100 trips as well as rating driver habits in the areas of ‘Start’, accelerating from a standing start; ‘Cruise’, normal driving; ‘Stop’, regenerating energy during braking.Eco Savings calculates the cost of each trip, based on the price of petrol entered by the driver. Supplementary screens show the price per kilometre and how much fuel and money is being saved against values entered for another car. Eco Savings Record enables fuel consumption and savings to be compared for each of the most recent four months as well as one year ago.The Five-Minute Consumption area includes an instant fuel-economy gauge and also has a bar chart that displays fuel use for the past 30 minutes in five-minute intervals.DRIVINGPerformance is far from being lethargic, yet is wanting when pushed hard. However, the shortcomings can be forgiven in the face of the deceleration of dough from the owner’s wallet. The front suspension uses a MacPherson strut design, the rear with a tuned torsion beam. Coil spring and shock-absorber characteristics have been tuned to get the best out of handling, turning and ride.The fuel tank and hybrid battery in the Prius C are positioned under the rear seat, so there is ample legroom for all five occupants and a generous 260 litres (to the top of the seat backs) of luggage space in the boot. However, we would baulk at being one of the trio in the back on a long trip with limited shoulder space, and any friendship amongst the kids could be strained in a battle for the single drinkholder there.

VW Polo 66TDI and Toyota Prius C go head-to-head in this comparative review.

Forget for a moment the new Toyota C’s clean and green credentials and instead look at its range of sharp colours. Though I’m far from being a fashionista, a recent magazine article informed me that, “Orange is the new Black”, so the bright orange on the Prius C’s colour palette is a stroke of genius.However, the genius has been dulled down by the marketing guys who have asked we motoring journos not to call it Orange - apparently its correct name is Sunrise. Whatever the name, the colour suits this cute, clever city car right down to the ground (and I’m going to call it Orange and be damned with the consequences).VALUEPushing aside the Prius C’s green and orange credentials for a further moment, let’s take a look at the price. Because it’s stunningly low. The standard model, with automatic air conditioning, a large touchscreen for operating the audio system, smart-key entry and ignition, a multifunction trip computer and seven airbags is priced at only $23,990. Many thousands below the price anticipated before the launch.Add another $3000 and you can buy the Toyota Prius C i-Tech with satellite navigation, alloy wheels, leather-look trim and LED headlights that automatically level themselves depending on load being carried.Of course, on-road costs have to be factored in. But you still get a petrol-electric hybrid on the road for a price that’s not a lot more than that of the Toyota Yaris automatic in upmarket YRX spec, which carries a recommended retail tag of $21,390.Those with a social conscience who have previously considered a hybrid, but haven’t been able to afford one, may be queuing up outside their local Toyota dealer as we write.TECHNOLOGYNow, down to the promised technical details on the clever clean and green new Toyota: the Prius C uses the latest development of Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive system already familiar to us from its petrol-electric hybrids for many years. In its latest, most refined, format it is more efficient than ever before, as well as being smaller and lighter.Combined petrol and electric output can be as high as 74 kilowatts, but the really important feature of the Prius C, indeed of any hybrid, is the lowdown torque provided by the electric motor. This gives it real punch of the line, punch that has been recovered as electrical energy and stored in the battery when the car last slowed down.Fuel consumption is rated at 3.9 litres on the combined Australian fuel measurement cycle. While many hybrids are a lot thirstier on the road than in the test laboratory, our initial drives through city, suburban and hilly country had the Toyota showing figures in the mid to high fours. That is genuine economy and even the tiny 36-litre petrol tank should be able to give a range of 700 to 800 kilometres. Perhaps even 1000 km on an easy paced country run.SAFETYAs mentioned, the new Toyota Prius C has seven airbags to protect the occupants. More importantly, it has a full suite of electronic stability aids so that you will never need to see the airbags. Toyota Prius C hasn’t been crash tested in Australia yet, but the importer is confident it will gain a five-star rating.DRIVINGPrius C’s handling is competent enough, however, the steering is over light and doesn’t transmit enough feedback to the driver. Forget any ambitions of sportiness and buy the new baby Prius as a trendy city car and you won’t be disappointed. But a sports hatch it’s not.We found hill climbing a struggle at times as the engine and transmission worked hard to get the best ratios sorted out. And there were somewhat irritating transmission noises at very low speed. Of course, the Prius is all but silent when it’s stopped as the petrol engine cuts out to save fuel.Ride comfort in the Prius is good and there is ample interior space for four adults, or two plus three kids. The capacity of the boot, at 260 litres, is pretty good for this class.Toyota’s chief engineer for the Prius range, Satoshi Ogiso, is known by many in Japan as 'The Patriarch of the Prius'. He paid Australia the honour of coming down under to present us with the details of his latest baby car. An interesting man to talk to, he is firmly convinced petrol-electric hybrids are the way of the medium term future.At this stage a decision is still to be made as to whether the plug-in Prius hybrid – the standard model – not the C being reviewed here, is to be imported to Australia.Cute, clever, clean, competent – whichever C words you want to play with – there’s no doubt the latest Prius from Toyota significantly advances the cause of hybrid powerplants.

Honey, they shrunk the Prius. And the price. Hybrid driving gets a cheaper entry level with the launch of the Toyota Prius C. The new arrival undercuts the current price champ – Honda’s Insight – by $6000. And it also hopes to cut back a slice of the Insight’s market too. Last year the Honda sold 715 Insights – about the same number of sales the existing Prius dropped.The new arrival will target Gen-Y buyers, who are expected by Toyota to push up hybrid sales. That expectation is made on the basis of the Prius C’s fuel economy and cheaper hybrid entry price. But we can’t help wondering if Gen-Y – happy to splash any amount of ransom demanded for the latest i-Thing (and then more again for the next one) – is swayed by such practical considerations.VALUEThe Prius C starts at $23,990 for the base model, with a standard list that includes all the expected electronic necessities of city life – including the almost-mandatory touchscreen and music/phone streaming. An extra $3000 puts you in the higher-spec Prius C i-Tech, which adds better quality upholstery, satnav with live traffic alerts, alloy wheels, self-levelling LED headlights, retractable side mirrors and – presumably for purely cosmetic purposes – a larger rear spoiler.Toyota cites the Insight as a target, but any practical buyer would measure the Prius C against other city cars – and there are many good ones that cost less. From a little to a lot less. Toyota’s own Yaris, and the Kia Rio, Mazda2, Suzuki Swift, Ford Fiesta and Volkswagen Polo ranges all offer variants with good combinations of engine, transmission and fit-out for the urban run.Yes, some people will be attracted to the planet-saving promise of the hybrid’s lower tailpipe emissions. But the main argument for most hybrid buyers is the vision of a future where fuel is not going to get any cheaper – and where a couple of extra thousand dollars now will save more in the long term.TECHNOLOGYThe Prius-derived drivetrain uses a 54kW/111Nm 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine in tandem with a 45kW/169Nm electric motor to produce a total of 74kW of power. An electronically controlled CVT auto transmission drives the front wheels, and a regenerative system captures brake energy to feed charge to the battery – still the older (and cheaper) nickel-metal hydride unit rather than lighter and more efficient lithium-ion. Toyota promises the newer battery technology will arrive in a future Prius. But not this one.Despite being a smaller engine in a smaller car, the system has to work harder, so the fuel figures are not hugely improved over the Prius. The official numbers are 0.2 litres better at 3.7 litres/100km on the city cycle but a Prius-matching 3.9 litres/100km on the combined cycle (and CO2 emissions slightly dirtier at 90 grams/km).You can get a couple of kilometres solely on the electric motor, but after that the car will switch back to the engine. An initially confusing – although blaringly colourful -- set of pages for the in-dash trip computer screen gives you the all expected information plus a plethora more related to the hybrid operation.This includes how much money you are spending based on the fuel price data you enter, and how greenly you’ve been driving, giving you a score out of 100. We appeared to be only tightly tinged with eco-colour, finishing with a mark off 22 after a long stretch of what we’d consider normal driving.SAFETYPrius C gets seven airbags, reversing camera, vehicle stability and traction control, anti-skid brakes with brake assist and electronic brakeforce distribution, and hill-start assist control. It hasn’t been ANCAP tested but Toyota says it should get a five-star safety rating.DESIGNThe mini-Prius look works to remarkably good effect. Yes, there’s a reasonable family resemblance, but the Prius C – based on the Yaris platform -- looks sharper and more modern than its hybrid signature ancestor. The looks are helped by it sitting lower, but it’s also shorter, narrower and 285kg lighter.Space has been well-packaged, which gives more rear legroom than the Yaris and Corolla, although it’s still difficult for longer legs in the back. The positioning of the battery and fuel tank under the rear seat means there’s less compromise on luggage space, and – yes – a full-size spare wheel. And folding the rear seat gives a another boost of functional space to the 260 litres.More importantly for city drivers, the turning circle is a tight 4.8 metres. And perhaps most importantly for the target market, it has 17 pockets, bins and holders for all the tech and detritus storage anybody could wish. The flat-bottomed steering wheel has hints of sport, but its only benefit is to lift the looks and offer marginally better access for sliding into the driver’s seat.DRIVINGThe initial impression of the Prius C is of a pleasant and undemanding city car. Exactly what it is, in fact. The cabin is fairly hushed except for tyre noise, and the ride is firm but comfortable  – it soaks up bumps and broken bitumen brilliantly, which holds promise for negotiating some of Australia’s appalling street surfaces.We didn’t expect the drivetrain to be a cracker, and that was spot on. It tootled around quite well, but complained noisily when asked to punt up hills. Performance was okay off the line, but the momentum tended to flatten out after that. We managed seven seconds to hit 60km/h, but then another nine to move from there to the 100km/h mark.Calibrated for city streets, the steering is light and feels artificial. Similarly, the continuously variable transmission is smooth and simply drones along quietly, but could be almost non-existent in terms of effort. We badly felt the need for a faux-manual mode, or anything that would prove the presence of a transmission, but the target market probably won’t care.What they will care about – if Toyota is right about Gen-Me being the Prius C’s main buyer pool – is that the interior experience doesn’t offer enough bling and dazzle. The design is fairly clean but in no way funky. And buyers looking for style sizzle while still wanting vegan sausage will be disappointed.The exterior has the looks, but the interior – where they’ll spend hours stuck in city traffic – feels old hat, despite the clever animations on the trip computer screen and the base model’s aqua plastic strip accents. If Gen-Y is truly the hybrid sales saviour, they’re likely to look more at what is in the cabin than what’s under the bonnet. And that could leave them looking for more.VERDICTIt’s a good little thing for the city, but there are plenty of other good city cars. For ordinary drivers, the main question of whether or not to buy it should measure the price against the fuel saving.TOYOTA PRIUS CPrice: from $23,990Warranty: 3 years/100,000km, 8 years/160,000 km on batteryResale: NAService intervals: 10,000km/six monthsThirst: 3.9 litres/100km (official), 91RON, 90g/km CO2Crash rating: Five-star (est)Safety equipment: seven airbags, (ABS, BA, EBD, stability and traction controlEngine: 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine + 45kW electric motor, 74kW/111Nm totalTransmission: electronic CVT auto, FWDBody: Five-door hatchDimensions: 3995mm (L), 1695mm (W), 1455mm (H), 2550mm (WB), 1465mm/1460mm tracks front/rearWeight: 1120kg-1140kgTyre size: 15 x 5.5Spare tyre:  full-size