The Toyota Prius is undoubtedly the poster child of hybrid vehicles. While it wasn't the first hybrid sold in America, it is the most popular and recognizable among the green car segment. Likely bolstering this trend will be the 2012 Toyota Prius C. The "C" stands for city, as this smaller and lighter Prius is touted by Toyota as "an urban-friendly vehicle with an engaging driving experience [and] hatchback utility." While we generally disregard manufacturer positioning statements like these as marketing speak, it's actually a pretty apt description.
Okay, I'll admit it -- I was pretty skeptical when I heard Toyota was planning to parlay the Prius into an entire family of cars. Then the Prius v came out, offering SUV-like space with Prius-like fuel economy, and I was half convinced. Now that I've driven the new Prius c -- the baby Prius, if you will -- consider me won over.
With a more familiar, traditional small-car profile and package, yet the same best-in-class 50-mpg figure (actually 53 mpg city, 46 highway)—matched with a base price of just $19,710—the Prius C should attract a wider swath of value-conscious motorists.
As the third (and smallest) unique body style in the Prius family, the Prius C is about 157 inches long and 67 inches wide. It's closer in size to the Toyota Yaris Liftback than to the Toyota Matrix—meaning it's a true subcompact, and you get all the maneuverability and parking advantages. Matched with that more ordinary five-door profile is a smooth, low front end and drawn-back headlamps that closely resemble those used in the rest of the Prius lineup. Meanwhile, the new Prius C doesn't look all that much different than Toyota's somewhat less expensive Yaris, in profile and from some angles. The look is somewhat slab-sided by today's standard, but there is an upkick just in front of the rear wheels. In back, the look is typical for the class, with vertical taillamps and a spoiler smoothing out aerodynamics at the rear of the roofline. Inside, the 2012 Toyota Prius C has an all-new dashboard that draws its centrally mounted Multi Information Display at the base of the windshield from the larger Prius, and some of its switches and minor controls from the Yaris.
Okay, I'll admit it -- I was pretty skeptical when I heard Toyota was planning to parlay the Prius into an entire family of cars. Then the Prius v came out, offering SUV-like space with Prius-like fuel economy, and I was half convinced. Now that I've driven the new Prius c -- the baby Prius, if you will -- consider me won over.
With a more familiar, traditional small-car profile and package, yet the same best-in-class 50-mpg figure (actually 53 mpg city, 46 highway)—matched with a base price of just $19,710—the Prius C should attract a wider swath of value-conscious motorists.
As the third (and smallest) unique body style in the Prius family, the Prius C is about 157 inches long and 67 inches wide. It's closer in size to the Toyota Yaris Liftback than to the Toyota Matrix—meaning it's a true subcompact, and you get all the maneuverability and parking advantages. Matched with that more ordinary five-door profile is a smooth, low front end and drawn-back headlamps that closely resemble those used in the rest of the Prius lineup. Meanwhile, the new Prius C doesn't look all that much different than Toyota's somewhat less expensive Yaris, in profile and from some angles. The look is somewhat slab-sided by today's standard, but there is an upkick just in front of the rear wheels. In back, the look is typical for the class, with vertical taillamps and a spoiler smoothing out aerodynamics at the rear of the roofline. Inside, the 2012 Toyota Prius C has an all-new dashboard that draws its centrally mounted Multi Information Display at the base of the windshield from the larger Prius, and some of its switches and minor controls from the Yaris.
The 2012 Toyota Prius C represents the fourth model in the family, joining the conventional Prius (now referred to as the liftback), the Prius Plug-in Hybrid and the larger Prius V. Compared to the Prius liftback, the new Prius C measures about 19 inches shorter lengthwise and 2 inches shorter in height and width, making it slightly bigger than the subcompact Toyota Yaris. It's also more than 500 pounds lighter, which is particularly advantageous for fuel economy and handling.
The Prius C is smaller and lighter, so its powertrain is downsized to match. There's a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, making 73 horsepower, and the automaker's Hybrid Synergy Drive includes a smaller motor system and 0.9-kWh battery pack—with the system altogether making 99 hp. Acceleration is about on par with other eco-minded small cars. Serving as a reminder that performance is definitely not the priority, the Prius C offers an Eco mode, which reduces power output and has different c
limate-control settings, as well as an EV mode, for going up to a half mile on electricity only, but there's no Power or Sport mode. As for handling, the Prius C is surprisingly nimble and meneuverable, but again, don't expect the dynamics of a sport-tuned hot hatch. But the payoff is clear at the pump: In 50 miles of driving around San Diego—including freeways, two-lane roads, and stop-and-go—we saw a 51.4-mpg average.
There's more cabin space in the Prius C than you might suspect. Front seats feel about the same as in other Prius models; in back there's no mistaking it for a mid-size car, but six-footers should be able to fit without any fuss. The nickel-metal-hydride battery pack, which is smaller than that used in the other Prius models, is packed neatly under the back seat.
Standard safety features on all 2012 Toyota Prius C models include stability control, traction control, antilock brakes (front discs, rear drums), hill start assist, front-seat side seat cushion airbags, a driver knee airbag and side curtain airbags. In Edmunds brake testing, a Prius C came to a stop from 60 mph in a better-than-average 118 feet.
Inside, the Prius C features a sleek, modern design with a mix of the familiar as well as the unconventional. Centrally located gauges are mounted high atop the dashboard, which can be a bit odd at first, but makes for easier reading. To its detriment, the cabin's plastics are several steps below the materials you'll find in other subcompacts like the Ford Fiesta and Hyundai Accent. The cloth seat upholstery is nothing special, but it's certainly better than the optional "faux leather." It may be made from eco-friendly materials, but it's probably the cheapest-feeling material we've felt covering a car seat in quite some time.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety awarded the Prius C the highest possible rating of "Good" in the frontal-offset, side and roof strength tests.
As expected, fuel economy is outstanding. Outside of a plug-in hybrid, you're not going to do better than with a Prius C. An unfortunate downside to the economy-focused mission, however, is a noticeable degradation in ride quality. Road imperfections are met with an uncharacteristic harshness and, combined with detectable amounts of wind noise, give the Prius C a budget-car feel.
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