Prius V joins vanguard of Toyota’s green car push

Hybrid vehicle powerhouse Toyota launched its Prius V here, gearing up to cement its status as the market leader of green cars.

“Toyota is inarguably the market leader of hybrid cars, taking up 97 percent share among foreign brands in Korea. With Lexus having the most hybrid model lineups already, we will focus on reinforcing Toyota hybrid pipeline this year,” a Toyota spokesperson said.

“Under our ‘Prius Global Space Concept’ we have focused on providing an optimal space for people with dynamic lifestyle, seeking fuel-efficient and environmentally-friendly cars,” he added.

The Prius V, premiered at the Detroit Motor Show in 2011 and introduced to the Korean market during the Seoul Motor Show 2015 earlier this month with its latest version is positioned as a family-friendly wagon. 

Compared to the previous Prius V models, the latest is 16.5 centimeters longer and 9.5 centimeters wider, becoming 4.6 meter-long and 1.7 meter-wide. The backseats can be reclined in 12 different angles, giving plenty of legroom for taller passengers or space for large items in the boot. When backseats are fully folded, the car can store 1,905 kilograms of luggage, too.

But the car is more than just being large in size.

The Prius V boasts 1.8 liter aluminum 4-cylinder aluminum block and head, double overhead cam (DOHC) 16-valve VVT-I engine leading to 99 horsepower at 5,200 rpm. Its overall gas mileage marks 17.9 kilometers per liter and emits 92 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer running, which allows owners an extra 1 million won-government subsidy for low-emission vehicles.

New LED lamps ― Bi-Beam LED on the faade and daytime running lamps ― have enhanced both design and drivers’ visibility, while Toyota’s “air management” tactics brought coefficient of drag index to 0.29.

The panorama sunroof, whose weight has been reduced by 17 kilograms compared to other Toyota options, as well as a seven-inch display navigation enhances users’ satisfaction.

High-tech functions such as the electronically-controlled brake system and the hill-start assist control have beefed up passenger safety, and led the car to be named one of the Top Safety Pick + by the U.S.’ Insurance Institute for Highway Safety earlier this year.

According to Toyota Korea, the Prius V priced at 38.8 million won ($35,796) has received 20 orders within three days from the launch. Insiders are hoping the monthly sales to reach 150.

Prius V is the latest addition to the Toyota hybrid family, whose Prius model is recorded as the first mass-produced hybrid vehicle in the world. A total of 3.4 million units of Prius have been sold around the world, including nearly 10,000 in Korea.

The Toyota Camry hybrid, another main axis of Toyota’s green car lineups, also flaunts 16.4 kilometer/liter combined gas mileage with its 2.5 liter-Atkinson cycle engine for a powerful driving force.

Toyota Korea is planning to hold “Smart hybrid” test-drive events and others to increase sales by the end of June.

By Bae Ji-sook (baejisook@heraldcorp.com)