Green Revolution

The original poster boy of hybrid cars in India is back in a new-age avatar.

- Aditya Chatterjee

With tighter emission norms and increased focus on greener technologies, almost every car manufacturer is busy developing an alternate to the conventional petrol and diesel powertrains. Toyota had launched the Prius in India back in 2010, when selling hybrids was still considered to be quite a bold statement. More than that, the Prius showed the company’s commitment to bringing in more advanced and efficient automobile technology to the country. This, even when the segment was not one which would sell in large enough volumes to make it a safe bet for any car manufacturer.

With the growing awareness of hybrids and EVs in India, the outlook towards such offerings has also changed. And this is evident from the sizeable number of Toyota Camry Hybrids sold in the country. Toyota has now brought in the new-generation avatar of the Prius in India. With a new design language and more efficient tech under the skin, the original poster boy of hybrids in India looks all set to mark its territory. But then, does it? We find out.

DESIGN AND FEATURES

The new-gen Toyota Prius has received a smart makeover which makes it a lot sharper than before. It still remains a unique-looking automobile on the road — perhaps something like what the Jetsons would drive around. I wasn’t too convinced about this design when I saw the images but in flesh, it looks a lot more appealing than the previous model. The front now carries an aggressive design which can be seen with the sharp lines of the headlight along with the multiple creases on the front bumper. The air vents on the bumper aren’t just for aesthetics as the grille shutter actually controls the airflow into the engine.