TOYOTA PRIUS

Plug-in hybrid departs. Did it manage to quash its ‘call me a taxi’ image?

- WILL RIMELL

WHY WE RAN IT To work out if Toyota's fifth-generation hybridised private hire stalwart is fit for family life

I cannot think of many vehicles in recent memory that have drawn such polarising views as the Toyota Prius. During the car's 5700-mile stint on our long-term test fleet, I was stopped so many times by people who just wanted to comment on how pretty it is - and then minutes later by people who scorned me for driving such an abhorrent, dreadful thing.

Yet the two camps have one thing in common: they were both shocked when I told them that, yes, this sleek red car is the latest generation of that nondescript taxi you see around every train station, airport and high street.

Whatever your view on it, the current Prius certainly does spark conversation - and for a car that has been regarded for decades as being quite boring, that’s a big leap. It’s also an intentional move on Toyota’s part. The firm wanted its cabbie-favourite efficient hybrid to hold strong appeal for family car buyers this time around, so it equipped the fifth-generation version with the sharp styling it needed to compete for their attention.