New Toyota Prius C Media Launch

Toyota had their launching of the New Improved Toyota Prius together with the much awaited All-New Toyota Prius C recently over at Sunway Convention Centre. I had the opportunity to attend this and witness first hand the unveiling of these 2 very cool hybrid vehicles. The moment I laid eyes on the new Toyota Prius C, the first thing that went through my mind was, "This Prius C will definately be a hit among car lovers!".

Toyota Prius C Launch Event

Sitting though the product (Toyota Prius C) introduction, I was surprised to find out this chic youthful looking car is going to be sold for RM97k, cheaper than the current sub 100k hybrid which was the Honda Insight. Just looking at the Toyota Prius C got me all excited as I realize for this price range, with the looks, 1.5L engine capacity, and the rather spacious interior and boot, this hybrid is going to rock the market.

Unveiling of the price for Prius, Prius Luxury and the latest Prius C

The event was to showcase the new Toyota Prius and Prius Luxury on top of the new baby on the block, Toyota Prius C. However this post will be concentrating more on the Toyota Prius C as it is really an evolutionary new vehicle brought to Malaysia by Toyota. (http://www.toyota.com.my)

The Sparkling New Prius C

Got distracted momentarily by these ladies

The new, improved PRIUS is driven by a hybrid system with a 1.8 liter petrol engine and electric motor offering class leading fuel efficiency and low emissions yet offers performance equivalent to a conventional 2.4 liter car. In addition, the new improved PRIUS comes with EV (Electric Vehicle) mode. 

The new improved PRIUS offers 2 variants (PRIUS 1.8 and PRIUS 1.8 Luxury). New key features of the new improved PRIUS are exterior design which expresses excellent aerodynamic performance and functional beauty, additional premium features such as LED headlamps, daytime running lights, JBL premium audio with reverse camera and leather seats.

It was question time for the media present

Coming back to the highlight of the event, the all new Toyota Prius C comes off being slightly smaller in size than the original Toyota Prius. Its body length of 3,995 mm is 485 mm shorter than the Prius while the overall width of 1,695 mm (excluding door mirrors) is just 25 mm less on either side. To match its compact proportions, the overall height is also lower at 1,455 mm.

The slightly modified version of Toyota Prius C

Under The Hood

Toyota’s proven Hybrid Synergy Drive (HSD) system, proven in the Prius, has been adapted to suit the smaller size of the Prius c. Components such as the engine, transaxle and battery have been made more compact and lighter, resulting in the HSD of the Prius c being 42 kgs lighter than that in the Prius.

Much of the powertrain mass is located lower and closer to the middle of the car while the battery is installed under the rear seat, contributing to better weight distribution and a lower centre of gravity for more stable handling.

That's the battery located under the rear seat

The engine is a 1NZ-FXE type and comes from the same family as the 1.5-litre VVT-i engine in the Vios. However, it runs on an Atkinson Cycle which has a higher compression ratio and different valve opening/closing characteristics. However, the operating temperatures are well controlled so RON95 unleaded petrol can be used even though the compression ratio is 13.4:1.

Toyota Prius C sports a rather futuristic design with two toned colours being used. Everything is set up in such a way that it actually feels much larger and spacious than it actually is. Going eco friendly without compromising on space, now that's one thing I like about this car.

The Back View of Toyota Prius C

The Toyota Prius C's boot

For a car this size, Toyota Prius C again surprised me with it's boot space. I had expected the space behind to be inadequate, but as can be seen from the photo above, there was ample space to fit a sub-woofer with lots of extra luggage.

The new, improved Prius comes in four colors and is priced at RM 139,900 for the Prius Standard and RM 145,500 for the Prius Luxury variant (on the road price with insurance), while the all new Prius C comes in five colors, with a starting price of RM 97,000 (on the road price with insurance). Both models have a 3 year or 100,000km warranty (whichever comes first).

The new improved Prius and all new Prius C will be available at selected Toyota Showrooms in Peninsular Malaysia from 24th February and East Malaysia on the 2nd March onwards. UMWT has targeted sales of 1,500 units for the new, improved Prius and 2,500 units for the all new Prius C this year. So what are you waiting for, if you are looking for an affordable sporty hybrid vehicle, the new Toyota Prius C is definately a viable choice!