2018 Toyota Tundra

We have learned that the all-new Toyota Tundra will debut on February 9, 2017 at the Chicago Auto Show.  We have no press releases or confirmations but this is what we are hearing about.

We are hearing that there will be subtle changes to the exterior.  There is no reason to believe there will be any wholesale changes to the outside appearance.  There should be some new designs for the headlights and front bumper along with the grill.  This should add to the toughness look factor.  The inside should have improvements to storage capability and materials.  They should find ways to improve the materials.  The rear seat will now fold up instead of reclining, so maybe you will see some hooks and cubbies for creative storage.

We also are hearing that the 2018 offering will feature the 8-speed transmission you see in today’s Land Cruiser.  This should be an easy adder for the automaker.  We either look for them to improve on the towing or fuel economy but it would be up to the design engineers.  We hope it will be on the fuel economy.  We think that can be done by using their D-4’s technology.  It will improve HP and torque as well as keeping the cylinders cleaner from carbon buildup.

They should top it off with a host of technology improvements like new IP setup, new apps for the infotainment system and a new radio head unit or change the existing one with added power.  We would also like to see more USB ports.  Also don’t expect them to be light on safety features.

We can’t wait until February.  For more info, come by Hixson Toyota of Leesville 11981 Lake Charles Highway Leesville, LA or give us a call at 337-239-3434 today!

2017 Toyota Rav4

Toyota has expanded the availability of advanced safety features including autonomous braking to eight of its 10 RAV4 models.  Mid-range GXL variants have also been upgraded with the addition of satellite navigation as standard, along with Toyota Link connected mobility and digital (DAB+) radio.

The safety technology is available as an option for the first time on automatic GX variants while remaining optional on GXL and standard on top-of-the-line Cruiser.  Buyers of automatic petrol GXL variants who select the safety pack can also specify dual-tone paint that adds a contrasting silver accent to the bumpers, wheel arches, door sills and side mirrors.

As part of the RAV4 changes, Cruiser all-wheel-drive (AWD) petrol and diesel variants gain the convenience of ambient lighting in the foot well and a two-position memory function for the leather-accented driver’s seat.  RAV4’s latest changes follow a substantial update late last year that included sleeker and more dynamic exterior styling, refreshed interiors, Euro 5 engines and the adoption of trailer sway control.

The suite of high-tech safety features includes a forward collision warning system” that can automatically apply the car’s brakes, even if the driver takes no action.  It also comes with active cruise control, automatic high beam, lane departure alert with steering assist, rain-sensing wipers, front parking sensors and a sway warning system to aid when towing.

Petrol AWD variants are all fitted with a six-speed multi-mode sequential-shift automatic transmission. Diesel AWD RAV4 is offered with manual or automatic transmissions for the GX and is automatic-only for GXL and Cruiser.

Get see more at Hixson Toyota of Leesville 11981 Lake Charles Highway Leesville, LA or give us a call at 337-239-3434 today!

2014 Toyota FJ Cruiser MT 4WD V6 SUV

Given Toyota's reputation for play-it-safe vehicle designs, the funky FJ Cruiser stands out. Even in the eighth year since its introduction, it still looks whimsical and retro, a throwback to the FJ40-series Land Cruisers from decades past. Behind that iconic styling, there's real off-road capability, so the 2014 Toyota FJ Cruiser is rare not just among Toyotas, but also among sport-utility vehicles as a whole. It's with a heavy heart, then, that we bid farewell to the FJ Cruiser: Toyota has announced it will discontinue this midsize SUV after the 2014 model year.
With its two primary front doors and two, rear-hinged half-doors, the FJ Cruiser has always been more like a tall coupe than a traditional five-passenger SUV. This door design makes the FJ Cruiser interesting and distinctive, but it also makes getting in and out of the backseat cumbersome, especially if you have small children. Furthermore, the FJ's bunker-like windows make seeing out of this vehicle a challenge, whether you're on an off-road trail or just trying to negotiate your way into the Starbucks drive-through. Apart from these practicality issues, the Toyota FJ Cruiser is a pretty neat vehicle to drive. Its strong V6 engine, responsive steering and relatively comfortable ride make it a lot more viable as a daily driver than you might expect.
At the same time, its spiritual home is definitely off the pavement. Even in stock form, the FJ is quite capable of scaling rocky hillsides or frolicking in the sand dunes thanks to its high ground clearance, capable suspension and generous approach and departure angles. It's also available with serious four-wheel-drive hardware, including low-range gearing, a locking rear differential and a pretty sophisticated off-road traction control system known as A-TRAC. The Trail Teams Ultimate Edition package ups the ante with a TRD-developed suspension that includes special Bilstein shock absorbers (with remote reservoirs for the rear dampers) and new front springs that increase ride height.
The departure of the Toyota FJ Cruiser will leave a bit of a void in the small population of midsize SUVs with legitimate off-road credentials. The 2014 Jeep Wrangler is the obvious alternative, as it's virtually unstoppable off-road, available in two- or four-door body styles and easily customizable thanks to extensive aftermarket support. Yet the Wrangler isn't as likable for commuting, given its louder cabin and bouncier ride. The Nissan Xterra, meanwhile, is a more civilized option with a more accommodating backseat, but its interior isn't as high-quality as the Toyota's and it's not as capable off-road. Although not perfect, the 2014 Toyota FJ Cruiser represents a desirable middle ground between these two. If you want one, this is certainly the year to buy.

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Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options

The 2014 Toyota FJ Cruiser is a five-passenger midsize SUV with two conventional (front-hinged) front doors and two half-sized, rear-hinged doors.
The FJ Cruiser is offered in only one trim level and comes standard with 17-inch steel wheels, an electronically controlled locking rear differential (manual-transmission 4WD models only), a limited-slip rear differential (2WD models only), full power accessories, air-conditioning, an eight-way manually adjustable driver seat, four-way manually adjustable passenger seat, a 60/40 split-folding rear seat, a tilt-only steering wheel, water-resistant cloth upholstery, heavy-duty vinyl flooring, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, and a six-speaker sound system with a CD player, satellite radio, an auxiliary audio jack and an iPod/USB audio interface.
Most options are bundled in packages. The Convenience package adds rear privacy glass, a rear wiper, a spare tire cover, keyless entry, cruise control, a rearview camera and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. The Upgrade package adds 17-inch alloy wheels, upgraded traction control on four-wheel-drive models, rear parking sensors, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, ancillary gauges and trip computer functions, and an 11-speaker JBL sound system with a six-CD changer. The Off-Road package adds Bilstein shock absorbers, the locking rear differential (for automatic-transmission models), an upgraded off-road-oriented traction control system (known as A-TRAC) and additional instrumentation (including an inclinometer and compass). Other options include 16-inch alloy wheels with BFGoodrich all-terrain tires, upgraded Bilstein shock absorbers, larger brakes and a performance exhaust kit.
The Trail Teams Ultimate Edition package arrives later in the model year and will include a specially tuned TRD suspension (with remote reservoirs for the rear shock absorbers), 16-inch bead-lock wheels (better for aired-down tires during off-roading), all-terrain tires and an upgraded front skid plate that provides better protection. All Trail Teams FJ Cruisers get a Heritage Blue paint job (with a matching blue roof) and include the bulk of the content from the Convenience and Upgrade packages.

Powertrains and Performance

The 2014 Toyota FJ Cruiser is powered by a 4.0-liter V6 engine that produces 260 horsepower and 271 pound-feet of torque.
Three different drivetrain configurations are available: A five-speed automatic transmission with rear-wheel drive (and a limited-slip differential) is the standard setup. You can also get one of two different four-wheel-drive systems: There's a part-time 4WD system mated to the five-speed automatic transmission and a full-time system fitted with a six-speed manual transmission and a rear locking differential. The locking differential is optional on automatic-equipped 4WD models.
EPA-rated fuel economy for the two-wheel-drive model is 18 mpg combined (16 mpg city/20 mpg highway) -- not great, but typical for an off-road-oriented midsize SUV with a gasoline engine. With four-wheel drive, those numbers are 18 mpg combined (17 mpg city/20 mpg highway) with the automatic and 16 mpg combined (15 mpg city/18 mpg highway) with the manual.

Safety

Standard safety features on the 2014 Toyota FJ Cruiser include antilock disc brakes, traction and stability control, front-seat side airbags, side curtain airbags and active front head restraints.
In crash testing by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the FJ Cruiser received the top rating of "Good" in the moderate-overlap frontal-offset and side-impact tests. Its seat/head restraint design was also rated "Good" for whiplash protection in rear impacts. The FJ received the second-best rating of "Acceptable" in the Institute's roof-strength crash test.

Interior Design and Special Features

The 2014 Toyota FJ Cruiser sports a no-frills interior design with a touch of style. Certain dash panels are color-matched to the outside body color. Controls are well placed and easy to use, though some buttons and knobs are comically huge. The front seats offer good comfort, and the water-repellent upholstery and rubber floor covering are ready for the kind of abuse active owners may inflict upon them when the FJ is used as intended.
The thick rear roof pillars and outside-mounted spare tire that make the exterior look so cool create enormous blind spots and diminish rear visibility, so the rearview camera and parking sensors are very worthwhile add-ons. Even the view out the front isn't that great because of the high dash and hood. The wide but slim windshield needs three wipers for complete coverage in the rain, but admittedly, the trio looks pretty cool in operation.
The rear seating area has its own problems, starting with the rear-hinged back doors. As on old-school extended-cab pickups, you have to open the front doors first before anyone gets in or out of the backseat. The FJ Cruiser's tall ride height also requires a bit of a climb to get inside, and once you're in, the accommodations are fairly tight for three people. There is plenty of legroom back there, however, with the rear bench set rather far back in the cabin. Folding down both sections of that 60/40-split rear seat creates a cargo hold with a healthy 67 cubic feet of space. That's about the same as in a Honda CR-V.

Driving Impressions

On the road, the 2014 Toyota FJ Cruiser performs surprisingly well, considering it was designed with serious off-roading in mind. The V6 engine offers lots of grunt and moves the heavy truck with authority, though it can get coarse and loud at high rpm. The ride is surprisingly compliant over serious bumps, and the suspension tuning and precise steering feel put the more rudimentary Jeep Wrangler to shame when driving on pavement. There's a considerable amount of wind noise at highway speeds due to the Toyota's decidedly un-aerodynamic body, but it's still more serene than the Jeep.
Once the road goes away, the Toyota FJ Cruiser is in its element. The combination of ample ground clearance, available knobby all-terrain tires, and the available locking rear differential and advanced traction management system gives it the ability to tackle rugged trails with ease. It can keep up with the Jeep Wrangler on most trails, though due to the FJ's challenging visibility, it can be hard to see what you're running over.

2016 Toyota Mirai Sedan

If Toyota has its way, the 2016 Mirai hydrogen fuel-cell car could go down in popular history as the car that brought the future to us. Its name, after all, means "the future" in Japanese. Forget the Prius, the Tesla Model S and the BMW i3, Toyota executives say; the Mirai and its hydrogen fuel-cell technology is the first step in the next century of the automobile.

If you ask Toyota, the 2016 Mirai signals that the future is now.

The beauty of hydrogen fuel-cell cars is that they deliver all of the benefits of electric cars without being limited by a charging cord. The all-new 2016 Toyota Mirai sedan seeks to optimize this formula, promising a fuel-cell system that is lighter, smaller and less expensive than anything that's come before it. On the road, the Mirai delivers 300 miles of range, putting most plug-in electric cars to shame.
At the moment, however, the future is mostly confined to California, where the majority of just a handful of current public hydrogen stations are located. So it is with the 2016 Mirai, which is only available in the Golden State. Toyota says it has plans to sell the Mirai in the Northeast, too, pending the construction of new hydrogen stations between Massachusetts and New Jersey. But for the time being, California residence is a must for Mirai ownership.
If you've got that part down, and you're not overly concerned about hydrogen fuel safety (you shouldn't be), this Toyota is certainly a car worth considering. One question, of course, is how you feel about the polarizing exterior styling. Toyota designed the Mirai to stand out from the crowd, and it does so with a daring shape marked by radical angles, scoops, curves and accent lines. Inside, the Mirai's spaceship-like instrument layout makes another strong impression. There are just four seats, though; engineers decreed that the added weight of a fifth passenger would hurt both range and performance, so there's no middle seat in the back.
If you want your next car to have "hydrogen" written all over it, the Mirai is pretty much without competition. The only other fuel-cell vehicle in the retail market right now is the California-only Hyundai Tucson FCEV, and supplies are very limited. Honda plans to launch its own fuel-cell sedan sometime in 2016, but the next batch of fuel-cell vehicles will require a longer wait. For now, at least, the Edmunds "B" rated 2016 Toyota Mirai is indeed "the future" of hydrogen-powered cars.

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Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options

The 2016 Toyota Mirai is a four-door sedan with seating for four. It's available in a single trim level.
An official list of features was not available as of this writing, but we expect standard equipment on the 2016 Mirai to include 17-inch aluminum wheels, LED headlights, cruise control, dual-zone automatic climate control, neoprene-look cloth upholstery, eight-way heated power front seats with power lumbar adjustments, heated rear seats, a heated tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, an 8-inch touchscreen, a rearview camera, a navigation system with a fuel-station finder, Bluetooth audio and phone connectivity and a JBL audio system with satellite radio, a USB port and an auxiliary jack.

The Mirai's standard equipment list appropriately includes a number of high-tech items, including an 8-inch touchscreen interface.

Also standard are a 24-hour concierge service, 24-hour roadside service, three years of free maintenance and an 8-year or 100,000-mile warranty on all fuel-cell system components.
The sole option is a trunk-mounted power take-off system that enables the Mirai to serve as an emergency generator, providing up to 60 kilowatt-hours of electricity from a full load of hydrogen, sufficient to power a small home for up to a week, Toyota says.

Powertrains and Performance

Driving the front wheels of the 2016 Toyota Mirai is a front-mounted electric motor that delivers 151 horsepower and 247 pound-feet of torque. A Prius-sized 1.6-kWh nickel-metal hydride battery mounted behind the rear seats stores some of the juice generated by the fuel-cell system for use when an extra burst of power is needed.
In Edmunds track testing, a 2016 Mirai accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 8.7 seconds, beating the 2016 Prius by 1.1 seconds. Top speed is 111 mph. Toyota says the Mirai can travel about 300 miles on the 5 kilograms (11 pounds) of pressurized hydrogen it carries. With 1 kilogram of hydrogen delivering the same amount of energy as a gallon of regular gasoline, that's a fuel-efficiency equivalent of 60 mpg.

Safety

Standard safety equipment on the 2016 Mirai includes antilock disc brakes, traction and stability control, front and rear side airbags and a rearview camera. Active safety equipment includes lane-departure alert, a blind-spot monitor, adaptive cruise control and a frontal collision mitigation system with automatic braking. Special hydrogen sensors will issue warnings and shut down the hydrogen tanks' stop valves if they detect a hydrogen leak.
In Edmunds brake testing, a 2016 Mirai stopped from 60 mph in 130 feet, a longish distance that's nonetheless not unusual among hybrids and EVs.

Interior Design and Special Features

Toyota lavished Lexus-like quality on the Mirai's cabin, with soft-touch materials at all the places where people come into contact with interior surfaces. Fit and finish is excellent. The instrumentation and controls are generally user-friendly, although the instrument panel can take a little getting used to, as it floats directly above the center stack on the top level of the Prius-like two-tier dash. There's nothing behind the steering wheel where the gauges usually reside.

There's a lot going on with the 2016 Mirai's dashboard.

The supportive front seats are roomy but still grippy, and there's plenty of head-, leg- and hiproom in all four seating positions. A large armrest with an integrated storage bin separates the heated rear seats. On the downside, the center console's storage compartments are fairly small, and the expanse of glossy plastic surrounding the climate controls is a magnet for fingerprints.
Because the car was designed from the start to be a fuel-cell vehicle, the bulky fuel tanks and battery don't intrude much into either cabin or trunk space. The Mirai's trunk isn't as large as that of most conventional cars its size, but it's still roomy enough to handle typical chores like grocery shopping or runs to Target.

Driving Impressions

Ride quality in the 2016 Toyota Mirai is smooth and comfortable. Thanks in part to the weight of the low-slung fuel-cell stack, the Mirai feels secure around the turns. Steering and suspension feedback are pretty numb, but this isn't a car you buy for the thrill of tearing through corners or dancing along tortuous mountain routes.
As in any electric car, all of the 2016 Toyota Mirai's torque is available as soon as you start pressing the accelerator, so the car feels rather quick from zero to 40 mph. Things slow down after that, so acceleration during highway passing can be relatively sluggish, but we suspect most drivers will be just fine with the Mirai's level of performance.

Some might find the 2016 Mirai's styling a bit too adventurous, but it certainly stands out in a crowd.

The brakes feel firm and sure, though, and while the Mirai's rather mild regenerative braking system won't let you slow the car almost to a dead stop without applying the brake pedal (as is the case with some electric cars), it also won't alarm you with an abrupt jerk when you lift off the accelerator pedal.
Without the background noise of an internal combustion engine, the Mirai's cabin remains fairly quiet. At lower speeds, the clicking hydrogen injectors, humming hydrogen pump and whining air compressor are faintly audible, but never intrusive.

2016 Toyota Prius Two Hatchback

The fully redesigned 2016 Toyota Prius further cements the model's reputation as the most fuel-efficient hybrid car you can buy. But the company that dominates the hybrid sales market is not coasting on its success. Toyota turned its attention to refining the rest of the car, with impressive results. At the same time, Toyota produced a radically different exterior design that many of us find challenging to like, though whether Prius fans will love it or hate it remains to be seen.

The redesigned 2016 Prius has styling unlike anything else, unless you count the hydrogen-powered Toyota Mirai, which seems to have been the inspiration.

The essential appeal of the Prius, of course, lies in its fuel economy, and for 2016 the numbers are indeed impressive, with an EPA combined rating of 52 mpg for the standard car. But there is one hybrid that can beat it, and that machine is the new Prius Eco, a fuel-economy-oriented variant (as if the Prius needed one) that is rated at a whopping 56 mpg combined. As an added bonus, the gas engine is now noticeably quieter when it comes to life, and it sounds less strained during hard acceleration.
But there's plenty more to recommend the new Prius than just the powertrain. The previous Prius' odd upright driving position is no more, replaced by a lower, more natural orientation that makes the car feel less like a science experiment. There's more front leg- and headroom, too, although a couple inches of rear legroom have been lost. The payoff is found in the cargo bay, which grows by 14 percent. Hybrid credentials aside, the Prius has long been a smart pick due to its hatchback practicality, and for 2016 it's even more practical than before.
As for the car's underlying architecture, a lower and wider stance combines with the new double-wishbone rear suspension to improve the car's ride and handling. Bumps are now more readily absorbed, and the steering's added heft is reassuring. This new Prius is still not speedy or all that exciting to drive, but there are far fewer failings to overlook. It's a pleasant car to drive in its own right.
With these refinements, the Prius also has fewer peers than ever before. Honda has shelved its slow-selling Insight, and no other automaker is attempting a Prius rival. At this point it's a matter of size, mpg, configuration and, yes, styling. Is the 2016 Prius hatchback big enough, or do you want the extra passenger space of a midsize sedan that has a trunk? If so, the 2016 Ford Fusion Hybrid or the 2016 Toyota Camry Hybrid might be worth a look. If a plug-in hybrid is more to your liking, the redesigned Chevrolet Volt is pretty impressive. But for a regular hybrid, we highly recommend the 2016 Toyota Prius.

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Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options

The 2016 Toyota Prius is a four-door hatchback that seats five passengers, and it comes in six trim levels: Two, Two Eco, Three, Three Touring, Four and Four Touring. The compact Prius C and larger Prius V are different models covered in separate reviews.
Standard features found on the Prius Two include 15-inch alloy wheels, automatic LED headlights, LED running lights and taillights, heated mirrors, keyless entry (driver door only) and ignition, automatic climate control, dual 4.2-inch driver information screens, cruise control, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, cloth upholstery, a height-adjustable driver seat, a 60/40-split folding rear seat, a 6.1-inch touchscreen display, a rearview camera, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, voice recognition with Siri Eyes Free and a six-speaker audio system with a USB port, an auxiliary audio jack and a CD player.
The more efficient Prius Two Eco is fitted with ultralow-rolling-resistance tires, two-tone wheel covers, a lighter lithium-ion hybrid battery, a lightweight inflation kit instead of a spare tire and illuminated keyless entry on three doors. The rear wiper that comes standard on the other trims is deleted here.
Inside the Prius Three you'll find leatherette steering wheel and armrest trim, white interior accents, a wireless phone charging pad (compatible phone case not included) and the Toyota Entune premium infotainment system with a 7-inch touchscreen, navigation, satellite radio, HD radio, real-time data (traffic, weather, fuel prices, sports, stocks) and access to apps like Pandora, iHeartRadio, OpenTable and Yelp via a paired smartphone running the Entune app.

Sleek automatic climate controls share space with Toyota's familiar touchscreen infotainment system in the 2016 Prius.

The Prius Four comes with a blind spot monitor, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic wipers, leatherette upholstery with contrasting white stitching, heated front seats, a power driver seat with adjustable lumbar, seatback storage pockets and a rear cargo cover.
Standard equipment on the Three Touring or Four Touring includes everything on the corresponding Three or Four plus 17-inch alloy wheels, foglights, LED clearance lights, unique rear bumper styling and leatherette upholstery with contrasting blue seat stitching. Both also come standard with the Toyota Safety Sense package, which includes full-speed adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and intervention, a pre-collision warning system and automatic high beams.
The Prius Three and Four can be upgraded with the Advanced Technology package, which consists of a sunroof, a head-up display and the Toyota Safety Sense equipment found on Touring models.
Finally, the Prius Four and Prius Four Touring can be equipped with the Premium Convenience package, which includes JBL 10-speaker premium audio, a self-parking system and Safety Connect emergency services.

Powertrains and Performance

As before, the new 2016 Toyota Prius is powered by a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine and a pair of electric motor/generators. Their outputs are blended in a unique electronically controlled continuously variable transmission (CVT) that feeds as much as 121 horsepower to the front wheels. Light to moderate braking transforms one of the electric motors into a generator to keep the hybrid battery topped up.
In Edmunds track testing, a 2016 Prius Three accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 9.8 seconds, a few tenths quicker than the outgoing model but 2.1 seconds slower than the last Camry Hybrid sedan we tested. The upside is an EPA fuel economy rating of 52 mpg combined (54 city/50 highway). Our on-road testing of a Prius Three proved that this rating can be readily matched or beaten. Those looking for ultimate frugality can turn to the new Prius Two Eco, which earns an astonishing rating of 56 mpg combined (58 city/53 highway).

Safety

Every 2016 Toyota Prius comes standard with antilock disc brakes, stability and traction control, front side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags, a driver knee airbag and a passenger seat cushion airbag. A rearview camera also comes standard.
Blind spot monitoring with cross-traffic alert comes standard on the Prius Four and Four Touring. The Toyota Safety Sense package includes full-speed adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning and lane departure warning and intervention. It's standard on the Prius Three Touring and Four Touring and optional on the Three and Four.
The Safety Connect system that can be added to the Prius Four and Four Touring is subscription-based (with a one-year free trial) and includes automatic collision notification, stolen vehicle locator and one-touch access to roadside and emergency assistance.
In Edmunds brake testing, a Prius Three came to a halt from 60 mph in 120 feet, which is solidly average.

Interior Design and Special Features

The 2016 Prius has a more conventionally laid out interior than its predecessor. A traditional center console between the seats contains cupholders, a shallow storage bin (home of the wireless phone-charging pad) and an armrest. The stubby shifter with its separate Park button remains, and the speedometer and gauge array still sit high in the center of the dash. A new head-up display option can present the most crucial information directly in front of the driver.

The 2016 Toyota Prius trades the last generation's sporty wraparound cockpit for a cabin with a more spacious feel.

Materials quality feels appropriate, with interesting seat fabrics and leatherette materials showing up on lower trim levels. But the choice of pearl white as a prominent center console accent color is sure to be polarizing. And though some legacy Prius design quirks remain (as well as one or two new ones), the layout and control placement are generally easy to understand and use.
The intuitive 7-inch touchscreen upgrade responds quickly to commands. A clumsy Entune app is necessary for high-level smartphone integration, but you can do without and still have a satisfying experience via the USB or Bluetooth audio connections. Bluetooth pairing, incidentally, has been greatly simplified.
Perhaps the biggest change involves the driving position, which features a lower seat with a less upright posture and more maximum head- and legroom despite a roof line that's almost an inch lower. The view out is still clear thanks to a lower cowl and side glass. And the telescoping steering wheel now has ample range of adjustment, with simplified control buttons that have a more positive feel.
But more than 2 inches of rear legroom has been lost. The remaining space is still enough for most families, but the Prius may not be the choice it once was among taxi drivers. The payoff is increased luggage capacity, which stands at 24.6 cubic feet, a full 3 cubic feet more than the last model. The Prius Two Eco and Prius Four twins lack a spare tire, which lowers the floor and raises their luggage capacity to a cavernous 27.3 cubic feet.

Driving Impressions

The 2016 Prius is just slightly quicker than before, so it's not going to win any speed contests. That's perfectly acceptable in light of its maximum-mpg mission. The new Prius powertrain is more evocative of a full-on electric vehicle than ever. Part of this is due to improved noise suppression: You don't hear the engine as much when it is running. But the system also stays in EV propulsion mode more of the time, provided you're not a leadfoot.

The all-new Prius drives better than the nameplate's reputation might lead you to believe.

On diverse real-world roads, the Prius is even easier to drive than before, with smoother-acting brakes and a bit more reassuring heft to the steering. The new double-wishbone suspension is far more adept at soaking up road imperfections and quelling body motions than before, and it's also an effective road noise filter.