Toyota Prius

FIRST UK DRIVE Toyota's hybrid pioneer finally returns to these shores in fifth-generation guise and exclusively as a plug-in hybrid

ORIGINALLY launched in 1997, the Toyota Prius has sold more than five million units globally. The Prius name is an icon of eco-conscious motoring, so when Toyota confirmed that the fifthgeneration model wasn't coming to the UK when it was revealed in 2022, we were a little surprised. But the firm has run the numbers again and backtracked on its decision, so the UK is now getting the new Prius in plug-in hybrid form.

It starts at around £37,000, so it's broadly £5,000 more than the old Prius Plug-in, and while it looks quite radical with its coupé-inspired styling, that price places it alongside PHEV family hatchbacks such as the Volkswagen Golf, Peugeot 308 and Kia Niro.

The first thing you notice when getting into the Prius is the low roofline. It tapers from the front to an apex point behind the heads of the front occupants, all in the name of aerodynamics. This not only gives the car a wedge-like profile from the outside, but also ensures the driving position has an air of sportiness about it, with a small wheel and a driver's display above it (not dissimilar to Peugeot's i-Cockpit, but we found Toyota's to fit us better).

Setting off, the steering is noticeably heftier than you'd expect of a car designed to whizz around urban areas. It's reassuring, although you soon realise there's little feedback. The 13.6kWh battery sits beneath the rear seats "to keep weight distribution low" according to Toyota - but a more likely reason is that's the neatest place to put it. Still, it does help keep body roll in check and the Prius offers a significant step up in driving dynamics when compared with its predecessor.