by wildcherry on Monday, February 8th, 2010 | Automotive, News | No Comments

The recall of the 2010 Prius and two other hybrids will affect 437,000 cars across the world, and around 8,500 in the UK.

Toyota’s president Akio Toyoda announced the recall at a news conference. He said customers should take their cars back to the dealer where a simple 40 minute process will make them safe.

He said: “We have decided to recall as we regard safety for our customers as our foremost priority.”
Also being recalled are two other hybrid models - the Lexus HS250h sedan, sold in the US and Japan, and the Sai, which is sold only in Japan.

The braking problem for the third-generation Prius is the latest safety concern for Toyota, which has already recalled millions of vehicles due to other defects, including a sticky accelerator pedal.
US safety officials have launched an investigation into problems with the brakes.

There have been nearly 200 complaints in Japan and the US of drivers experiencing a short delay before the brakes are effective. The problem can be fixed with a software programming change

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by wildcherry on Sunday, January 3rd, 2010 | Automotive, News | No Comments

If you are thinking to buy a high MPG vehicles, you are probably going to at least consider the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight which are the top hybrid cars in the market. Below are some of the comparison between the 2010 Honda Insight and 2010 Toyota Prius

Fuel Efficiency

Insight: 51.2 mpg. Prius: 52.2 mpg.

Braking
The Prius is 10 feet better than the Insight in braking — 118 feet versus 128 feet — and with four-wheel discs, it’s less susceptible to fade.

Acceleration
There’s a big gap between the 0-60-mph times of these hybrid hatchbacks, as the Prius gets to 60 mph from a standstill in 10.1 seconds (or 9.7 seconds with 1 foot of rollout as on a drag strip), while the Insight needs 10.9 seconds (or 10.5 seconds with 1 foot of rollout).

As evidence of the Honda’s fighting spirit, though, it narrows the gap by the quarter-mile mark. The Prius goes through in 17.3 seconds at 79.7 mph, while the Insight is there in 17.9 seconds at 78.2 mph.

Price
the 2010 Honda Insight LX is nearly as fuel-efficient as the 2010 Toyota Prius, at least in our unofficial real-world test. It also costs $5,100 less. it’s pretty obvious when you start looking at equipment lists. Even our lightly optioned Prius tester has significant advantages in this department. Although feature content is a secondary consideration in this comparison test, we’ve picked five we wouldn’t want to live without in a hybrid.

Key:
S: Standard
O: Optional
N/A: Not Available

Bluetooth: Hands-free phone use is fast becoming the law of the land, and we find in-car interfaces easier to use than headsets. Our Prius has it as an option, but on the Insight, it’s only available with the navigation system.

Cruise control: It’s nothing for us to put 1,000 miles on a car in 24 hours, and sometimes our right foot needs a break. The LX version of the Insight doesn’t have cruise, so get the EX if you want it.

Keyless ignition system: Walk up, open the door, press the start button and go. No fumbling with keys at all. This is how life will be for every 2010 Toyota Prius owner. Insight owners still have to use a key.

Stability control: We dislike undefeatable stability control on sport sedans, but these hybrid hatchbacks are far from sporty and can really benefit from this active safety net. It’s not available on LX versions of the Insight.

Tachometer: No matter how many electric motors are assisting, you’re still in a car with an internal combustion engine, and we want to know how fast it’s revving, damnit! In this regard, the Honda Insight is our favorite.

Full comparison:Edmunds

Tags: 2010, 2010 toyota prius, compact hatchbacks, comparison tests, hatchbacks, high MPG vehicles, Honda, Honda Insight, Honda Insight2010, road tests, toyota, toyota prius

by wildcherry on Monday, January 12th, 2009 | Business, News | No Comments

DETROIT — Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. unveiled its new 50-mile-per-gallon rated Prius hybrid vehicle Jan. 12 at the 2009 North American International Auto show. 

The midsize third-generation 2010 Prius will offer even better mileage ratings, Toyota said, in addition to such available features as a moonroof with solar panels, four driving modes, Intelligent Parking Assist (IPA) and steering wheel touch controls that display on the instrument panel.

The first-generation Prius entered the market in 1997 as the first mass-produced hybrid.  The company’s Hybrid Synergy Drive System was introduced in 2004 on the second-generation Prius. Since then, more than 670,000 have been sold in the U.S.

The first-generation Prius, which was rated 41 EPA combined mpg, was replaced by the current model, which is EPA rated at 46 mpg, combined city/highway. Using a combination of technologies, fuel efficiency was increased to an estimated 50 miles per gallon for the new Prius.

A larger and more powerful 1.8-liter Atkinson-cycle, four-cylinder engine will power the new Prius. The larger engine actually helps improve highway mileage. By making more torque, the new engine can run at lower average rpm on the highway. When operating at lower rpm, the new engine uses less fuel. Mileage is especially improved in cold-start conditions and at higher speeds.

Use of an electric water pump and a new exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system also contribute to the engine’s efficiency, Toyota said. The 1.8-liter Prius engine is the first Toyota power plant that requires no belts under the hood for better fuel economy and less potential maintenance.

A display panel that monitors fuel and energy consumption is standard. It provides feedback on the Prius’ efficiency using three different displays to help the driver acquire economical driving habits.

The Hybrid Synergy Drive system in the 2010 Prius is 90 percent newly-developed with improvements over previous models, Toyota said. The transaxle is lighter in weight and reduces torque losses by as much as 20 percent compared to the previous model. The inverter, which converts direct current to alternating current, has a new direct cooling system to reduce size and weight. Taken together, the inverter, motor and transaxle are smaller and 20 percent lighter.

A newly developed electronically controlled regenerative braking system has been adopted, with control logic optimized to enhance regeneration.

The new Prius will offer three alternative driving modes. EV-Drive Mode allows driving on battery power alone at low speeds for about a mile, if conditions permit. There is also a Power Mode, which increases sensitivity to throttle input for a sportier feel, and an Eco Mode, which helps the driver achieve their best mileage. 

Tags: 2010 toyota prius, prius, toyota prius