When Consumer Reports tested the fuel economy of the 2000 Honda Insight, the publication managed to squeeze 51 mpg (4.61 l/100 km). That record has recently been trumped by the 2016 Toyota Prius, which managed to return 52 mpg (4.52 l/100 km).
Tom Mutchler of Consumer Reports explains in the following video that the fourth generation of the Toyota Prius has been driven in real-world conditions... but only just. As anyone would expect from such a test, Consumer Reports installed a fuel meter to measure every single milliliter of gasoline used.
On the city course, with stop and start traffic, the 2016 Toyota Prius managed 43 miles per gallon (5.47 liters/100 km). At a constant 65 mph (104.6 km/h) on the highway, the Japanese hybrid returns 59 miles per gallon (3.98 liters/100 km). As incredible as this may sound, the highway fuel economy is better than that of any four-cylinder TDI turbo diesel-powered Volkswagen model ever tested by the publication.
By comparison, the third-generation Toyota Prius makes do with 44 miles per gallon (5.34 liters/100 km) on the combined cycle. Tom explains that the guinea pig they’ve used for testing is a mid-range trim level that retails for $27,323. The base trim level, on the other hand, is priced at $24,200.
When all is said and done, the 2016 Toyota Prius is a tough sell for folks like you and me for a pretty simple reason: gasoline is not that pricey at the present moment. Another downside of the fourth-generation Prius is the styling. I, for example, adore the Evangelion Unit-02 exterior styling (provided that the car is painted red), but most people would rather something else, something more car-like.
As a brief reminder, most models in the 2016 Toyota Prius range are rated by the EPA at 52 miles per gallon (4.52 liters/100 km) combined. Those who opt for the Prius Two Eco ($25,035) are promised 56 miles per gallon (4.2 liters/100 km) thanks to a lighter lithium-ion battery instead of the standard NiMH pack.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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