'Affordable' Prius on the way

A cheaper version of the Toyota Prius is being readied for this autumn, giving buyers access to the very latest version of Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive but at a price that could undercut the Honda Insight.

The new car will be based on the Auris hatchback, so while it won't be quite as spacious as the Prius, it will still seat four and have a reasonably sized boot - and because it will be lighter, it's likely to better the Prius's 72.4mpg fuel economy and 87g/km of CO₂. The combination of a 1.8-litre petrol engine linked to an electric motor will remain, with performance similar to a conventional 1.8-litre unit but with a significant improvement in fuel economy.

While Toyota's hybrid drive system returns superior mpg and emissions figures to the Insight, partly because it can drive the car in full electric mode, which Honda's system can't, it's also at least £3,000 more expensive to buy. Toyota chiefs have targeted one million hybrid sales yearly, so the Auris Hybrid will cost a more reasonable £15,000 when it hits showrooms after a Frankfurt Motor Show debut in autumn. It is rumoured a RAV4 hybrid SUV is in the works too, based on the same platform.

Mark Nichol