Long-term test: Toyota Prius Excel

The elements that have surprised and delighted me most so far – apart from the incredible fuel consumption, which is this car’s USP – are the ride and the quality of the cabin. I’m not sure why, but I didn’t expect the damping to be anything like as good as it is. It’s proved to be a super-refined car to drive on the increasingly poor road surfaces of Brighton and Hove, and it’s almost eerily calm and quiet on the motorway.

As for the cabin, I’m similarly amazed by how well made and high in quality the Prius feels. Equivalent-priced cars from VW, Ford and even Mercedes do not seem as top end as this. In many ways the Prius feels like a Lexus, with great seats, a lovely precision to all of its controls, plus a high level of equipment on offer, all of which comes as standard.

I’m learning to like the small instrument display, but suspect I will always wish it was a bit bigger, and a bit nearer. The 12.3-inch main central touchscreen is just fine, on the other hand, and appears to offer all the functionality you could want from a vehicle that contains this much technology. I haven’t yet been bamboozled by what’s on offer, which is a result considering how complex the Toyota’s features are.

Bottom line, I’m quietly blown away by how good this latest Prius is – not just as a car to drive, but as a machine to simply climb into, understand, and use each day. It appears to offer a unique combination of technology, economy, ecological awareness and good old-fashioned driver appeal, albeit in a contemporary kind of way. In short, I love it to bits so am struggling to find serious fault with anything. So far… 

*Insurance quote for a 42-year-old in Banbury, Oxon, with three points.

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