New Toyota Prius: More posh, more power and more mpg

ORLANDO -- Toyota has improved its Prius gasoline-electric hybrid hatchback by a striking amount. But until the Japanese car company announces pricing next month, it's tough to say whether the redesigned 2010 Prius is worthy.

The new car is a little bigger outside, more powerful, more fuel efficient, more luxurious, more refined. Toyota did all that for the last redo and delivered the then-new 2004 model at no increase in price. This time, no such price promise.

Production begins in Japan this month, Toyota says. U.S. dealers should have the cars in May.

"The sweet spot for us with this car is still $24,000, $25,000," says Ed La Rocque, small-car marketing manager for Toyota Motor Sales USA. He hinted that a relatively basic model on hand for testing here would be priced about that much.

Top model with navigation system, solar roof panels, lane-keeping, radar cruise control and other gadgets, therefore, could pass $30,000. We'll know next month.

Price aside, the Prius is roomier, classier, more powerful, more fuel efficient and an all-around better car than Honda's 2010 Insight hybrid (Test Drive, Jan. 16). Insight's on sale April 22 starting at $20,470. People want to compare them because they look sort of similar and are hybrids. But that's like comparing scissors and a paper cutter: The former's the cheaper way to do a good-enough job. The latter's the premium, if pricey, way to go.

Number crunchers will note that some of the 2010's interior dimensions are smaller than the 2009's. Rear legroom, for instance, is listed as 36 inches vs. 38.6 in the '09. Yet the 2010 feels very accommodating in back — plenty of knee room and toe space for big folks. And Toyota makes much of raising the roof to — successfully, based on the test cars — increase what's been limited rear-seat headroom. Yet the spec sheets show the new car has just 0.3 of an inch more rear noggin space.

Likewise, if you go by the numbers, you'd think there's been backsliding in the hybrid powertrain. The new Prius uses a bigger, more powerful gasoline engine and a smaller, less-powerful electric motor. But guess what? Even though it also weighs about 100 pounds more, the new car is rated 3 to 4 miles per gallon more than the old one.