Detroit Auto Show 2009: 2010 Toyota Prius Launched!

Finally, Toyota unveiled the new Toyota Prius at the Detroit Motor Show. The current Prius, was a ground breaking vehicle, not in terms of being a prioneer (as the Honda Insight is the first), but rather by being the first Eco-car that's widely accepted, bringing acceptance of these vehicles into our daily lives by merely being - NORMAL.

Normal in that it looks no different than any cars out there. Now the new one did not set benchmarks in the looks category, nor in the Eco part, as its rated with 50mpg. Certainly no contest for those diesel mpg monsters from Volkswagen or Mercedes Benz. However, it does pack with it some new trick.



First, the car is now slightly larger, thus powered by a 1.8ltr engine with a combine output of 134hp, coefficient drag figures is a very low 0.25. What's interesting, especially for buyers of the equatorial regions, is the inclusion of an air recirculation module that's powered by photovoltaic cells mounted on the roof.

Hur? You might think. Ok, think Summer, or a really hot day, and your car's parked under the scorching sun, then you start your car, switch on the engine and climate control, the temperature sensor sends a 45 degree celcius temp reading to the control unit, and it immediately begins blasting 'cold air' that's still pretty much warm trying to cool down the car. Of course at the expense of burning quite an amount of energy.



Now imagine there's this solar powered air recirculation module doing all that by keeping the car temperatures low, thus saving you quite some petrol (or time and money in other words). Brilliant? Genius.

Subsequently, other safety devices such as lane departure warning systems are also included.

As for the looks, is it better looking than the Honda Insight Hybrid? Nope, is it better? Should be. Check out the massive gallery.