Driving both cars in convoy, we noticed that the Prius III speedometer is surprisingly optimistic, indicating a good 10 km/h more than the other car. Same indication when timing the car over one kilometer at 120 km/h constant speed using cruise control: 110 km/h. Analog verdict on our portable GPS: 8% difference. Conspirationists will be prompt to jump to a possible conclusion: reporting longer distances mathematically results in better measured and displayed mileage than in reality. A slight caveat on the otherwise flawless gas consumption report sheet of the Toyota.

Road handling has been vastly improved, at least on this version equipped with firm 215/45/17 tires. Thanks to the much improved driving position and more rigorous suspensions combined to a meatier engine, there is an increased sense of connection with the road going in and out of turns. It’s unlikely you will take the car for a 200 km joy ride in the twisties just for the fun of it, but the Prius III can swallow curvy roads at very respectable pace without loosing poise. It stays a notch behind the Honda Insight in this particular area, though.

The starting price is CHF 38900 in Linea Luna trim, but our Prius III Linea Sol Premium carries a base price of CHF 43900, with metallic paint (730 CHF), satnav & music harddrive (3100 CHF) and leather & heated seats (2500 CHF) to add. This puts our test model at a pretty breathtaking 50230 CHF.

In Europe, Toyota maintains the positioning of the Prius in a luxury niche, with a high price tag aligned with the outgoing model, while the Honda Insight has opted to make the hybrid label much more affordable. Pricier by 10’000 swiss francs, the premium to pay for the only compact hybrid delivering on the promise of (occasional) electric drive, and an acceptable dynamic package the rest of the time, thanks to superior and proven technology. The Prius mkIII is more honed, sober and powerful than its predecessor and keeps a clear lead over hybrid competition, but pragmatists should give full consideration to turbodiesels like the VW Golf VI TDI.

Myths about hybrids

It only saves gas in city driving !

Wrong. Energy recycling improves mileage in city and on country or freeway driving.

Batteries are heavy !

Wrong. The battery pack in a Prius weighs less than 40 kg.

Batteries age fast !

Most likely wrong. Prius II taxi fleet cars exceeding 500’000 km are not rare. Toyota claims that the batteries are designed to last at least 300’000 km.

Hybrids preserve the environment ! Wrong.

Hybrids emissions are equivalent to their gas consumption , but their mileage can be better than conventional cars.