2006 Toyota Prius Model Update

Hollywood's Hybrid

Toyota's unmistakably green machine gets minor updates for 2006, including added features and styling tweaks.

For 2006, Toyota's futuristically styled gas/electric hybrid Prius sedan receives a number of minor changes. These include freshened headlamps and taillights, updated seat fabrics and dashboard materials, advanced airbags that sense the size and presence of front-seat occupants and a tire-pressure monitor.

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Four new exterior colors are offered: Magnetic Gray, Barcelona Red, Silver Metallic and Silver Pine Mica. New options include a leather-trimmed interior and steering wheel, and a rear-view camera to aid parking. An optional audio system now includes MP3-media capability and a universal mini-jack connector for iPods and other portable audio devices.

Toyota's futuristic-looking Prius has been embraced by extroverted, environmentally concerned motorists because, unlike other gas/electric hybrid vehicles that are versions of regular cars and SUVs, the Prius has a look all its own.

Hollywood actors have been making environmental statements at the Academy Awards by arriving in hybrid vehicles over the past few years. George Clooney, Frances McDormand and Oscar-winner Paul Haggis all drove up in Priuses this year. Toyota and environmental organization Global Green USA sponsor this use of hybrid cars, called Red Carpet, Green Cars.

The Prius' Hybrid Synergy Drive powertrain consists of a 76-hp, 1.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine that works in tandem with an electric motor/generator and a bank of high-output, rechargeable, nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH) batteries. The electric motor powers the vehicle entirely when pulling away from a stop and at lower speeds; at higher speeds, power comes from both the gasoline engine and the electric motor. Overall, the car's acceleration is roughly equivalent to that of a four-cylinder Camry.

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The Prius shuts its gasoline engine off automatically at a stop to conserve fuel and reduce exhaust emissions; it starts up quickly and automatically when the driver depresses the accelerator. A continuously variable automatic transmission is standard.

Under deceleration or braking, the generator sends electrical power back to the batteries through a process known as regenerative braking. This enables the batteries to maintain their power without ever having to be recharged from an external source. The Prius' rechargeable battery pack is covered under an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty.

While the Prius is rated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at 60 mpg city/51 mpg highway, even Toyota admits that this figure tends to be about 20 percent higher than most motorists will ever obtain. This is primarily because of the way the EPA tests fuel economy, which is according to the amount of carbon exhaust emitted by a vehicle over a predetermined acceleration and braking cycle in a laboratory. Because some of a hybrid's power comes from an electric motor that produces zero emissions, these figures tend to skew higher than simple miles-driven/gallons-consumed computations would otherwise indicate.

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The Prius has a roomy interior and a convenient hatchback, though the trunk isn't as large as those on most midsize sedans. A large electronic display dominates the dash and displays where the Prius is drawing its power.

It comes well equipped: Side airbags for front occupants and side-curtain airbags for front and back rows, as well as Vehicle Stability Control, are optional. A Smart Key system that doesn't require a conventional key to unlock or start the car and a Bluetooth wireless cell phone interface are also optional but are offered through costly equipment packages.

The Toyota Prius is proving to be just as reliable as any Toyota. Consumer Reports says it has much better than average reliability. The Prius scores four out of five stars on all of the National Highway Traffic Administration's crash tests.

The federal government now allows an income tax credit for buyers of gas/electric hybrid vehicles. This credit is determined by a complex formula, however, and will be phased out once an automaker has sold 60,000 hybrid vehicles — so be sure to check with your tax professional to determine how much you might save in taxes.