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It might be the time to get loud and uproarious as the searing engines of Formula 1 cars pelt around the Bahrain International Circuit this weekend, but there’s still room to appreciate the quieter side of motoring life.
And so it proved with my first test drive of an electrical hybrid, the 2016 Toyota Prius.
I hadn’t even left the parking space outside the showroom in Sitra before I knew this would be an experience with a difference.
I’d done my usual routine of sitting in the car, adjusting the seat and mirrors, having a fiddle with the switches on the dashboard and then cycling through the touch-screen to see what sort of features were available.
Then I pressed the stop/start ignition button, and nothing happened. Nothing. I hadn’t missed a trick, the key was in my pocket within range, I had pressed the brake before I hit the button, the automatic gear level was in park mode and the footbrake was on. I couldn’t see where I was going wrong.
Inquisitively asking the Toyota co-ordinator, standing there with a gentle smile on his face that immediately told me he’d seen similar strife before, how to turn it on, he just simply retorted: “It is on, sir.”
That was my mind blown! Without even a hint of a growl from the engine, it had started up. Whacking the gear stick into ‘drive’, I glided out of the car park and out onto the roads in mild wonderment at this magical piece of technology.
It was only when I hit the highway and put my foot down that I heard a faint bark from beneath the bonnet, but still only the mild grumble you’d expect from a normal road car trundling along at a snail’s pace.
This is due to the tag team of an electric motor accompanying the gasoline engine, to offer the best features of both. The engine is a 1.8-litre VVT-i with a maximum thermal efficiency of 40 per cent and can produce 97BHP, while the electric motor also produces 71BHP.
However, it can be driven completely on electrical power for long distances, which limits fuel consumption and emissions to literally zero. The batteries recharge under braking and decelerating, so the mad dash to the petrol station before you run out should be a thing of the past with this model. It also doesn’t need a power cord, which is handy considering the recent hike in prices for both fuel and electricity!
The exterior is modern and edgy too, with more angles than Pythagoras’ notebook. It’s a contemporary design that receives mixed opinions, but I like it as it reflects how the technology within is pushing the boundaries.
The interior is equally quirky, with a sharp white and grey contrast that looks like the interior of an alien spaceship from a sci-fi movie, especially with the light blue trim around the air conditioning vents!
There’s plenty of space and the seats are comfortable, whilst the touch screen is simple to use and intuitive. Best of all though is the HUD (Heads-Up Display), which projects your speed, RPM and battery level on the windshield in front of you as you drive. You can turn it off if it’s annoying, but I was completely fascinated by this feature.
I made sure to make up for the lack of engine feedback by blasting out my heavy metal favourites on the crystal-clear sound system. Revving the engine wasn’t going to garner the attention of passers-by as I cruised past in my four-wheeled Millenium Falcon, so I introduced the pupils of a local primary school to Black Sabbath as they filtered out at the end of the day instead.
Of course, being totally silent is sometimes a bonus … my Editor, Stan, has given me countless pearls of wisdom in the past two years since I’ve been with GulfWeekly, but for some reason ‘buy a hybrid car mate, then you can then sneak back home after a midnight tryst without waking up your family or significant other’ has stuck with me much longer than ‘don’t go over the damn word count!’
Parting with the Prius at the end of the day left me with a sad feeling of waving goodbye to a friend as they go off on another journey, a tell-tale sign that I greatly enjoyed the experience. What it lacks in grunt and power, it makes up for in style, technology and fun.
The future is bright … the future is quiet.
The Toyota Prius is available from the E K Kanoo showroom in Sitra for BD9,900. This comes with a four-year or 150,000km warranty on the car, and an eight-year or 160,000km warranty on the battery.
For more information, call 17730730 or visit toyota.com.bh/hybrid or toyota.com.bh/prius
