Auto Knight

2009 Toyota Prius

by Darren

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The Toyota Prius has remained on the cutting edge when it comes to energy efficient automobiles, and Toyota aims to keep it that way in the near future. Yahoo got a sneak preview of the 2009 Toyota Prius, and the car does sport some unique features.

The general shape of the car will remain intact, but the front end will be thoroughly redesigned. Thanks to canted headlights and a steeply raked windshield and hood, the new Prius will look sportier than the current model. The car will grow slightly, to an overall length of 179 in. (up from 175.0 in.), resulting in a more spacious interior.

As for the motor/engine, here’s what we uncovered. The displacement of the inline-4 will grow from 1.5 liters to 1.8, which will result in more power and torque. The gasoline engine will produce about 100 bhp and 105 lb.-ft. of torque, and the electric motor generating about 60 bhp, making the new Prius more powerful than ever. We hear it will run from zero to 60 mph in about 9.5 seconds and reach a top speed of about 115 mph.

With this extra oomph, one would expect the car’s fuel economy to suffer. Nope. Amazingly, the Prius will be even more fuel-efficient than it is now. According to our sources, Toyota has improved its hybrid system so the electric motor plays a bigger role when driving. Therefore, don’t be surprised when a slow drive to the corner market is achieved without using a single drop of gasoline.

Even though Toyota recently announced that they’ll be raising prices in the U.S., the rumor is that the 2009 Toyota Prius should remain very price competitive. The car starts in the $21,000 range, even with advanced features.