2012 Toyota Prius C - car news and review

The U.S.-spec 2012 Toyota Prius C has landed at the Detroit auto showfollowing the Japanese-market version’s debut in Tokyo last year. Our C will be essentially the same car excepting left-hand drive and different badges.

A Pretty Prius?

“Attractive” isn’t really a word we would use to describe the normal-size Prius, let alone the even-funkier Prius V people mover. While nowhere near as cool as the Prius C concept from last year’s Detroit show, the production C isn’t half bad-looking. The hatchback has clean styling punctuated by interesting details like the tall vertical taillights, and its aggressive grille treatment manages to avoid the fish face that characterizes the mugs of other Priuses. With a 100.4-inch wheelbase and overall length of 157.3 inches, a width of 66.7, and a height of 56.9, the Prius C is just a few inches longer than Toyota’s own Yaris.

The interior combines signature Prius cues—centralized digital gauge cluster, blue start button—with a distinctive dashboard design similar to that of the 2012 Yaris. The steering wheel is shared with other Prius models, but the C gets a conventional floor-mounted shifter instead of the bizarre nub used in its bigger siblings. Several premium features will come as standard, including a 3.5-inch information screen, Bluetooth, automatic climate control, and USB and iPod connectivity. Navigation and Toyota’s new Entune infotainment system will be available, and the C will offer buyers four trim levels to choose from.

All Prius, All the Time

Powering the Prius C is a downsized version of Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive system: a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine and an electric motor paired with a CVT. The gas engine produces 73 hp and the electric motor 60; total system output is 99 hp. For reference, the bigger Prius and Prius V both use a 98-hp, 1.8-liter four and an 80-hp electric motor, with total output of 134 hp. Energy storage is handled by nickel-metal hydride battery pack. Electric-only range is less than a mile at speeds up to 25 mph. There’s also an Eco mode that controls throttle response and climate-control functionality to maximize efficiency. Finally, there’s a Normal mode that’s, well, normal.

Toyota claims the C will get a city rating of 53 mpg—beating any non-plug-in hybrid currently available—and a 46-mpg figure on the highway. The city number is 2 mpg higher than that of the standard Prius, though the highway efficiency is 2 mpg lower; both cars share a 50-mpg combined rating. Toyota claims the C tips the scales at a feathery (for a hybrid) 2500 pounds, roughly 500 pounds less than a normal-size 2012 Prius. View Photo Gallery

by carmax.blogspot.com

2012 Toyota Prius V Hybrid - Car news and review photo

Since 1997, more than two million Toyota Prius hybrids have been sold in 70 countries. Loosely translated, the Latin word prius means “ahead of the curve,” not “creep along in the passing lane” as some owners seem to believe. The U.S. is the single largest Prius market with more than a million purchased here since 2000. The Prius currently outsells 30 other U.S.-market hybrids combined.

Refuting early powertrain-complexity and battery-life scares, more than 97 percent of the Priuses produced are still on the road. Used battery packs are available from salvage yards for around $500.

Born a compact fuel-squeezer and penny-pincher, Prius advanced to the mid-size class in 2003. That second-generation model earned wide acclaim, including a spot on our 2004 10Best list.

Toyota’s U.S. general manager, Bob Carter, has high hopes that a growing Prius family will eventually surpass the sales volumes of the Camry and Corolla cash cows. And here is the first of the basic hatchback’s descendants, the Prius V. (That’s pronounced “vee” and not “five.”)

The V badge distinguishing the second Prius arriving this fall supposedly is meant to imply “versatile,” but it might just as well be Toyota’s victory salute. A risky engineering experiment worked, the Prius badge is universally recognized as the king of gas-electrics, and the hybrid pixie dust is being sprinkled over the 2012 V and two additional Prius models arriving next year.

Instead of simply flattening the roof and enlarging the standard Prius’s hatch to create the V, Toyota engineers went the extra mile. Their all-new body fits between conventional wagons, minivans, and compact crossovers. Size-wise, it’s aMazda 5 with no third-row seating. (Other markets will get a three-row version of the V called the Prius+ or Alpha) Unlike the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf’s lithium-ion setups, the battery pack uses cheaper but still effective nickel-metal hydride cells. Carrying a richer load of standard and optional equipment, the Prius V likely will arrive with prices ranging from $25,000 to $35,000. This is among the first vehicles to get Toyota’s new Entune infotainment system.

The V’s core carry-over from the regular Prius is Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive system. Two electric motors and a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine deliver a combined 134 hp through a final-drive ratio changed from the standard Prius’s 3.27:1 to 3.70:1. The larger frontal area and 232 pounds of additional weight stretch the run to 60 mph to more than 10 seconds. Estimated combined-driving gas mileage falls from 50 to a still-impressive 42 mpg.

The Prius V’s principal attraction is the three-cubic-foot gain in passenger volume and the 70-percent increase in maximum cargo space provided by its 3.0-inch longer wheelbase, 6.0-inch gain in overall length, and 1.1-inch width increase. A maximum of 34 cubes of stuff will fit behind the second row, and 67 can be accommodated with those seats folded. Extra-long rear doors—we foresee problems in parking lots and plenty of V-inflicted dings—and a roof raised by 3.3 inches provide ready access to back seats that slide 7.1 inches and fold on a 60/40 split. The second-row backrests adjust 45 degrees.

The V’s structure is sound, shrewdly tuned dampers do a commendable job of managing body motion, and new dual-path front-strut mounts eliminate some of the standard Prius’s impact harshness. Wraparound front seatbacks hold securely during hard cornering.

Unfortunately, this is not the hybrid for hot dogs. The V’s electric power steering is nicely weighted but devoid of road feel. The A-pillars are thick obstructions. The full-throttle drone is such incessant torture that you will willingly take your place in the slow lane, where you will now blot out more of the road ahead than regular Prius drivers.

Prius fans, on the other hand, will probably consider the V’s additional space, respectable fuel economy, and new creature comforts exactly the sort of treat they deserve for their upstanding environmental stewardship. View Photo Gallery

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2012 Toyota Camry Black SE V6 - News and review photo

Like the late Rodney Dangerfield, the Toyota Camry could reasonably complain that it don’t get no respect.

Never mind that it’s been America’s bestselling passenger car in 13 of the past 14 years—the past nine consecutively—and appears to be headed for another sales title this year. Never mind that a financial or marketing exec might observe that those numbers are the only kind of respect that really matters. The Camry don’t get no respect at Car and Driver, and it has only rarely elsewhere over that entire run. But the 2012 Camry, due in showrooms in October, could end—or at least moderate—our disdain.

All-New, Selectively

This is the Camry’s seventh generation—the first appeared in 1983—and inevitably the words “all-new” appear in the accompanying publicity materials. As usual, that description is open to interpretation and/or explanation. Considered in terms of the specifications, all-new is hard to see here. The body dimensions are identical to those of the gen-six car. So are the particulars of the 3.5-liter DOHC 24-valve V-6 that towed our SE test car—same bore, same stroke, same port fuel injection (no direct injection yet), same output: 268 hp, 248 lb-ft of torque.

The only powertrain changes, aimed at improving fuel economy, are subtle: lower-viscosity engine oil (0W-20 versus 5W-30), a transmission-oil warmer to achieve operating temps a little faster, and a higher (numerically lower) final-drive ratio of 3.46:1 versus 3.69:1. The net, according to the EPA, is a gain of 1 mpg in city and highway modes, for a rating of 21/30. We averaged 25 mpg.

New Where It Counts

Although changes to the basic unibody are mostly cosmetic—the seventh-generation sheetmetal, although not exactly head turning, looks contemporary and continues to be commendably slick with a 0.28 Cd—the really significant newness lies within. Without altering exterior dimensions, Toyota’s design team rearranged the Camry’s furniture to create more space for folks inhabiting the rear seats. Key elements: The accelerator pedal and the front-seat rails have sneaked slightly forward, and the backs of the front seats have been scooped out, yielding a rear-seat knee-room gain of 1.8 inches, according to the company.

Expanded roominess is always welcome in a family sedan, and in the new Camry, it’s enhanced by a center rear position that’s habitable for more than a run to the mall. Even more welcome, though, is the upgrade in the materials, including lots of soft-touch surfaces that give the interior an aura of comfort and quality distinctly absent in the last couple generations. The pseudo-suede center inserts in our test car’s optional leather-trimmed front buckets lend a soupçon of luxury, as well as a little grip to keep the driver centered in rapid transitions (not that many of those are likely), and slimmer A-pillar trim yields better forward sightlines.

Hold the Excitement

Assessed as a device with which to satisfy your inner Sebastian Vettel, the new Camry is pretty similar to its predecessor, which is to say essentially bland. Our test car was an SE model, nominally sportier than the rest of the lineup, but the suspension tuning is still skewed strongly toward the comfort side of the chart. There’s considerable body roll in hard cornering, obstinate understeer progresses to absolute, and as is common nowadays, a new electric-assist power-steering system substitutes weight for tactile information. This string of criticisms would add up to “fuhgedaboudit” if the Camry had sports-sedan pretensions. But it doesn’t, and its dynamic virtues are on target for its family-sedan mission.

And let us not neglect the power component. The Camry’s optional V-6 may be basically unchanged, but it delivers respectable hustle—0 to 60 mph in 5.8 seconds, the quarter-mile in 14.3 at 101 mph, 50 to 70 in 3.7. Those times are brisk for this class and would have been tops in our recent sedan comparisoninvolving the Honda Accord EX-L V-6, Hyundai Sonata 2.0T Limited, and Volkswagen Passat 3.6 SEL. Chalk it up in part to a curb weight—3407 pounds—100 pounds wispier than that of the lightest car in that group. Similarly, our test Camry’s 0.83-g skidpad performance would have topped those charts, and its 70-to-0-mph braking distance—173 feet—would have been 15 feet better than the comparo’s best stopper.

Respectability Returns

All in all, what Toyota has achieved with the latest Camry makeover is a return to the traits that put this car at the top of so many families’ shopping lists. An aggressive pricing schedule can’t hurt, either. The base price for most models is down versus 2011’s by as much as 7.5 percent, and the base for our test car—$27,400, less than any of the comparo trio previously cited—is unchanged from the previous generation.

Although well equipped in basic trim, our SE had a substantial inventory of optional equipment: the Leather package (seats, door trim, heated front seats, $1050); a power sunroof ($915); and navigation with Entune, Toyota’s infotainment system ($1550). The latter package also included a rearview camera, an auto-dimming rearview mirror with digital compass, an anti-theft alarm, and JBL audio with Bluetooth and voice recognition. The nav system is one of the most cooperative we’ve ever encountered, and we were similarly pleased with the JBL audio system. The bottom line as tested: $30,935.

This still isn’t the kind of car that raises pulse rates. But it is competent in everything, just right for a driver who doesn’t want to be involved any more than is absolutely necessary. As the Camry’s phenomenal sales record shows, there are a lot of those drivers out there. The new Camry should make them happier than they’ve been in a long time

2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid - car news and review

Don’t Rock the Boat” might not translate directly into Japanese, but Toyota engineers clearly followed words to such effect while crafting the new, second-generation Camry hybrid. Like the conventional gas-powered models, the gas-electric Camry is different and better than its forebear, although you’ll need a magnifying glass to identify many of the changes.

The most significant dimensional deviation is a 0.4-inch increase in overall height, attributable to a slightly more-wedge-like profile. The cargo hold was stretched to 13.1 cubic feet, representing a gain of 2.5 cubes achieved by reconfiguring and relocating the 150-pound battery pack. (Because of the pack’s location, only the right-side rear seatback folds to accommodate long objects.) Passenger space is up slightly, from 101.4 cubic feet to 102.7, keeping the Camry hybrid smack in the middle of the EPA’s midsize-sedan category.

Lighter and More Efficient

What the magnifying glass won’t reveal is that the more extensive use of high-strength steel has trimmed what Toyota says is about 220 pounds of weight while increasing rigidity in comparison with the last Camry hybrid we tested. Add to that a slick 0.27 coefficient of drag and improved low-rolling-resistance tires, and you get quicker acceleration and better mileage. More on that later.

Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive system still relies on one transversely mounted four-cylinder engine, two electric motor/generators, and a planetary-gear CVT to power the front wheels. A slight increase in engine displacement—from 2.4 to 2.5 liters—and a thorough retuning raised power and torque (to 156 hp at 5700 rpm and 156 lb-ft at 4500 rpm). Switching to electric drive for the air-conditioning compressor and engine-coolant pump eliminated all accessory drive belts. The main motor/generator, which produces more peak torque (199 lb-ft) and nearly as much peak power (141 hp) as the engine, drives the wheels and generates electricity to recharge the battery pack during deceleration. The smaller motor/generator restarts the gas engine after shutdown at stoplights, generates electricity for recharging the battery and powering the main motor/generator, and regulates the drive ratio between the engine and front wheels.

No one will have difficulty recognizing the new Camry as a member of America’s favorite—at least in terms of sales—car family. Viewed next to the conventionally powered models, grille and lamp changes are as close as this latest edition comes to rocking the smooth-sailing boat. To signal the owner’s environmental consciousness, there are three hybrid badges—one per front fender, another on the trunk.

Inside, the trim has been upgraded to address well-deserved gripes. The addition of brushed aluminum accents, an elegantly stitched dash topper, and more-contemporary grain patterns should help stem the tide of customers fleeing toward Hyundai. The set of three bright “optitron” dials in the hybrid’s multi-information display conveys more mileage, range, and energy-flow information than the most curious driver could desire. Additional energy-related menus are provided in the central touchscreen included with the uplevel audio and navigation systems. Dual-zone automatic climate control is standard; a tasteful combination of leather and Ultrasuede seat trim is an $1160 option in uplevel XLE editions like our test vehicle. As in other Camrys, there are no fewer than five audio-and-navigation combinations, but you first must opt out of the base LE hybrid ($26,660) to take that walk. Step one is the base setup. The first upgrade (standard in the $28,160 XLE) brings the 6.1-inch center touchscreen. The next step adds navigation and Toyota’s Entune multimedia system. Next comes the more entertaining JBL audio, and the final step brings a deluxe HDD navigation system splashed across a seven-inch touchscreen.

The lighter weight, the low drag, and the powertrain overhaul pay off with major mpg gains. Compared with the outgoing model, EPA city mileage for 2012 LE hybrids soars a remarkable 12 mpg to 43 mpg, and highway mileage is 4 mpg better at 39. XLE models like ours are rated for 40/38, and we got 30 mpg overall; a more careful driver’s mileage will surely vary upward. To help owners achieve phenomenal efficiency, there are two new driving modes. The eco setting significantly inhibits throttle openings and reduces the air-conditioning system’s power consumption. The EV mode allows driving solely on electric power for up to 1.6 miles at speeds below 25 mph.

The notion that Toyotas top the boredom charts in the driving-dynamics category has finally registered back at home base. For the seventh-generation Camry, engineers were challenged to maintain a baby-stroller ride while improving handling, agility, braking performance, and driver feedback. The gains they’ve achieved are significant but not enough to raise eyebrows among the leading sports-sedan makers.

Fleeter of Foot, Too

At least the combination of less weight and more available power trims 0-to-60-mph acceleration by 0.4 second to a more palatable 7.3 seconds, beating a standard four-cylinder Camry SE by half a second to 60 and through the quarter-mile by 0.6 second and 4 mph. The Kia Optima and Hyundai Sonata hybrids fall way behind, turning in 60-mph acceleration runs in the mid-nine-second range and a quarter-mile elapsed time slower by more than a second. Ford’s Fusion hybrid slides into second place ahead of the Koreans but behind the new Camry in straight-line vitality.

We measured a significantly shorter 70-to-0-mph stopping distance—178 feet—versus the previous Camry hybrid’s 200 feet. The blend of friction and electrical braking is smooth enough that you seldom detect queasiness or nonlinearity in the pedal.

The electrically assisted power steering—it originated in the previous hybrid and has spread across all Camrys—provides smidgens of feedback, a refreshing change for any Toyota. It’s tuned to adjust effort according to car speed and how rapidly the steering wheel is turned.

The annoying acceleration drone that comes standard with continuously variable transmissions has been reduced with revised engine controls and a heavy blanket of underhood sound deadening. The front seats have longer bottom cushions and taller backrests but not enough lateral stiffness to keep front occupants in place during hard cornering. A minor reshaping of the front seatbacks and center console has improved rear-seat knee- and legroom, especially for the center passenger.

Threatened by others elbowing into the hybrid-sedan game, Toyota has responded with a new Camry hybrid that is a stalking horse of sorts. It’s significantly more fuel efficient, notably quicker, and even a tad more satisfying to drive than before. The mid-20s through mid-30s pricing is on the high side, but with value factored into the equation, the 2012 model should hold its own against the rising tide. And for anyone who’s hooked on 40-plus mpg but tired of wacky (read “Prius”) design, the Camry hybrid will seem like the answer to a question he or she never dreamed of asking.