Refreshed 2012 Toyota Prius Priced from £21,350 in Britain

Toyota has released UK pricing on its subtly facelifted Prius hybrid that goes on sale this March. The 2012 model is offered in three trim levels with on-the-road prices ranging from £21,350to £24,620.

Revealed last September at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the 2012 Prius gains some modest improvements inside and out.

On the exterior, there's a newly designed front bumper that houses new daytime running lights, clear headlamps featuring a revised LED lamp configuration, different tail lamp graphics and a new choice of alloy wheel designs.

In the cabin, there are new front seats, new upholstery and softer-touch surfaces, while Toyota also raised the equipment levels, most notably with the Toyota Touch touchscreen control system that is now standard on all grades.

Toyota also claims to have made changes to the suspension and steering column to improve comfort and steering feel.

There are no changes to the Prius' hybrid setup that mates a 1.8-liter Atkinson cycle petrol engine with a CVT and an electric motor to deliver a combined cycle fuel economy of 72.4mpg UK with CO2 emissions of 89g/km (70.6mpg UK and 92g/km respectively for models riding on 17-inh alloy rims).

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Toyota Says it Received 60,000 Orders for New Aqua Hybrid in Japan Before Launch

The new Aqua is off to an excellent start in Japan as Toyota revealed that it had already received pre-orders for 60,000 cars ahead of the sub-compact hybrid hatchback's launch on Monday, December 26. That's five times the company's monthly sales target of 12,000 cars in Japan.

"It will take about four months to receive the car once an order is placed," Toyota managing officer Koei Saga told reporters during a media briefing earlier this week.

The Aqua, which will be marketed around the world as the new Prius C, made its world premiere at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show in the beginning of December.

Roughly the same size as the latest Yaris hatchback, the Aqua pairs a 1.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine with 74PS at 4,800 rpm and 111Nm (81.9 lb-ft) to an electric motor producing up to 45kW (61PS) and 169Nm (125 lb-ft), for combined output of 100PS (73kW or 98HP).

The CVT-equipped hybrid model can accelerate from standstill to 100 km/h (62mph) in 10.7 seconds while completing the 40 km/h to 70 km/h sprint in 3.6 seconds.

Toyota says that in Japan, the Aqua returns a fuel efficiency of 35.4 km/L (equal to 83.3 mpg US or 2.8lt/100km) under the JC08 test cycle and 40 km/L (94 mpg US or 2.5lt/100 km) under the 10-15 driving cycle.

Pricing for the new Aqua in Japan starts from 1.69 million yen (US$21,770 at today's exchange rates) for the base "L" model and rises to 1.85 million yen (US$23,830) for the range-topping "G" trim level.

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2012 Hyundai Veloster Debuts in Detroit

What started out as the Veloster strategy style at the 2007 Los Angeles Vehicle Display has come to life as a development style at this week's 2011 Southern United states Global Vehicle Display in Detroit. In contrast to most other development designs that are usually more standard than their conceptual friends, Hyundai's Veloster is actually more radical than the 2007 style study thanks to its asymmetric structure with a single door on the driving area and two standard opportunities on the passenger-side.

Hyundai is favorable about the Veloster's challenges as the business introduced several assessment graphs unsightly pitting the little car against this year's Ford CR-Z, Scion tC, Modest Hardtop and Modest Clubman.

According to the Southern Koreans, the Veloster’s total internal variety of 105.3 cubic ft sounds all these designs, while the car maker also information that at just 2,584 weight, its little car is more than 400 weight light than the Scion tC.

The business statements the Veloster's outside style takes ideas from a high-performance activity cycle, while inside, the center bunch and adjustments are said to appear to be an activity cycle gas container and include an available push-button beginning. Cars added that the air ports are encouraged by motorbike tailpipes, while the floor system showcases the hold of a cycle.

The Veloster trips on a 104.3-inch wheelbase, with an overall time 166.1 in. and size of 70.5 in..

At start and at least in Southern North america, Hyundai's stream-lined providing will be available with an all-new 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine providing Energy Immediate Treatment (GDI) technology. It makes an approximated top result of 138 power at 6,300 rpm and greatest twisting of 123 lb.-ft. at 4,850 rpm, and can in addition to a standard six-speed guide gearbox or an all-new, six-speed dual-clutch indication (DCT) developed by Cars.

The Southern Japanese car maker said the Veloster will return an approximated road gas mileage of up to 40 mpg.

More details such as prices and variety are to be declared soon.

 



 

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