2010 Toyota Prius: Refinement of a good thing

By Lary Coppola

There are no big surprises in the all-new 2010 Toyota Prius — just significant improvements. It's sleeker and more powerful, and adds an additional three miles-per-gallon, for an EPA-rating of 51/48 City/Highway.

The 1.8-liter gasoline engine is new, delivering more horses more efficiently, while the hybrid drivetrain is 65 pounds lighter. Top speed is now 112 miles per hour — up from 103.

The 2010 Toyota Prius comes in four trim levels, starting with Prius I. Toyota is focusing on the Prius brand, so no model names are offered besides Prius I II, III, IV and V. Prius II — expected to be the most popular — comes extremely well equipped. Prius III adds premium JBL sound and Bluetooth, while Prius IV adds leather seats and upgraded trim, heated front seats, plasma instrument cluster, HomeLink, a Smart Key system, and water repellent window glass. The top-line Prius V adds LED headlamps and foglamps, along with 17-inch alloy wheels.

Walkaround: There are not a lot of wholesale styling changes to the 2010 Prius — it’s still instantly recognizable. What’s not immediately visible is a sleeker car with a reduced drag coefficient, positioning it among the world's most slippery vehicles.

As a result of A-pillars moving forward to radically rake the windshield, the Prius is about half an inch longer, and 3/4-inch wider, while the roof is the same height. However, its apex is moved rearward 3.9 feet, creating a smoother aerodynamic wedge.

The smaller upper grille opening more efficiently moves air over the hood, while a new lip over the rear deck almost eliminates that chopped tail look while improving airflow. The wheelwells are aggressively more pronounced for additional airflow improvement, and the bumpers are sharper and squarer at the corners than before.

The blue-tinted headlights are restyled into wraparound trapezoids, with optional LED lenses that use 17-percent less battery power. The standard LED taillights also reduce power draw by 88 percent.

Interior: The Prius interior has been upgraded, and includes optional leather. The inviting cockpit features a stylish center console running at a gentle angle from dashboard to between the seats, where the CVT shift lever is located.

The four-spoke steering wheel houses multiple controls, which read out on a 5-inch wide multi-function screen that displays graphs and images, including an Energy Monitor that presents the battery charge in real time; and a Hybrid System Indicator revealing the efficiency of your driving ability.

Addressing complaints about previous Prius models, the all-new front seats are comfortable with increased bolstering and adjustability, while the width of the seatbacks has been reduced, resulting in increased rear legroom. Toyota claims the interior trim is made from ecologically-friendly, plant-derived resin plastic with excellent recycling characteristics.

The rear seats are split 60/40, with a folding armrest housing two cupholders. They drop flat, revealing 39.6 cubic feet of cargo space, easily accessible through the large liftgate. There's another two cubic feet under the floor of the cargo area, while the compact spare tire is one level down. A cargo area tonneau cover is standard.

Although forward visibility over the long dashboard and steeply sloped windshield is good, you can't see the car’s front corners, while rear visibility is compromised by the aerodynamically sloped roofline.

Standard equipment includes a Touch Tracer Display that projects information, so you can keep your eyes on the road. The information is driver-controlled, with input coming from the steering wheel, and includes cruise control, trip computer, audio, and climate controls, with telephone and other controls available.

Prius options include such techno-tricks as a solar-powered ventilation system and moonroof; remote pre-air conditioning to cool the car down to ambient temperature before you get in; radar cruise control and lane alignment warning; Intelligent Parking Assist (borrowed from Toyota-owned Lexus) that will parallel park your Prius with no steering or throttle help from the driver; and radar-controlled pre-collision emergency braking to reduce crash impact when an accident is imminent.

Other options include a Navigation Package with voice-activated DVD navigation, Bluetooth, XM traffic, and a backup camera.

Safety equipment standard on all models includes dual-stage front airbags, side airbags in front, airbag curtains, and driver's knee airbag; active headrests; tire pressure monitor with warning light; anti-lock brakes with Brake Assist and Brake Force Distribution; and a sophisticated stability control system working with traction control.

Under The Hood: The 2010 Prius is powered by Toyota’s heralded Hybrid Synergy Drive system, which combines a new 98-horse 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine (up from 1.5 and 76 horses) with the two electric motor-generators, for a total of 134 total horses. It delivers more torque, allowing it to maintain freeway speeds at lower rpm, which also boosts fuel mileage. Operating voltage on the motor-generators has been increased from 500V to 650V, and gear drive has replaced chains in the motor, more than doubling the motor's rpm from 6,400 to 13,500. The accessory drive belts have also been eliminated, with such things as the AC compressor and water pump now driven electrically.

Behind The Wheel: Acceleration is adequate, doing the 0 to 60 drill in 9.8 seconds, while the continuously variable transmission (CVT), is smooth. Handling is nimble at slow speeds, but becomes heavy and slow the more aggressively you drive. However cornering is much improved with a new chassis and suspension. The brakes are sensitive due to all the electronic capabilities for safety, and the ride can be a little harsh over some bumps, while interior noise is surprisingly high — despite increased sound insulation.

There are three driving modes: EV, ECO and Power. EV is all electric, for very short distances at speeds under 25 mph; ECO provides the best fuel mileage, without noticeably compromising performance; and Power, the default mode, is needed for rapid acceleration.

Accelerating hard kicks the Prius into Power mode, which can be abrupt — like a transmission kick-down. However, like all hybrids it uses a CVT, which doesn't have gears.

Whines: The button for the heated seats is oddly located on the floor under the console, and curiously, in a vehicle seemingly aimed at the techno-conscious, a USB port isn't standard.

Bottom Line: The all-new 2010 Toyota Prius has evolved, with substantial improvements in the hybrid powertrain and styling. Overall, it’s a much improved version of the pioneer of the green car movement, and offers more amenities for more discriminating buyers.

New GMC Terrain melds style and fuel efficiency with premium features

By Lary Coppola

The 2010 GMC Terrain is a new addition to the GMC lineup. It’s a crossover SUV that offers bolder, more assertive styling than its Chevrolet sibling, the 2010 Equinox. Riding on a platform shared with the Equinox, the GMC Terrain might be considered the little brother to GMC’s successful full-size Acadia crossover. It boasts a pleasing exterior package and ample room inside, with thoughtful features that maximize both cargo and passenger capacity. Front-wheel drive is standard, with four-wheel drive an option.

The Terrain comes in two trim levels, SLE and SLT, along with a comprehensive inventory of standard features such as a rear-vision backup camera, OnStar (with one-year Safe and Sound service), XM Satellite Radio, USB audio connectivity, MP3 playback capability, and a programmable rear power liftgate, The standard MultiFlex sliding rear seat can be moved up or back nearly eight inches, and the rear cargo area behind it offers up 31.6 cubic feet of storage with the seat fully forward.

Among the options offered are Bluetooth hands-free phone capability, a navigation system with a seven-inch touch screen and voice recognition, a 40-gigabyte hard drive, and DVD-based rear-seat entertainment system with two independent screens.

Walkaround: Visually, the Terrain presents a balanced, athletic stance, that’s angular yet refined, and characterized by its bold, muscular fender flares, which appear to be borrowed from the late Hummer H3. The aggressive front-end is distinguished by GMC’s new signature three-element grille, which is accented by a prominent chrome surround, and by its projector-beam headlamps mounted in large, rectangular housings with chrome accents. The front-end is finished with precise, squared-off edges on the business-like cowling.

The Terrain rides on a 112.5-inch wheelbase and features a four-wheel independent suspension with wide front and rear tracks to enhance ride and handling. There’s a choice of standard 17-inch, or optional 18-inch aluminum and 19-inch chrome-clad wheels available.

The B-pillar is angled rearward from the top down, and wider than usual so the third-panel glass can wrap around to meet the liftgate.

The Terrain is larger than most of its segment competition — and considerably more stylish than the smaller Ford Escape, which has undergone a series of minor updates in recent years but whose overall look has become quite dated. Other physically smaller, and somewhat less stylish competitors include the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V and VW Tiguan, as well as its sibling, the Chevy Equinox.

Interior: The Terrain’s premium interior is quite refined, and has been clearly influenced by European design. That refinement is evident in the contrasting stitching and quality materials that create a uniformly structured look throughout the cabin. There are also four auxiliary power outlets, including one in the cargo area.

The Terrain’s newly designed seats are very comfortable. The aforementioned standard MultiFlex sliding rear seat has a 60/40-split, offering a number of configurations for passengers and cargo. It can be moved nearly eight inches, providing increased passenger legroom and/or greater rear cargo capacity, depending on how much of the available 31.6 cubic feet is needed.

GM’s first application of Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) technology — already used on some Honda models and other luxury-brand vehicles — is used on models equipped with the 2.4-Liter, 4-cylinder engine. ANC utilizes microphones to detect booming sounds inside the vehicle and sends counteracting sound waves through the audio system’s speakers, for a quiet driving experience at almost all vehicle speeds.

Safety features include four-wheel disc brakes with GM’s StabiliTrak electronic stability control and traction control, as well as six standard air bags — dual frontal air bags; head curtain side air bags and pelvic/thorax seat-mounted side air bags.

Under The Hood: Two brand new, clean-sheet design, new-thinking powerplants are offered on all GMC Terrain models. Forget old technology like pushrods. Both Terrain engines feature gasoline direct-injection with variable-valve timing. A 2.4-Liter Ecotec Inline 4-cylinder — the first 4-banger offered in a GM crossover since the 1980’s — and rated at 182 horsepower, is the standard motor. The optional 3.0-Liter V6 delivers 264 ponies, and an EPA-estimated 25 mpg on the highway, and 17 in the city, while the 2.4 is rated at 32/highway and 22/city. Both engines boast a driving range of more than 500 miles, and are mated to efficiency-enhancing six-speed automatic transmissions.

The powertrains are mounted on a rigid, body-integral structure, with single-piece body side stampings and targeted applications of high-strength steel. The Terrain’s rack-mounted electric power steering system provides greater fuel efficiency on the four-cylinder models, saving nearly 11 miles per tank of gas. Maximum fuel economy on the 2.4-Liter is also achieved in part by using an “eco” mode activated with a console-mounted button. When engaged, it lowers the torque converter lockup speed to 1,125 rpm to help save additional fuel.

Behind The Wheel: Our onyx black SLT test vehicle was equipped with the V6 and was relatively loaded option-wise ($36,430 as tested). We drove the Terrain during a time of exceptionally cold, icy weather, and found its front-wheel drive to be relatively surefooted with minimal torque-steer. Acceleration was fairly strong, and handling and braking were good. Overall, we found it to drive at least as good as anything in this market segment, with stronger acceleration than all the others.

Whines: The width of the B-pillar restricts rear visibility somewhat, but is partially made up for with the standard back-up camera. There’s no optional third-row seat as in the smaller RAV4.

The Bottom Line: The 2010 GMC Terrain is an example of the new passenger-friendly design standard being set by GMC’s larger Acadia, while offering bolder styling than its sibling Chevy Equinox. It’s boasts lots of room and comfort, thoughtful features, pleasing design, and outstanding performance. General Motors is on a mission to re-establish itself as a force to be reckoned with in the American market amid the European and Japanese competitors it allowed to eclipse its one-time dominance through a generation of managerial arrogance and product neglect. Starting with the Chevy Malibu and new Buick LaCrosse, as well as a number of new vehicles I was invited to preview in advance of this year’s Detroit Auto Show, I believe GM has an opportunity to do just that. May the best cars win.

Volvo XC60 Wins Prestigious 2010 International Truck of the Year Award

The Volvo XC60 was named 2010 International Truck of the Year today by the International Car of the Year (ICOTY) jury. The award was given to Doug Speck, President and CEO of Volvo Cars of North America, LLC at the Volvo display at the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show. The XC60 was chosen over 10 new crossovers, SUVs and trucks by a distinguished panel of top automotive journalists.

"This ties a very pretty bow around what's been a truly amazing year for Volvo," commented Speck. "The XC60 has not only been recognized by the media but it's been extremely well received by our customers." The 2010 XC60 has helped VCNA earn six consecutive months of year-over-year sales increases since June.

The XC60 was chosen the winner from a panel of 19 automotive media from around the U.S. and Canada representing top newspapers, magazines and websites. The jurors must consider the ICOTY mission of "honoring vehicles that reflect an emotional connection between car and consumer lifestyles" when making their nominations. "The ICOTY awards are not centered on power and performance," said Courtney Caldwell, ICOTY's creator and executive producer. "It's about how cars reflect our personalities, lifestyles and self image, an attitude most consumers identify with."

Once approved by the ICOTY nominating committee, the awards jury then bases their decision on a number of important criteria: The vehicle must be new or substantially revised, it must be offered for sale to the general public by the judging deadline of November 16, 2009, and may not have been previously considered for the ICOTY Awards.

The International Truck of the Year award marks the 20th accolade the Volvo XC60 has received since sales began in Europe in late 2008. The XC60 is the first vehicle to offer City Safety as standard equipment. This unique Volvo technology can help the driver avoid frontal collisions at low speed. If the driver is about to drive into the rear of a vehicle and does not react in time, the XC60 will apply the brakes by itself.